Month: November 2014

Author Presence: Setting your #Blog Header Photo

Author Presence: Installing your Header Photo on Your Blog

The last time here you installed your Blog Theme and your About,me Widget. Now we are going to do that thing people think is so cool. We are going to install the Header Photo.

What you need to know:

Size: Header 990 width x 180 height pixels

File Type: jpg or png (yes jpeg and jpg are the same)

If your image is larger than this you will end up cropping it, which means cutting down to the appropriate size. In some Themes you can move the crop area around to get what you want, in some you can’t move it. Also in some the suggested size does not have to be followed but I don’t recommend that your Header Photo be so large it takes up your entire landing page screen.

What should your Header Photo be?

Some choose to include their image with a quote from some famous author. Or perhaps just the quote. If you have books already, you can include them. Some people simply put a nice image of something they like, or something that they feel represents them or captures their personality. As with everything else remember the word, professional. This does not mean professional quality necessarily, but professional in nature and content.

For my example blog I am going to use a peaceful image for now.

We are once more headed to the ‘Dashboard’ of our Blog.

Once in the Dashboard, since we are changing some type of appearance of the theme/blog, we are going to to go:

Appearance

Then Customize

You will not be taken to a very, shall I say ‘funky’ looking page that is nothing like what we have see so far. On the page you see the landing page of your Blog as it appears now. At the bottom you can click the three different little screen options to see how your blog looks in the different types of devices it will be viewed on.

To the right you will find the areas to be used today:

  • Custom Design-This usually requires a premium, meaning paid upgraded packages.
  • Colors
  • Header
  • Front
  • Widgets
  • Site Title

The first thing to do is go to Header. I think that is a bit obvious since we are dealing with the Header Photo. I say this to simply show you the obviousness of what we are doing and how easy it is to actually figure things out on your own if you wish.  One piece of advice. Take note of what Theme you are using, by this I mean write it down. You will be tempted to try other Themes for fun and end up deciding you liked your first Theme and will ultimately have no idea what that Theme is after looking at 20 or so different ones. (Yes, I have been there and done that.)

For Coraline after I clicked on Header I have some built in images I may use. Instead I will click Add new image.

In the middle of your screen you will see Select Files. Click it.

I loaded a photo my son helped me take. I was lying on the ground and he blew bubbles above me. Thus my Header Photo is of one of those bubbles.

Bubbles 1 - Copy

 

You now see what your page looks like in the ‘funky page’ window.

If you don’t like it, just try again.

The image is going to be very short in height. For example if you look at the image of the bubbles the only bubble i was able to include was the large one in the middle. That’s fine with me, but just keep that in mind when you are coming up with your images. yes you can, with Coraline, expand the height but it will take away from your landing page visibility. I like to have at least my first post heading and some content showing.

If you are, and once you are happy let’s go ahead and look at the Front option here while we are in the Customize ‘funky page’.

You can either have a Static, meaning the same thing every time someone visits page, or a Your latest posts landing page. This really is up to you. I use the ‘Your latest posts option’. But some of you might wish to have the Static page be for advertising your latest book with their then been being able to click the Blog button on the Menu around your Header Photo . . . the normal location.

I don’t do anything with the Widgets here. And we will discuss them another day.

Site Title includes what your Site is called, regardless of your URL address. And it also include your Tagline. Remember the Tagline can be what you are the author of or just some one line thing like your motto. For now I am leaving mine blank.

You will also see a box to check or uncheck. Display Header Text. On my Ronovan Writes site since my Header Photo includes Ronovan Writes I don’t display the text. But for this blog I will keep it for now.

Now click Save at the bottom right. Then click the X in the bottom right.

You should now be back at your Dashboard. To see how everything looks in full screen, click your Site Title in the Top Left corner.

The next time we will connect our blog to the About.me account. And possibly connect it to Twitter as well.

You may be wondering when will it be time to post something, write a blog post/article. I am of the mind to have the connections to everything set first and then I can devote my time to writing. Sure there will be times you will connect other Social Media to your site along the way, but we’re going to make this right from the beginning.

Here are dimensions to keep in mind for the Coraline images.

  • Header 990 x 180 px
  • Content area 500 px wide (Depends on if you have two sidebars. Otherwise you will need to adjust. If too wide your sidebars will then be shifted down below or disappear all together.)
  • Footers 220 px wide
  • Feature widget 450 px wide
  • Primary widget area 220 px wide
  • Secondary widget area 180 px wide

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Meet @WendyProof Author&More Q&A

From Cuddle Bug’s review of “Verity” in A Kind of Mad Courage on Amazon.com: The ending of one of my favorite stories, ‘Verity’ by Wendy Janes, about an aging woman in the UK, made me cry from surprise and possibility. I won’t spoil the story but say that the skillful denouement, and the general short story plot included a sort of lovely misdirection (whether intentional or unintentional) which meant I was surprised and truly touching in reading the ending. The prose pacing and ambiance of that story really flowed and gave me a sense of being there.

From Terry Tyler’s review of “Verity” in A Kind of Mad Courage on Amazon.com: …my other joint favourite! So touching, really moving, I loved it.

Joy E’s review of “The Stars They Never Own” in Romantic Heroes on Amazon.co.uk: …my favourite story within the anthology, by far…. The Author managed to draw me into the story so quickly and the twist at the end was absolutely charming. To construct a story like this in so few words is no mean feat and Ms. Janes should be complimented. I hope that she continues to write and look forward to reading more by her in the future.

I met my guest today in some way a time ago. I don’t always remember how I meet people ever since an accident brought about short and long term amnesia. For a History teacher and Author this is a frustrating thing. I tell you this only so you understand that my first meeting with today’s guest was not a case of not being memorable, just a case of me being the current me. A joy of a friend and social media supporter. A very accommodating person. Meet . . .

Author

Proof Reader

Editor

Wendy Janes

wendy_janes_author.jpg@WendyProof

RW: We’ve known each other for a little while, and for some reason I never think of people being in places, I just think of names, faces, and words, but now it’s time to expose you to the world. Where are you from?

WENDY: I’ve always lived in the south of England. I was born and brought up in the leafy Surrey countryside, and I now live in a less leafy suburb of south London. I love being so close to the vibrancy and history of London.

RW: I swear I am like a British magnet. What is it about Britain and me? Is it the Scot in me? With that in mind what is your favorite beverage?

WENDY: Chilled champagne if I’m celebrating. A cup of Earl Grey if it’s afternoon teatime.

RW: You are fully British so let’s see, tell us who your favorite authors are?

WENDY: Oooh, that’s so difficult to answer. I’ll pick two from the past – Graham Greene and E. M. Forster – and two from the present – Maggie O’Farrell and Jon McGregor. Brilliant writers whose stories take me to wonderful places in my head.

RW: And there you go the British package complete Four from the British Isles. Let’s get into why you are here. First, what is the genre you would say your book falls into and why do you write in that genre?

WENDY: Contemporary women’s fiction. They say “write what you know” – so I do. I love to write about the people we meet every day; to delve into their private lives and reveal the depths below. It never ceases to amaze me how ordinary life is so extraordinary.

RW: You told me there is a conflict within you that you are striving to resolve. You must resolve this or never complete your novel. Why can’t you name your novel?

WENDY: Ah, I wish I could give you give you a straightforward answer to this question. You’ve no idea how many hours I’ve spent trying to summon up the perfect title for my novel. I have two front-runners at present – What Jennifer Knows and Take Two. The first captures the central dilemma of my lead character. The second is more subtle and works at a number of different levels. When readers reach a pivotal scene (my favourite) they’ll “get” the full ramifications of the second title. Oooh, which to go for…?

RW: Perhaps a Take Two: What Jennifer Knows? Tell us a little about your book and what inspired it and perhaps that will give as the reason for such a dilemma.

WENDY: Jennifer unwittingly stumbles across some information that she’d really rather not know: two of her friends who don’t know each other have more than Jennifer in common. She has to decide whether to speak out or not, and as the weeks roll by, things become more complicated, making her situation even more difficult.

A similar experience happened to my parents, but with far less drama involved. Many discussions around the family dinner table about what happened, and what might have occurred if things had panned out differently, led to my father suggesting it would make a good story for me to write. I eagerly took up the challenge. Essentially, my story is an exploration of all the tantalising “what ifs” that didn’t happen in the real-life story.

RW: What do you think will make your main characters connect to readers, which is key to a books success?

WENDY: Jennifer is a dance therapist. Her natural empathy for her students and her friends mean she’s excellent at her job and a trusted friend. It’s her kindness and her genuine wish to do the right thing that (I hope) readers will relate to. She also has a wonderfully eccentric husband, Gerald. Their relationship provides a lot of the comic and heartfelt moments in the book.

RW: Describe your book in one word.

WENDY: English. I hope I’m allowed to explain my choice. The setting, characters and feel of the book is very English – mannered and peppered with self-deprecating humor. It’s set during the 2012 Olympics and touches on the incredible wave of positive feeling that swept the country at that time.

RW: What message do you think your book delivers to the reader?

WENDY:

Jennifer would say: “When life gets complicated, do your best.”

Gerald would say: “When life gets complicated, hang on to your sense of humor.”

 

I’ve connected to Wendy everywhere now it’s your turn. I can tell you that she is a great social media friend. She has really helped with many of the Tweets and Google+ things I put out. Seeing what she does reminds me of techniques I’ve forgotten. (Remember I am the amnesiac author and poet.)

My proofreading website is: http://wendyproof.co.uk/

Twitter: @WendyProof

Facebook: Wendy Janes

Google +: Wendy Janes

Linkedin: Wendy Janes

Goodreads: Wendy Janes

If you’ve visited before you know I have different types of questions, now we move into more shall I call them  different types of questions. (Yes, I tried to come up with something funny but failed.)

RW: What is your escape when writing just is driving you a bit mad?

WENDY: Chocolate. It helps soothe so many of life’s problems.

RW: What is your favorite word?

WENDY: Chocolate.

**I see a pattern here.**

RW: What is your background in writing, what makes you a writer?

WENDY: I’ve spent many years writing journal entries (private) and book reviews (public), so I’d say that’s my background in writing. Then, five years ago I was sitting with my friend in her kitchen and our conversation turned to the lack of good books with well-written sex scenes in them, and on the spur of the moment we decided to write our own. We had a fantastic couple of years developing our characters and our story, and it was a good test of our friendship to negotiate how two very different writers could collaborate. Eventually we self-published Living Lives: Living Lies by Ruth Allen. Alas, the book didn’t take the world by storm as we’d imagined while scribbling away at the dining room table. I’m happy to report that we’re still very good friends, although my days of writing erotic fiction are over. The whole experience introduced me to self-publishing and helped me find my own writing voice. I now write short stories and am working on a novel that I’m planning to self-publish in 2015.

RW: What other books do you have to share with us and can you tell us a little about them?

WENDY: My short story “Verity” features in A Kind of Mad Courage, a selection of stories about motherhood, written to raise money for the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation. Another short story, a_kind_of_mad_courage.jpg“The Stars They Never Own” appears in the anthology, Romantic Heroes. Although they are stories about very different people (a retired woman in her seventies and an actor in his thirties), both have their poignant and their funny moments.

**But Wendy isn’t just about her own fiction writing and anthologies, collections or even her own full length novel. There is a more personal work out there with her name on the cover.**

the_one_and_sixpenny_englishman.jpgAs a family we self-published my grandfather’s memoir in 2014. The One and Sixpenny Englishman tells of my grandfather’s arrival in England as a baby at the turn of the twentieth century, his experience in the First World War, and his eclectic choice of occupations. It’s a little slice of personal history told in words and family photos.

 

 

RW: Do you currently have representation? If so who, and if not describe what qualities you would like in an agent and what you would bring to the relationship.

WENDY: No I don’t currently have representation. My agent would need to be patient, honest, supportive, motivated, professional, and creative. And so would I.

RW: What are you working on right now?

WENDY: In addition to What Jennifer Knows/Take Two, I’m also working on a couple of short stories. One of them is a departure from my usual relationship-based drama, and is an absurd comedy. It’s making me laugh. Let’s hope it will make readers laugh too.

RW: What book are you reading at this time?

WENDY: ‘I’ve just finished reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. I laughed. I cried. I didn’t want it to end.’.

RW: Uh oh, an Australian invades Great Britain’s literary territory! So I have to ask, if you could have written any book that exists, other than your own, what would it be and why?

WENDY: If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor. His poetic prose is beautiful.

RW: What is your biggest tip for someone to getting published?

WENDY: I’m a proofreader, so I have to declare that my biggest tip is: “Get your book edited and proofread, please!”

Here’s a lovely little trailer we made for Living Lives: Living Lies

Wendy Janes, more than an Author. Yes, today was about her upcoming full length novel, but what I personally took away was something else. She’s authentic. Wendy, as I said before helps out with the little things at times with some Social Media retweets, Tweets, Google+ shout outs, and the like. Some do that to make connections in the business. Anyone that writes and works so much to put out a book about their grandfather is, to me at least, the real thing. To be honest if I had .99 to spare the book would be in my Kindle library already. Talking with Wendy outside of this interview I have discovered she only does something that she can give her all to. That’s the kind of Author I want to read. Connect with her everywhere, buy anything she is involved with and as always . . .

Read a Book, Write a Review.

 

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Book Cover Artist Q&A with Chris Graham the @StoryReadingApe

RW: You are the Indie Authors best friend. That’s something many people know you as, but there is another aspect of your contribution to the Author world that some are not quite as familiar with. Tell us about how and why you came to create book covers? What was your first one?

CHRIS: My first cover was for the late Steve K. Smy, ‘Shade of Evil’, the first of a new series that Steve intended to publish, this was quickly followed by two more for ‘Evil Under the Circle’ and ‘A Darkness in Amazonia’, unfortunately, Steve died shortly after publishing this last one, however, based on notes left behind by Steve, his son Damien has published one more book of a new Fantasy series (asking me to do the cover and a map) and already has the cover plus maps from me for a second book:

chris_graham_shade_of_evil_cover_art.jpgchris_graham_evil_under_the_circle_cover_art.jpgchris_graham_a_darkness_in_amazonia_cover_art.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

RW: What types of software or online tools do you use in creating the artwork for the book covers?

CHRIS: To create the scenes and characters in 3D, I use Smith Micro’s Poser 10TM and E-ON Software Inc’s VUE Esprit 10TM programmes and render them into exportable Image Formats (usually PNG for best resolution and Hard / Paper back books, plus jpg / jpeg for eBooks).

For working the rendered scenes into covers and add text, I use several Image Editors, the main one being a GIMP-like software called ‘Seashore’ which is compatible with my Mac. The others are mainly to generate any special fonts or effects.

RW: I’ve looked into free programs like Blender, since I was originally planning to be an art major way back in the day, so I am very interested in illustration and that part of the Lit World. Have you tried it and if so what has your experience with free programs similar to that?

CHRIS: I did try Blender and several other programs, but they are way to user unfriendly – you need to take courses on them. Poser and Vue are much easier and intuitive to use.

RW: I have to agree with you. Blender is so complicated, at least for me at the moment, that I just open it and close it again. But it might be I don’t have the time to invest in it. But Poser and Vue sound more user friendly. I saw the prices so I it will be a long time before I could even think about visiting those sites again to make a purchase. How do you do the layering using the different software packages and make them blend together?

CHRIS: Layering in any Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Gimp and similar programmes are all done the same way.

RW: Chris just showed his professional side there and did a duh answer on me. Okay, do you read the books first or does the Author give you an idea they have, such as a feel they are going for?

CHRIS: I’ve done both – but usually the author has a good general idea of what they’d like and I prefer to work with that – so far I’ve been lucky enough to hit close enough to their marks first or second time to work out the final details quickly.

RW: How long does it take to do a book cover on average?

CHRIS: I really couldn’t say – sometimes I can get something together in a day, but one cover took me over a week to get to the final tweaking part.

RW: What are some of the covers that come to mind that even impress you? I know you will say you love them all but there has to be some that once complete just took you by surprise how good they turned out.

CHRIS: The first one I did for Jo Robinson was a WOW moment for both of us, I did the cover image, Jo sourced and added the title, etc, font:

chris_graham_shadow_people_the_finding_cover_art.jpg

RW: How does one approach you to have a book cover done?

CHRIS: That’s easy, go to the following link:

http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/authors-resources-central/tsra-doings/

You’ll also see all the covers and maps I’ve made for authors to date.

RW: Where do you get your inspiration for the artwork for the covers? Do you have an art background?

CHRIS: After reading the information the authors send me, I mull it over for a few days, maybe do a little research if there are any specific objects involved, then I just start pulling bits together until the scenes feel right, render, maybe enhance the image a few different ways and send low resolution copies, plus suggested enhancements, to the authors for them to consider.

I have GCE ‘O’ level and Royal Drawing Society Level 5 Certificates in Art and even had a (not all that good – I was only 16 years old at the time) painting exhibited in a London Museum (probably one of the easily missed back street ones NOT the Famous London Art Gallery lol).

However, any drawing and painting talents I ever had have long since vanished and that’s why I resort to using 3D computer programmes 😀

I trained as an Engineering Draughtsman, progressing onto Designer and as a Construction Site Project Director, had occasion to do some “Remedial Re-design” to suit site conditions, because the designers had not attended site to carry out proper surveys before making their designs.

RW: Most book cover makers source stock images online, then cut, paste and modify them to get the final result, but you use 3D programs to create the scenes instead – is there a reason for doing them this way?

CHRIS: Yes, several reasons:

Many of the stock image sites charge small fees, which is not a problem in itself and well worth it in many cases, plus, really great images quickly become popular for using in all sorts of ways, posters, banners, Websites, etc, and so may not be unique to the author’s book cover.

Any costs I incur would need to be passed onto the author whose book cover I’m making (thus adding to the price I quote – which is already nominal and affordable for custom made covers using my own materials), plus, it’s critical for any author who wants their book cover to stand out from the rest, to have a cover that no-one else can ever get, intentionally or unintentionally.

By custom creating the scenes myself for each author and saving those scenes, plus any resulting cover images right up to the final one, under that authors name and never using those scenes for anyone else, I can guarantee each cover will be unique.

RW: Is book cover creating something you would suggest people get into? For example; are there creative headaches involved? Be honest, Authors are very possessive and particular about their books. I have an image in my head for a book cover for one of mine and I can see it almost exactly, does that ever rear its ugly head and you have to rework a cover over and over?

CHRIS: Only one cover needed more than a few tweaks, but it was well worth the effort by both the author and myself.

RW: If someone wanted to become a cover designer how would you suggest they begin? Art classes, computer classes, or maybe just jump in and become familiar with things?

CHRIS: Some people seem to have a natural affinity for composing art (I had a friend once who used to doodle mini masterpieces on scraps of paper, then discard them), but like most things, art is learnable, so if someone is not feeling all that comfortable with their efforts, taking art and/or computer classes may help.

However, why not just jump in and have a go – you’ll have great fun even if you never sell any of it.

RW: Do you ever see a book cover or even a DVD/Blue Ray cover and think “They so got that wrong”?

CHRIS: I can’t think of any.

RW: You’ve recently started practicing Promotional Trailers, will you be offering this as another service?

CHRIS: Yes – but first I have to satisfy myself that I KNOW what I’m doing with the new software I’m teaching myself how to use, then I will definitely offer that service at competitive (and affordable) prices.

One thing I would like to make clear though.

It is NOT my intention to undermine Professional Book Cover and Promo Trailer Makers and steal business away from them – my intention is ONLY to offer Indie Authors an affordable alternative when starting out ,or, when trying to become better established and in a position to be able to afford those professionals.

RW: Lastly, as I ask all the creative people that come through here, what is your favorite word and why?

CHRIS: ‘FUN’ because everyone should enjoy what they do and if you take everything, including yourself, too seriously, you’ll go NUTS.

 

Blog: TheStoryReadingApeBlog.com
Twitter: @StoryReadingApe
Facebook Timeline
Facebook Promotion of New Authors and Books Page
Google+: Chris Graham (The Story Reading Ape)
LinkedIn: The Story Reading Ape
Pinterest: Graham Christopher
Goodreads: Chris The Story Reading Ape

 

 

chris_the_story_reading_ape.jpg

chris_graham_the_men_of_hwitern_cover_art.jpg

COVERS REVEALED BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED

chris_graham_shadow_people_2_cover_art.jpgchris_graham_shadow_people_3_cover_art.jpgchris_graham_shadow_people_4_cover_art.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

chris_graham_the_grey_book_cover_art.jpg

chris_graham_the_time_before_cover_art.jpg

Chris Graham is more than a blog host to Indie Authors. I wanted people to find out the talent behind the ape. I think after reading his answers you will all agree that there is a lot more than than the fur shows us. There is an intelligence there that he downplays but you can’t hide it for long. Doing illustrated work has long been one of my biggest dreams. In reality it was perhaps my first dream career. When I found out what Chris does I had to talk to him and share what I found out. I thank Chris for agreeing and sharing. Visit his blog, buy the books he covers, and as always . . .

Read a Book, Write a Review.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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Author Presence: Putting your Blog Theme in Place.

Author Presence: Putting your Theme in Place.

Last time we met it was choosing your Theme for your blog. Let’s say you looked at the links I gave you and you picked one out. I’m going with the Coraline Theme for my example Blog. One of the things we might do today is install the About.me Widget, so go ahead and log into your About.me account in another Tab or Window. This isn’t a must today but I am going to cover it.

You are going to actually pick your blog and activate it on your blog today and chose the layout. All very simple.

  • Log into your WordPress.com Blog.
  • Click My Sites
  • Click The Gear on the top right of the image of your blog
  • Click Go to Admin Dashboard

Now you will see a long list of words on the left side. If you take a moment you will be able to do some common sense figuring out of things. For now, since we are going to actually pick out your Theme and apply it to your blog, we are going to change the Appearance of your Blog.

So guess which of those words we are going to click on?

Yep-Appearance.

Technically you don’t have to click on it, but instead just place the cursor over it and it will show your options, but either way works.

Click Themes

Now you are going to want to Search for your Theme.

On the Right side click Free. Now there is normally a Search field here, if not, you can do the search function on your computer, or simply scroll down until you find your Theme. I am going to choose Coraline.

Once I find it, I will place my cursor over it and click Activate.

I click the x at this point because I don’t want to Customize, which means things like Add a Header Photo.

Right now I want to choose the layout. Each Theme has at least one layout. If it has more than one option, then you will see under Appearance something called Theme Options.

For Coraline click Theme Options.

I’m not worried about that Color Scheme yet that is at the top of the screen. What I want is to take a look at the Default Layout. I can’t tell you which one to go with for certain here as you will want to pick your own flavor.

  • But I am going to choose the one that says Sidebar-Content. That means my Sidebar will be on the left and my Content, that is my posts/articles will be on the right.
  • Then I click Save Options.

Now you want to see what it looks like, right?

Look at the top left of your screen and you will see the name of your Blog. Mine says Ronovan Author. Click it. Now if you are in Coraline you will see some things already in your Sidebar. Don’t worry, you will be putting your own things in there but what’s in there at the moment is just fine.

Now you have a choice to make. You can do one of about four things right now:

  • Put a Header Photo in
  • Put your About.me Widget in
  • Write a post
  • Or really if you have had enough for the day, just stop. This post will be here tomorrow as well as the next day.

I think most people go straight for that Header Photo. Yes, that image is important, but I say let’s go with the About.me Widget. After all that time we worked on them, and even put possibly two images in there already, let’s put them to use. You are your image. Period.

Again we are back at the Dashboard and under the Appearance toward the bottom, right where we just left from. In fact you could click the back arrow on your browser to get there.

Once there you want to click on Widget that appears after you click on Appearance or hover over it with your cursor.

The About.me Widget is the easiest to find. Why? Because they are alphabetical. Yes, it’s the first one you come to. In the Coraline Theme on the right side I have Seven Widget Areas. I am only concerned with the Primary Widget Area right now.

  • Click on the About.me Widget.
  • Primary Widget Area is already selected so all you have to do is click Add Widget.

Under your Primary Widget Area on the Right your About.me Widget has appeared with a lot of information in it.

  • The ‘Your about.me URL’ is what you are looking at right now. Notice most of it is already filled out.
  • I know mine is Ronovan. So I just need to type that in. So log in to your About.me account and see what name shows up. Really it might say Home, but click on your name in the top right and edit and the name should appear in the URL.
  • Put that name in and click Save. Now let’s go see what it looks like.

Now all of that stuff that was there before is gone. Your image is there along with your bio and your Social Media Apps Buttons. Think about all you’ve done with this one Widget.

Not all of that information has to be shown. Back in that Widget area you can always go in and uncheck the boxes you don’t want to appear. If you keep your Bio up on your About.me Widget then you might not need the About page at the top of your Header Photo. The About page is one of the most popular spots on my personal Blog. Why do I not show my Bio from my About.me account? Because it takes up a lot of Sidebar space I use for other things. But if you are a minimalist in that regards do what you like. I am just going to show you what is possible.

Well that’s all for today.

See y’all next time.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

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Special Interview Monday at 9 AM New York Time.

Special Interview on Monday!

Can you guess who it is?

Just look around the site and you will get an idea.

Be back here Monday at 9 AM New York Time.

Indie Authors–Have I got a resource for you!

 

 

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LWI #WeekendDateBookClub

Want a date for the weekend that will LAST?

How about one that is WORTH your time?

We’ve got Authors for you!

IT’S THE

Weekend Date Book Club

 

Is one of our authors on your dance card for the weekend?

Do you have one that you are hot about and might be a great interview or review for LWI and want to share it in comments?

Tell us about your upcoming date. Share your secrets. Then return to tell us if they were as great as you hoped for.

LWI Authors

Adult Fiction

Jeanne Bannon

PS Bartlett

Cyril Bussiere

Paula Cappa

Oliver Chase

Luccia Gray

Alysha Kaye

Jon Langione

Lisa-Mason

Olga Núñez Miret

Jo Robinson

Orlando Sanchez

Jinx Schwartz

Thom Tate

Sandi K Whipple

Kent Whittington

Middle Grade Fiction

Monica LaSarre

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

New Adult Fiction

Lisa Mason

Amira Makansi

Elena Makansi

Kristina Makansi

Young Adult Fiction

Natacha Guyot

Mishka Jenkins

Amira Makansi

Elena Makansi

Kristina Makansi

Shannon A. Thompson

 

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Prophecy of Stones-Mishka Jenkins Q&A @WriterLifeForMe

prophecy_of_stones_cover.jpg

“This was a fun read, a journey of adventure which I’m sure will appeal to YA readers very much. I’m way past that group! but enjoyed this novel even though its the opposite end to most of the fantasy I read. My eldest son is a fantasy reader too, and yet we love books at the very opposite end of the spectrum, only occasionally sharing ones we both enjoy. This is very much in his area, the classic fantasy style that authors such as Eddings and Pratchett write. Just shows how vast the range of books is that span this genre.“–Jennie Zelos–Four Stars out of Five at Amazon

“The writing was fantastic. The characters are funny and consistent. Fully fleshed out, they had histories, personalities, stories and even voices that were unique to them. The book changes perspective with the chapters, so it allowed the reader to really understand them.“-Taylor Grace Five out of Five Stars at Amazon

“From the first page to the last Prophecy of Stones had it me under its spell. This fantasy love-story takes place in a beautiful and deadly world where good and evil is controlled by people and beings with immense magical powers. But for the humans, wielding this power comes at great cost. The characters, who begin a quest to defeat their world’s ancient enemies, are finely sketched, their motives and emotions powerful and well-defined. Skilled description of their surroundings with its beauty and danger carries the reader into another place where anything is possible. I highly recommend Prophecy of Stones to YA and adult readers alike.”–N. Doyle-Five out of Five Stars at Amazon

 

Tea, Romance, Writing, Fantasy and Matthew Reilly. What do they all have in common? Today’s guest. I don’t think all of those necessarily go together, sorry Matthew. I think he’s just a side interest. So many books for someone so young. Well, I really don’t know my guests age as I never ask that but I see young and then I look at me and then I say “Get up and get it done.” Yes, today’s guest inspires one to get a move on and write. Meet an inspiration, meet . . .

Author

Mishka Jenkins

 

RW: You told me you are from the UK as you put it “a country of interesting weather and teas!”, so I will go ahead and ask my usual question which I am afraid to ask. What is your favorite beverage to drink, any kind?
MISHKA: Well, it has to be tea! Can’t get enough of the stuff, it really is my fuel for life.

RW: One of these days someone will say pickle juice and freak the readers out. Now let’s give the readers a little about your writing. What genre does your book Prophecy of Stones fall into and why do you write in that particular genre?
MISHKA: Fantasy Romance. I write romance because I think it gives the reader a break from the real world. There are many stories out there about war and violence, but the real world can also feel filled with that. Romance gives us an escape, and I like the fact that it shows that not all problems are solved with violence, but sometimes with human connection and emotion.

RW: Give us the history of Prophecy of Stones?
MISHKA: I chose the name because it reflects exactly what the book is about, and gives the right feel for the story within the book. Prophecy of Stones is the tale of three people who are part of a prophecy which states only they have the power to save their world. They must fulfil their destinies in order to defeat the evil that threatens to suck the life from everything. But the prophecy might ask more of these three people than they are willing to give.
It was inspired by reading a few books about characters who are destined to be important or to be part of a prophecy and they always rebel against it. They never want to be part of the prophecy. I was intrigued by the idea of a character that loved the thought of being a hero and of being special, and how they would react against someone who really didn’t want anything to do with their destiny.

RW: I know for me I like to see a character in my mind at times. Sometimes it’s my own images of them but sometimes I’ve seen a movie about the character. Tell us about your main character and who you saw as you wrote him.
MISHKA: The story is told from three different perspectives, from each of those destined in the skandar_keynesprophecy. But I think readers would connect well with Kai, the young boy who starts the journey eager and fresh, but as it progresses the enthusiasm wanes as the reality of the quest sets in.
Everyone has that moment of facing obstacles to get to their dreams, and how we deal with them can really shape our future selves, and that is what Kai has to go through. I always imagined Skandar Keynes would make a perfect Kai!

RW: What message do you think your readers will take away from the Prophecy of Stones?
MISHKA: That sometimes giving into your fear can make you stronger.

RW: What did you learn about yourself from writing this book?
MISHKA: What a good question! I think I learned a lot about myself through writing this book. In real life I can sometimes be quite pessimistic, but writing these characters’ journeys showed me that, deep down, I love the idea of triumphing over the bad.

RW: Describe your book in one word.
MISHKA: Fulfilling.

RW: How do I get a copy of the Prophecy of Stones?
MISHKA: It’s available at all eRetailers and in paperback.

Amazon Barnes and Noble

RW: Well that didn’t work out the way I hoped it would. What other books do you have to share with us and can you tell us a little about them?
MISHKA: My latest release is The Magic Spark  and is a fun, light read about a rom-com obsessed fairy godmother who can’t stop meddling in the love life of her charges.
I have also released a historical romance titled, Heart of the Arena, about a young woman forced into the world of gladiators and her struggle to survive whilst struggling against the wants of her heart.
Another book of mine is The Queen’s Jester, a tale of desire and love with a dash of danger set in a medieval-based world.

Connect with Mishka everywhere, just like I have.

Blog  A Writer’s Life For Me

Twitter @WriterLifeForMe

Facebook Mishka Jenkins

Goodreads Mishka Jenkins

Pinterest Mishka Jenkins A Writers Life

Fun Question Time or rather Ronovan’s Just Really Random Requests!

RW: Who are your favorite authors?
MISHKA: Hm, hard to pick! I’d probably say Matthew Reilly, I always love his work and his writing completely draws me in.

RW: What is your escape from writing when you are at that about to explode point?
MISHKA: I play a lot of video games, I find that they really take my head completely out of writing as I have to immerse myself so much into the game.

RW: What are you working on right now?
MISHKA: I am currently working on a Christmas novella I hope to release in early December.

RW: What book are you reading at this time?
MISHKA: I am reading Hands of Evil by Melissa Barker-Simpson.

**Okay, just read the book description. That just freaked me out. I wonder if an interview is possible. My hands hurt just thinking about that book.**

RW: If you could have written any book that exists, other than your own, what would it be and why?
MISHKA: Lord of the Rings. I love the idea of creating such a detailed world, incredible characters, and an epic quest!

RW: What is your favorite word?
MISHKA: Probably, ‘Blimey’, I use that a lot!

“One of Mishka’s strengths is developing relationships between her characters and, right from the start, you could feel the camaraderie. The kind of love and commitment which embodies the heart of the tale. The world in which they live is described so vividly a picture began to build in my head, further adding to the drama and excitement. They sucked me in, became as familiar as old friends, and I was with them each step of the way.”-Writing Room 101

Now you know about Mishka and her thing with tea and Matthew Reilly. Okay so he’s just her favorite author and I have to admit I went and checked out his site and some of his books as well as Melissa Barker-Simpson. Yes I actually do that when an author mentions who they like or read. I want to know why. I like that Mishka doesn’t write what I see as the average Romance. I don’t either. I think if you’ve paid attention you see that Mishka writes and the story sort of tells her the genre. At least that’s what I get. Of course tomorrow I might read and get another meaning. But for now, follow her everywhere, buy all of her books as gifts for Christmas and give me a copy of them a well.  And as always . . .

Read a Book, Write a Review.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Author Presence: Choosing a Theme for your Author Blog

Author Presence: Choosing a Theme for your Author Blog

The last article talked about Creating a Blog as in just getting your name set, and your Twitter Bio. The Creating a Blog part is pretty important as today we begin to look at Themes for our Blog. Yes, I said OUR blog. I am creating one right along with you.

“What is a Theme and why is it important that I pick any certain Theme?”

The Theme is the layout of your blog and the options you have. You can look at LitWorldInterviews and then  compare it to RonovanWrites.

You will notice first that LWI does not have a Header Photo but RW does, the typewriter. Also LWI has a slider image option where you see the most recently interviewed Authors scroll by like a slide show. RW does not have this feature. The RW Theme is the Coraline Theme. This a good option for an Author.

The Coraline Theme gives you the option for different side bar layouts. It also has footer areas for Widgets, and you can even make the background to your text area transparent so if you have some image in the background you can have the words appear on top of it. Not really my preference but it is an option if you were doing some special event. So you have a lot of flexibility with this them. Click Here to see the details of the Theme and if you scroll to the bottom you can see other blogs that use it.

The Twenty Fourteen Theme is used by one of our resident Authors, PS Bartlett. Click Here to see it in action. I’ve played around with the Theme but not to the success that this site has going for it. Okay, so I haven’t played with it THAT much. I don’t know if there has been any premium upgrades made. It’s a nice layout and looks good. This looks like a professional site.  She has made her landing page, her first page you go to on the site be about her. That’s fine. Many site owners do that. It’s all a matter of preference. Click Here to see the details of the Theme and scroll down for other blogs that use it.

The Mystique Theme is one I used for the longest time on RonovanWrites until I just wanted a change. I set it up on my RonovanRants site, a site that I haven’t really done anything with as of yet. You will notice that the header does not have a photo, you can have one or not. There are different layouts for the sidebar . I put it here as the right and put some widgets in the footer areas. A friend is looking at changing up their Author site and this was an example I gave them. They wanted something that did not appear cluttered. I advised for the About.me widget to be in the sidebar, possibly along with the Mystique Tabbed Widget which is at the bottom in a footer on the right. This makes for a clean look, with a slightly different background feel to it. If you have a book cover or a series of books this might be very nice. Basically Mystique is another versatile theme. Click Here to check out the details and other sites using it.

These are just three Themes you can choose from. This is the beginning of your journey. Some like to say they want a simple, clean and minimalist Theme. Okay, I get that. But you know what? Why not have a Theme that can be simple but can also give you flexibility in the future? Why do I say that? If you change from one Theme to another Theme you will often have to rebuild all of your Widget areas and do some other customizing. What I have done is found a Theme for my own personal use that I can change around any time I want, it will look different, and I don’t have to fix things all the time. And yes, sometimes variety and change is good when you’ve had a site for a while and you want to wake up your fans. Just make it easy for you to do it.

That’s why I go with the Coraline Theme. For the purpose of this exercise that is the Theme I will use. You don’t have to do that. You can choose what you like and apply what we do moving forward to it.

For the next time you will want to have an image for your Header Photo ready. That would be like the typewriter on my RonovanWrites site. One thing I did was make it so I did not need a Header Text Line by putting the name of my Blog on the Header Photo itself. The dimensions you need are 990×180 pixels.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

 

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Author Presence: Gravatar.com

Author Presence: Gravatar.com

You have a blog. Either a well established or at least one set up with things on it, or you just did it recently with me. Now let’s get your Gravatar. Gravatar.com is a site that you put an image on, as well as other information, that will be used on WordPress.com when you post articles or comment on other peoples articles. And yes, you will be commenting.  So don’t give me that look or attitude. One thing about WordPress.com is that it has a great author/writing community that supports one another.

When you log into Gravatar.com it will basically tell you that you need a WordPress.com blog/account. Now you see why I had you go ahead and just get that out of the way. Now for some things to do that are similar to what you die with About.me.

So you have gone to Gravatar.com and clicked on Create Your Own Gravatar. Now let’s look at the places to go and see here.

My Gravatars

Manage Gravatars

You want to add an image to your Gravatars that you will be seen as around WordPress and other sites that use Gravatar. So think professional. Even if it is a fun photo, make it something universally acceptable. Anyone seeing this is a potential book buyer. More than likely if you look below the blue box that has your email address in it you will see a line beginning with Whoops. At the end of that line it says Add one by clicking here! Click.

You have four options to load a photo from.

  • My computer’s hard drive
  • An image on the internet
  • A previously uploaded image
  • A webcam attached to your computer

Choose your poison.

Whatever you choose you will probably get the page that says crop and finish. Do that, and the next page you rate your photograph as appropriate for whatever age. Now you should be back at the Manage Gravatars page. Your image should be next to your email.

Now for the

My Profile Page

Name and Details

Here you find all the basics like your name, location, display name, and About Me (Think Bio.)

For the Display name it will show whatever your site name is at first, like mine shows ronovanauthor. I will change it to Ronovan Author. As for the About Me part, what I like to do is use something from my About.me account. This way there is some uniformity across all the places that has Bio information about me.

Now you really only fill out as much as you want here. And you put in what you like.

Click Save Profile

You will notice on the right side of this page some options.

Photo Gallery-Yes, you can add more photos.

Websites-You can add your various website address, such as About.me, facebook, Twitter, any other blogs, GoodReads, Tumblr, Google+. You name you got it you put it. Everywhere a person can find you put where else they can find you.

Background-Yes you can load a background image, just like at About.me.

Contact Information-You can put in whatever form of contact you want people to use. Still it’s a good place to go ahead and put what you like.

Verified Services-You can add links to other places like Youtube and the like. (See the Help at the top for details.)

Cyrpto-currencies-You put in your wallet addresses. I don’t do these so not that familiar with them. (See the Help at the top for details.)

 

You might be thinking how this seems like a lot of STUFF by now. Well you don’t have to do it all at once, because for one thing you don’t have it all. Basically getting that image in there and your name right is good for now AND adding your blog address to the Websites option. You simply go in there, click what you want and you got it. One of my pet peeves is when a person has Gravatar and you see they make great comments on your blog or another blog and you want to check out their own blog. You click their image and no blog there. Sometimes they don’t have one. But most times they never put their blog in the Websites page.

 

This isn’t hard so far, right? Tedious? Maybe because of repeating some information. But you want to have everything in place and ready to go when your book is ready to go.

 

Until Next Time

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

 

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Book Review by @RobertHughes05 of “Lost Christmas” by @loganwriter

 

Lost Christmas

Title: Lost Christmas
Author: David Logan davidloganwriter.com
ASIN: B005W0ARII
Published: 27 October 2011 by Quercus
Pages: 289
Genre: Young Adult/ Adult Fiction
Format: Kindle Edition
Price: £2.37 includes VAT & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
File Size: 1898 KB
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0857387359
Language: English
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Sold by: Amazon

Welcome to the world of Richard Thornhill, better known as Goose throughout most of the book.  Little does Goose know, as he wakes up one Christmas Eve morning, that his whole world is about to change.  Going downstairs after hearing some unusual noises, he comes face to face with his parents and his Nan, all of whom are trying to hide something from him.  It is not long before the secret is out, and Goose becomes the happiest boy on earth but, shortly afterwards, his whole world comes tumbling down and he meets up with a stranger named Anthony, who is about to take Goose on a long journey which neither of them will ever forget.  ‘It’s a Wonderful Life” meets “A Christmas Carol”, Lost Christmas will take you on an incredible journey through the streets of Manchester, England, where the lives of several people are about to become connected in a way no one could have imagined.

Logan writes in such a friendly way, that I never had to turn back any pages to reread anything.  I was able to follow the story very easily to the end.  At the beginning I thought I was reading a children’s book but, as I got deeper into the story, I realised this was a book aimed more at young adults and families.  As I read the story I felt contented and peaceful, always wanting to know what was going to happen next.  There were no huge cliff hangers at the end of any of the chapters, but that did not matter because Logan’s style of writing kept me interested, wanting to know more.

The characters were very easy to follow and I admire Logan for including a character with Alzheimer’s in the story. Most of us during our life will encounter a person with Alzheimer’s and it is good to read a book, I consider to be aimed at younger adults, where living with a person with the condition is included.

I was overcome with sadness, humour, and disbelief amongst other emotions while reading the book, but what I really enjoyed about it more than anything else, is that time travel is included in the story, which makes it a part of the science fiction family.  When I started reading the book I  would never have imagined a book I thought was going to be about a young boy’s search for happiness and looking for answers about why certain events happened one Christmas Eve, would also have an element of time travel in it.  I thought that most of the main characters in the book all seemed to be leading their own separate lives, but how very wrong I was.  Logan was brilliant in the way he connected up each character in the book, all of whom have a connection with Goose.  Very often I would raise my eye-brows and gasp at how another character was connected to the others, which I never saw coming.   Goose is not only the centre of the whole story all the way through, but also the centre of the circle of life which connects the main characters.

There is not much I disliked about the book.  Some of the minor characters did not have any impact on the story at all and could have been left out, but that did not spoil the enjoyment of the book and its story for me at all. This most certainly is a book to read on the run up to Christmas.  Had I read it during the summer, I’m not entirely sure I would have got as much enjoyment out of it.

Although the book is aimed at young adults, I think anybody reading it would have a thoroughly good read.  It dips in and out of being a children’s book to an adults’ book, but this means anybody can read it and get involved and follow what is happening in the story.  I was so pleased after reading the book to hear that the book has been made into a movie, one I certainly will look forward to seeing.

Ratings
Realistic Characterisation: 4/5
Made Me Think: 4/5
Overall Enjoyment: 4/5
Readability: 5/5
Recommended: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Review By:

Hugh Roberts

hugh_roberts_book_reviewer.jpg

 

 

 

 

@RobertHughes05

hughsviewsandnews.com

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Author Presence: Create a Blog and your Twitter Bio

Author Presence: Create a Blog and your Twitter Bio

During the previous article we talked about Your Brand Name. If you missed it, you really need to check it out as it will come in handy understanding the importance of what I mean by this and how important it is to you.

 

What are we talking about today?

We’ll discuss two things today.

  • Creating a blog with WordPress.com
  • Twitter Bio

So why are we doing two things today?

For one thing these will be relatively short and another thing, I want each day to be useful for everyone joining in. So for those with blogs, you might get something out of the Twitter Bio.

Blog Talk Time

Creating a Blog with WordPress.com

When you go to the site you will see where you type in a name and then click create blog. Once you have done this the fun begins. Don’t worry about today being intense, it won’t be. And you know what? If you change your mind about the blog name afterwards, you can create another blog with this same account. That’s right, you can create several blogs with different blog names/addresses within the same account. I have RonovanWrites.WordPress.com AND LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com under the same account. Sure I might could have done it separately but I wanted to be able to keep up with the activity on both at the same time.

For this I am creating a new blog called Ronovan Author so as we walk through I will fill in things appropriately

There are four fields to fill out on the

Get started with WordPress.com screen

E-MAIL ADDRESS–ronovanwrties@gmail.com

USERNAME–ronovanauthor

PASSWORD

BLOG ADDRESS–ronovanauthor  ( the wordpress.com part is already there for you)

Once you have filled in these you scroll down and click Create Blog under the FREE column. I mean you can do the premium ones if you like as they do have things like more space, but often times you probably want to at least try out blogging first. You can always upgrade at any time.

  • You will get two emails; one to confirm your email address and the other one saying you have your blog.
  • After you clicked Create Blog under FREE you will be taken to another page.

Step 1

Set up your blog

Blog Title–Ronovan (I could keep it as RonovanAuthor but not right now, although it might work. I can always change it at any time.)

Tagline (Optional)–Author of Imaginations and Realities

Language–English (Yes you can set it to different languages)

Click Next Step

Step 2

Choose a theme

It looks like at the moment the default Theme is one called Reddle. It’s fine to go ahead and just click on Next Step here as you will be able to change your Theme later. Your main goal today is to get your blog name and get to the point where you can start customizing, not that we will be doing that today. So don’t worry.

Step 3

Customize your blog (Reddle)

It tells you about the Theme but don’t worry about it right now. And when you see words like ‘custom colors’ and things like that, often times you have to upgrade to premium to get those.

Click Next Step

Step 4

Share your blog posts with family, friends, or followers

Basically it is wanting you to connect your blog to facebook or Twitter. We will be doing this later, but if you want to you can now. I will still be going through connecting these two at a later date.

Click Next Step

Now it will want you to create your first blog post. You don’t have to.  At the top of the screen you will see; Reader, My Sites, and Stats. You can click on any of these if you like and just look around.

Today I want to show you the ‘Dashboard’. The Dashboard is where you will spend a lot of time. You will create your blog post/articles here. You will select your Themes, create pages on your blog, and pretty much everything.

Click on My Sites at the top.

Now you will see all of your blog sites. By the blog you just created you will see a gear in the top right corner of the picture. Click the gear and then click Go to admin dashboard.

One thing you will see is a Welcome to WordPress.com Video. I want to say I watched it and it is rather useful so go ahead and watch it.

And that ends your Blog Talk for the day. You have created a Blog, an Author Blog. Next time we speak about Blogs I will want to give you some Theme ideas to use. The reason I want to discuss Themes before we get into the details of the Dashboard is because not all Themes have the same Dashboard options. But they all work basically the same way with just a few  Appearance differences.

 

Twitter Talk Time

The Twitter Bio

You might be wondering “I’m an author of YA SciFi/Fantasy/Dystopia.”

Nice. Yawn. Sorry, did you say something?

Yeah, that was a bit mean of me but I’m here for Straight Talk. In fact at times I do articles with the titles in them called Straight Talk with Ronovan. So let’s get to it. Your Bio needs to say who and what you are.

Here is my Twitter Bio:

Author. Promoter of Authors. Interviewer. Lover of History. Tacos are a food group.

Yeah, it’s not the best in the world. But it tells you what I am and do. It gives you a couple of insights into me. I love history, I obviously am a huge fan of tacos (humor there) (not really) and I have Fibromyalgia. I also have both of my main blog sites included.

I have had people follow me because of the Fibromyalgia. I have people comment on their agreement about Tacos being a food group. And I have had people say they Love History too. I apparently have some sense of humor by including the taco comment.

Be as creative as you like. Remember, be professional.

Neil Gaiman is famous. Being famous makes it a bit easier with the Bio but he still has to be somewhat creative.

“will eventually grow up and get a real job. Until then, will keep making things up and writing them down.”

Perfectly done. His sense of humor is there and he actually tells what he does in a creative way. In fact I need to rethink mine. Look around at your favorite authors and DON’T copy them but see how creative they are.

Jim Butcher is another popular author these days. Yeah, I met him and talked with him for a while during the first round of Dresden Files books. Was a really nice guy and humble.

“–Storyteller. Let’s not complicate things.”

Honestly, I can hear his Harry Dresden character saying this. Well not the storyteller part, but it is definitely Butcher’s writing style coming through in so few words.

 

Until Next Time

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

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Book Review by @FTThum – Empress Dowager Cixi by Jung Chang

I am fascinated with strong female characters, real-life or fictitious. So it is no wonder this book caught my attention when it was first published in 2013. Unfortunately with time constraints, it wasn’t until the paperback was released that it found its way into my home. Cixi Title:               Empress Dowager Cixi: the Concubine who Launched Modern China Author:          Jung Chang Publisher:     Vintage Books, London (3 July 2014) ISBN-10:        0099532395 ISBN-13:        9780099532392 Website:         http://www.jungchang.net/ Pages:              Paperback, 528 pages Genre:             Literary Non-Fiction – History    What’s it about? Empress Dowager Cixi was never ‘crowned’ empress. But she was the de facto ruler of China from 1861 to 1908. At the age of 16, Cixi was ‘honoured’ for being selected to be a concubine to the Emperor Xianfeng. At the death of the Emperor, she (then 25 years old) with the official Empress Zhen, “sat behind the throne” of the successor, Cixi’s son, Tongzhi who was then 5 years of age. From that position, literally behind a yellow silk screen, Cixi ruled China. Whilst she has been credited for her efforts bringing China into the modern age, Cixi’s private life remains very much just that – private, partly contributed by the loss of her personal archives during her reign. In contrast, the public life of this formidable woman was subject to a lot conjecture and criticism for she had dared to thwart the traditions of the patriarchal system and perhaps misogynistic culture of the times. And in comparison to the likes of say, Elizabeth I or Josephine Bonarparte or Cleopatra, Cixi’s life has received relatively little attention, and largely demonised. In similar style to her previous bestseller, Wild Swans (1991), Jung Chang has presented the life of Cixi in a matter-of-fact and impassive manner. It would seem there is a concerted effort to be impartial both in language and the events of that era. In this sense, the book allows the readers to come to their own conclusions as to the morality and values of that Chinese era, and in particular, of Cixi, and the different political parties of the time. Factually, there was enough to provide a political context to Cixi’s rule while not inundating the readers with details. In saying this, the simplification of the rich and complex events belie the political and cultural obstacles Cixi must have had to navigate. Note this was a woman who was not ‘educated’ as compared to her male counterparts. Jung’s depiction of Cixi gives a hint of the chameleon – a public persona and a deeply private person, a traditional woman with modern perspectives. It would have been a treat if Jung had canvassed in greater depth the psychological and emotional landscape of this clever woman. I wonder what it was like to live in that era, being within the Imperial Court, and being responsible for China and its progress. A small detail stood out for me – Cixi collaborated/worked closely with Empress Zhen to make the changes required. While astute, decisive, incisive and at times uncompromising, she it would seem did not perceive ‘female competition’. Quite capable of ruthlessness to achieve her ends, Cixi nevertheless sought first to collaborate. Her political astuteness, in maneuvering  for powers besetting China, is rather incredible. She was courageous enough to fight and/or retreat. The book highlights the ingenuity, and political and strategic savviness, of Cixi in wrestling and maintaining power for 47 years. As Charles Denby (an American minister to Beijing during her mid-reign) stated:

“At that time, she was universally esteemed by foreigners, and revered by her own people, and was regarded as being one of the greatest characters in history…Under her rule for a quarter of a century China made immense progress.”

This book is worth a read, for it gave great insight to the comings and goings of the intrigue within the Chinese Imperial Court, and the strength and vision of one woman to bring China into the modern age.   Recommendation: LWI Rating:      Realistic Characterization: 4/5      Made Me Think: 3/5      Overall enjoyment: 3.5/5      Readability: 4/5      Recommended: 3/5 Overall Rating: 3.5/5   Buy it at:

Amazon Hardback USD 21.60
  Paperback USD 13.61
  Kindle USD 9.67
Bookdepository Hardback Euro 19.98
  Paperback Euro 10.63
Booktopia Hardback AUD 40.75
  Paperback AUD 23.25

Book Review By: Florence Florence 2      

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Q&A with @NatachaGuyot #Author and much more.

Variety, versatility, vigor, all words to describe the vibes I felt as I went through this interview with my guest today. Also the words of “how did I get this interview” kept coming to mind. As I researched and found words in my guests educational background such as Sorbonne and King’s College, I quickly discovered I was speaking with someone who wasn’t just the average science fiction fan. It’s rare that one comes across someone that can flip a coin and appeal to the intellectual or the fan boy. But you get to meet such an author today. Meet . . .

Author

Researcher

Illustrator

Public Speaker

Fangirl

Natacha Guyot

natacha_guyot_author.jpg 

 

Note: With such a versatile woman in writings interests the interview will be divided up to reflect those interests so as to focus on one at a time.

 

RW: With Sorbonne in your educational background I am thinking you are possibly not from my part of the Southern United States although I suppose it is possible but unlikely.

NATACHA: I am French. I was born in Paris, spent most of my life in Versailles and the Paris area. I moved for a year to London, United Kingdom, when studying for my second Master’s at King’s College. Since 2011, I’ve lived in Brittany, near Rennes. I am currently looking for a job in either the USA or the UK.

RW: I didn’t think you were going to say Paris, Texas. I always like to ask an Author who their favorite authors are to see what perhaps shapes their creativity, so who are yours?

NATACHA: My favorite fiction authors include Timothy Zahn, Joan D. Vinge, Anne McCaffrey, C.J. Cherryh, Vonda McIntyre and J. K. Rowling. My two favorite non fiction authors are Joseph Campbell and Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

RW: What brought you to the world of words?

NATACHA: I always loved telling stories as far as my memory goes, even before I learned how to read and write. I started writing stories when I was in elementary school, and moved to my first novella when I was in my teenage years. It was a children oriented Science Fiction story, which I still hope to get published one day. My first novel was written between age 18 and 21. This one I hope to go back to and polish for publication as well. My stories were in French back then. For the past few years, most of my work – and now all of it – has been in English. I haven’t dabbed into original fiction in a long time, focusing instead on academic and non fiction, about Science Fiction, children media, gender studies and transmedia.

As for my formal background, I was in the literary section when in high school and then went for film and media studies when going to university. I also improved my writing skills in English a lot thanks to my roleplaying experience, since I joined a Star Wars post by post roleplaying board in summer 2008.

Regardless of fiction or non fiction, I love writing. It is a vital part of who I am. Storytelling as well as researching and analysis are passions to me. I find as much interest in fiction and non fiction. To me they are the two sides of a same coin, which is writing.

RW: With your background in film and media studies I don’t think the title of one of you books will be a shock, would you share a few of your books with us now?

NATACHA: The one book I have completed is “Women in Science Fiction Television”, which will be published by Rowman and Littlefield in early 2015. It is far from tackling all of the female characters who appear in Science Fiction Television series, but I’d love this book to be the first in a series of volume. The chapters focus on certain characters and draw comparisons between different shows and Science Fiction subgenres as well as iconic themes of the genre.

RW: That really appeals to the History guy in me as well as the TV and Science Fiction geek in me. I so need to take a look at that when it’s out. What brought you to this project?

NATACHA: “Women in Science Fiction Television” is a huge milestone for me. I published before, including other things I wrote alone as well as volumes I co-edited, but signing the contract for this project was special to me. Writing about female characters is one of my primary fields, and when I discovered the collection it will be published in, I just had to submit something.

RW: I know you have two others you are close to having ready for us as well. Tell us about the one that will really get to my Science Fiction geekdom, your essays.

NATACHA: They are a small collection of essays about Star Wars, which doesn’t have a title yet, that I plan to self publish via Amazon Kindle in the upcoming months, and mostly focuses on the question of storytelling and representations (including women and children). I had worked on several isolated pieces about Star Wars for the last year. Then, I realized that they worked well together and could make perfect sense as a gathered volume. The collection of essays on Star Wars came out of nowhere, as in, I didn’t think about self publishing non fiction before. 

RW: And you have a collection of short stories as well?

NATACHA: I recently completed the outlines for the first ten pieces. The series will be entitled “Clairvoyance.” “Clairvoyance” will tell the stories of a vast range of characters, lycanthropes, shape shifters (which aren’t the same species in the universe), Fae (Light and renegade) and humans, as well as some special other types of supernatural beings. You’ll notice I didn’t mention vampires. It’s because they don’t exist in this universe, at least not under the guise we know them. By aiming for short story format, I hope to be able to describe diverse experiences and points of view when choosing a general direction. In the first volume, I have a main villain whose action will put things in motion to several characters, directly but mostly indirectly.

The idea  first came to me back in 2009. I took notes about some of the characters and the world back then, but then left it alone until this summer. I organized the different groups and species much better and many characters appeared, making the cast more compelling and better knit. It was also when I decided to go for a short story format, as it felt like a better option given the multiple points of view I wanted to bring into this project.

**I told you varied came to mind when thinking of Natacha.

RW: What message do you think your book delivers to the reader?

NATACHA: Representations of women is something dear to my heart, and I do consider myself a feminist, so this is a theme that shows up both in my fiction and non fiction. Diversity and acceptance, whether gender, age, religion, backgrounds, sexual orientation related, is also something that has a significant place in my writing.

RW: In what do you believe your characters will connect to your readers?

NATACHA: All my characters are flawed and most are profoundly human, even when not actually from this species, in the sense that they have struggles and weaknesses to deal with. I don’t like tossing my characters into tons of hardships for sheer fun, as I like when everything is constructive down the road. I love writing characters who learn more as life goes on, regardless of their age and situation. The learning curve aspect, as well as how they relate to one another and are able to have healthy relationships with their loved ones, is crucial to me as a storyteller.

RW: When can we expect to see all these creations in our hands?

NATACHA: Right now, none of them are available, but “Women in Science Fiction Television” should be available in early 2015. It should come in print and be available via Amazon and other shops. I will post updates on my blog.

The collection of essays on Star Wars should be released in 2015 too, and will be exclusively available on Kindle format via Amazon.

RW: I’ve grilled you enough about your creations, now for my oddball questions.  What is your favorite beverage to drink, any kind?

NATACHA: I can’t live without sparkling water or earl grey tea (with one sugar and a drop of cold milk in it!

RW: Do you currently have representation? If so who, and if not describe what qualities you would like in an agent and what you would bring to the relationship.

NATACHA: I don’t have representation for the time being. If I was to work with an agent, I would like them to be willing to work with both fiction and non fiction projects, as I can’t imagine giving up on either of these types of writing. I would also like them to be interested in Science Fiction, as well as children and Young Adult material. I have learned to work with publishers’ and editors’ feedback and requirements for the past year. I am social media savvy and do well with meeting deadlines, so I believe this would help me in my relationship with an agent.

RW: That social media savvy is so important these days along with that working with feedback. What are you working on right now?

NATACHA: I am working on my collection of essays on Star Wars, as most of the pieces are ready, but there are one or two last to make. I am also outlining a Young Adult Dystopia book trilogy that was loosely inspired by one of my roleplaying characters.

I have also been researching a publisher to accept a book proposal I have about Dana Scully from The X-Files. The complete proposal was finished a while ago and I already have submitted it to a few places.

RW: No rest for the creative. What book are you reading at this time?

NATACHA: Star Wars: Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn. He is one of my very favorite authors in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

**I have to say that Timonty Zahn is one of the masters of the Star Wars universe. I know I have the Thrawn trilogy for sure.

RW: What is your biggest tip for someone to getting published?

NATACHA: Organization, patience and perseverance. I would also recommend a good beta reader! Also make sure that you write something you love. Without passion, inspiration runs dry very quickly.

RW: If you could have written any book that exists, other than your own, what would it be and why?

I don’t think that two authors can write the same book. So I don’t wish I had been the one to write any book that exists. I am glad they had their own author’ voice in them. And I am happy I got to read them the way they are.

RW: Many Authors say they don’t have an exploding point when writing. But I personally have those moments of just needing to step away. What is your escape from writing during moments like that?

NATACHA: I have multiple escapes. The first is more writing, but a specific kind. My Star Wars roleplaying writing InterviewPic2always helps kickstart sleeping muses and keep me going when in need of a break.

I also love vidding (creating fan videos about movies, Television shows and even video games I enjoy). It still is storytelling but in a different way. There is a strong emotional aspect to my vidding and it can help me just unwind or get lost in another type of project for a while.

Grabbing a nice book or catching up with a movie or show on my to watch list are also working escapes.

If I am really close to the explode point, jumping into a video game and shoot enemies can do wonders as well.

I also have a soft spot for baking when I want to relax. Cooking books are one my favorite non fiction books to read, when I don’t get something related to my research and writing fields!

RW: What did you learn about yourself while writing whatever work you are sharing in the interview?

While writing “Women in Science Fiction Television”, I felt that I was earning my stripes as an independent researcher and writer. All my previous publications and guest speaker appearances matter as well, but this book felt like a validation of all that I have been building for the past years.

The collection of Star Wars essays will be my first step into self publishing, which I didn’t expect to be for non fiction. The different essays were opportunities for me to dab into elements of the Star Wars universe I hadn’t worked on as much before. So I was able to expand on what matters to me.

My work on “Clairvoyance” has helped me reflect on my personal journey over the recent years, as well as how I have developed my storytelling in comparison to previous fiction works I did when I was in my teenage years or in early twenties.

**I especially enjoyed that first one of “earning my stripes” answer. Research is so important.

RW: What is your favorite word?

NATACHA: I don’t have a favorite word. I love languages a lot, including many I don’t speak. While I mostly write, read and interact in English, I still have great fondness for my mother tongue, French. Picking a favorite word or even a few is too difficult! As you can tell, picking a favorite or a few of these, isn’t something I am so good at!

Proving how media savvy she is, here are Natacha’s places to connect in internet land:

Blog, “Science Fiction, Transmedia & Fandom”: NatachaGuyot.org

Twitter: @NatachaGuyot

LinkedIn: Natacha Guyot

Google+: Natacha Guyot

Amazon Author Page: Natacha Guyot

Email: guyot.natacha [at] gmail [dot] com

 

I do so enjoy discovering Authors who get into their work so much. Some write and then others live, breathe and eat their work. We all like to say we do, but you can tell in the details who does and does not. I know, some just can’t relay that passion to the page, I’m one of them. Hey, if we all could magically put what’s in our minds on the page there would be best sellers for everyone. Well maybe some people would be locked up. But Natacha Guyot did not disappoint today. In fact  she brought more than I ever expected. All I can say is Wow. Visit her Amazon Author page there is something there for you to get that she didn’t mention. And as always, remember . . .

Read a Book, Write a Review.

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

 

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Author Presence: Your Brand Name

Author Presence: Your Brand Name

In my previous Author Presence article I discussed About.me, it’s importance, it’s various categories and some advice about what to do when setting your account up.

social_media_tips.jpg

Choosing Your Brand Name

Your name is the best thing to use across all of your social media if you are an author or a blogger wishing to create a brand. Yes, you are a brand waiting to happen. So pop your top, let that fizzy goodness sound and get ready to drink success.

Picking your blog name, even if not your own name itself, needs to be something you are willing to actually say out loud to people. Think about it. “Oh yes, my Twitter handle is Cheetos Fingers, Mr. Top Literary Agent Ever.” Or perhaps you have something even less appropriate that we won’t get into.

Today is about determining what your Brand Name will be. Yes, I have advised it should be your name. Some use the name of their books or the main character in their books.

How to determine a Brand Name even if not Your Name:

  • You need to Google or search with some search engine the name you want to use. If you are wanting to have the website Ronovan.com, it’s not happening because I own it. So even if your name is Ronovan, you can’t use that. Yes you can use your full name, ronovansmith.com but you need to search. Search all aspects, even Twitter. Just because your name is Ronovan Smith does not mean you are the only one out there and using Twitter. Research.
  • Don’t stress over this. Take your time. Pick your top three or five or however many you would be happy with BEFORE you begin the search. If your name is say . . . John Smith you might want to try  johnsmithauthor.com or authorjohnsmith.com. Google it. By the way, those two are apparently available.
  • You then use that everywhere. That is your Brand. You might add something to the end of it for whatever like when doing promotions. AuthorJohnSmith.com Books or BookSigning or T-Shirts. Yes, you might look at trademarks and copyrights as well, but you have your presence started.
  • Also setting up a widely used Brand Name will help with Search Engine Operations (SEO). The more your name appears on posts, articles and anything that goes up on the internet the more and more you will rise in the search engine, I’ll call them lists. Basically the more you are searched and the more you put out attached to your name on the internet the higher in ‘ranking’ you will appear on things like Google. In other words, your name gets closer to that first page of the search results.
  • Also if you have a Series then THAT can be a Brand Name to use as well. I already have sites saved with the name of future series.

To Do Today:

  1. Determine your Brand Name
  2. If just beginning your Author Presence then set up an email with that Brand Name that is dedicated to your professional life. Even if a veteran of social media, do this as well. You will be doing a lot of signing up for various things and you need to have it in a place that is for your business.
  3. If you do the email, you can go ahead and go to WordPress.com and grab that Brand Name as your blog name. We will be venturing into the Blog life next, but in a slow way. I will give suggestions for ‘Themes’ to use. A Theme is basically the layout possible for your site along with colors and other options. There are plenty of sites out there to tell you how to do this but I am going to do it anyway with an Author in mind. So the Blog is optional today.

As always, remember . . .

Read a Book, Write a Review.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

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#BOOK #REVIEW BY @ColleenChesebro OF “Deception” @mello_elo

Deception

(Image Credit: Amazon)

Title: Deception
Author:  Eloise De Sousa
ISBN-10:  1291547955
ISBN-13:  978-1291547955
http://eloisedesousa.wordpress.com/
Pages:  234
Genre:  Adult Romance, Crime, Suspense

Note: Ms. De Sousa provided me with this book for an honest review and that’s what you will receive here following.

I immediately liked and felt a kinship with Amanda Glenson, and her five year old son, Zachary at the very start of the book. They live in London where she is a legal assistant at a prestigious law firm.  Amanda has a chance encounter with the sexy Alex Edwards, a consulting attorney, at work on Monday morning that left me wanting to see more of where their relationship was headed. Without warning on that fated day, Amanda is forced to confront the past she ran away from years before.

Amanda and Zachary travel to exotic Zimbabwe, the home of her birth, all the while clinging to the hope that the ghosts of her past will finally be laid to rest.  Unaware of Amanda’s history, Alex accompanies them as they are both tasked in assisting with the land sale of a prominent client for the law firm.  I could see right away that Amanda and Alex were drawn to one another, while the mystery behind her previous life unraveled before my eyes.

I was impressed with the delightful descriptions of Zimbabwe that De Sousa liberally scattered throughout her writing.  I was visiting a far off land through her eyes.  It was as if I could smell the heady fragrance of the Jacaranda blossoms she describes in great detail.  Those same details gave me a sense of being part of the story because of the empathy I felt for the characters.  Amanda’s family was a nightmare, and to see her battle through to the bitter end was enlightening to me.

Just when I thought I had the story figured out, De Sousa would drag me back into the suspense by introducing more twists to the plot.  The title, “Deception,” skillfully blends all of those twists and turns into a story that reveals much about learning to accept love and learning how to trust again.  I was genuinely sorry when the story ended.  I wanted more.

I enjoyed the portrayal of the characters, which like in many families, had numerous faults to deal with.  It was the realization that the deepest deceptions are sometimes caused by family that really hit a sensitive nerve in my heart.  Trust is a hard thing to regain after past transgressions and De Sousa handles this message splendidly.

I enjoyed this book and the characters greatly. I am looking forward to a sequel of “Deception” which would recreate the lives of Alex and Amanda in another setting. It would be nice to revisit their relationship under different circumstances.

“Deception” is exciting from the start to the finish.  If you enjoy adult romance, mystery, and suspense this book will tug at your heart while reminding you how special true love really is.

Eloise De Sousa

Author: Eloise De Sousa

Ratings                                                             
Realistic Characterization: 4/5
Made Me Think: 3/5
Overall enjoyment: 4/5
Readability: 5/5
Recommended: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.0

 

Buy it at:  Amazon
Format & Pricing
Paperback:  $8.15 USD
Kindle: $.99 USD
Alternate Purchasing:  : Amazon U.K., Lulu.com

 

Compare to the Ronovan Writes’ review of the book if you like here.

 

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Review of Self-Publishing Steps to Successful Sales by Seumas Gallacher

Self-Publishing Steps to Successful Sales
Self-Publishing Steps to Successful Sales
  • File Size: 620 KB
  • Print Length: 45 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: SGC Publishing (March 27, 2014)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00JBL6K80

 

Seumas Gallacher is a writer with a large on-line following. In this book, Mr. Gallacher shares his experiences of self-publishing. From his discovery that this was indeed a possibility, to now having thousands of books sold to his name.

This is not a detailed manual on how to format your book, or how to create you cover. There are plenty of posts, books, etc, that share that type of information. This book offers general advice on the topic, and it is concise and to the point. Moreover, it emphasises the author’s personal experience, that is, of course not fully replicable by anybody else. If you have not read Mr Gallacher’s posts in the various social media, you don’t know how personal his style is. His advice is sound and has to be adapted and transformed by every author. One of the points Mr Gallacher emphasises is the business aspect of writing. Although you might see it as an expression of your inner being or as a need to inform people of something, or as a deep felt vocation, if you plan on making a living out of writing, or trying to, you must approach it professionally as a business, the same you would any other. Of course, your reasons for writing could be others than to make money out of it. In that case you would be well advised to create your own definition of success and not worry too much about rankings or sales, although this book would still provide a useful general guide.

Personally, I found the book clear, easy to follow and a quick read. Mr Seumas’s personal style shines through. I particularly enjoyed the non-internet part of his experience that demonstrates the importance of making connections, knowing the area you work in, and not being shy. Try it. If they say no, you’re no further back that when you started, but if they say yes…the sky could be the limit.

I recommend this book to new authors and also to those who have a number of publications to their name. You might be reassured you’re doing the right things, you might wonder about a change of strategy, and you will enjoy the style of writing and discover plenty about the business. And also a few things about this great and generous author.

Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: NA
Made Me Think: 5/5
Overall enjoyment: 5/5
Readability: 5/5
Recommended: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
 

Buy it at:  Amazon
Format & Pricing: Kindle £1.86
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Publishing-Steps-Successful-Seumas-Gallacher-ebook/dp/B00JBL6K80/

 

Thank you all for reading, thanks to Seumas Gallacher for his book, and you know what to do, like, share, comment and CLICK!

Olga Núñez Miret

@OlgaNM7

http://OlgaNM.wordpress.com

http://www.OlgaNM.com

Author Presence: About.me-What and How To.

Authors: Let’s get started setting up your web presence.

Each day this week I will have an article about another piece to setup. I am not into doing everything at once in one article. We’re not in a hurry. Doing everything in one article makes people feel overwhelmed when all they really need to do is come back to that article the next day. So what I like to do is . . . one thing at a time. Call it the reasonable teacher in me. Yes, I was a History teacher and a corporate trainer type among other things.

Something important to remember as we begin this process together; I want you to know that I will be giving ADVICE here. Take it or leave it. After I give it you then make it work or not. Everything I or anyone else tells you won’t do miracles on its own. YOU have to work it. I have social media things out there that I don’t ‘work’ and they are not doing anything for me. Actually putting all of this together for you is going to make me begin to ‘work’ what I have more.

I strongly advise you to sign up for a Twitter account. I know you might never use it but set one up. For one thing you want to get your Twitter Handle, your Name you like saved by you. But the real useful thing is that you will be able to use it in other accounts you set up. And you will be amazed at how many social media services out there will allow you to simply log in with Twitter. I tell you it comes in handy when you can’t remember a password. I have problems with remembering things, long story, amnesia’s a bummer.

This one account is what I have showing on my Twitter account for people to click on to find out about me.

It’s the About.me account.

Why set up an About.me Account.

Yes, that’s a big font there for this. I want you to know why you need one of these.

  • It’s a great place to point people to for all the basic information they need about you or you want to share and they can find links to everything else about you they might want. All of this is explained below in more detail.
  • You can connect to other authors and start networking by seeking them out and uniting. Building that platform.
  • People can find you based on your interests. Someone might be looking for a freelance writer and you have that down as an interest. Someone might want an interviewer and find me. You would be surprised at how many authors do NOT ask to be interviewed for free publicity for their books.

About.me

Think of your About.me as your central hub, the Grand Central Station of your social media empire.  From this one account people can find all the connections to your other media from one page.

What all can you include here?

I am going to give everyone credit for being able to sign up for an account. Once you’ve done that you will want to Edit Page. You do this by clicking your name in the top right and then Edit Page. If you are just signing in for the first time it may take you right to the Edit Page.

I’ll go in order of the tabs on the edit screen where you would actually be putting information you want to share.

As you are choosing images, links and information to share just remember that anyone can see this including agents and publishers.

Photo

  • Background Photo (You can choose from your computer, facebook, Instagram, or any you have saved with about. me so far.) This is the large full screen image. I have a photo of myself as my background. Why? Because this site is linked to my blog and I can use this photo or another photo mentioned later as my photo that I want people to see when the first show up to my Blog. One is professional and the other is casual and more of that sports guy in a baseball cap thing. You get to see two sides of my personality. Some people use a scenery photo as the Background Photo. It’s up to you.

Biography

  • Name-How do you want your name to appear. That’s right, just because you registered one way doesn’t mean it has to appear that way on the page. Don’t worry about the Font size now, you can change it later as well as for everything else in the Biography sections.
  • Headline-Think subtitle that appears under your Name. Ex: Author of the McGregor Trials Series.
  • Biography-This is where you get to tell everyone about you. You can put links in the Biography to any interviews you’ve been in or your books on whatever sales site you have them on. Brief or Long it’s up to you. But know this; the About.me is can appear on your blog and this Bio can appear there as well. Keep that in mind as you compose it.
  • Location-Don’t worry, you don’t have to be specific.
  • Work-Put what you want. I have writer, blogger, interviewer.
  • Education-Again, put what you want to.
  • Interests-You can have these displayed or not. I don’t see why not. People will find you based on these interests. Choose wisely.
  • Bio Photo-Uploaded from your computer and it’s best if it’s a head shot. Think Profile Photo. This is the other photo I was talking about earlier during the Background Photo explanation. This is my all American guy photo with sunglasses and baseball cap and looking a bit scruffy. There’s a reason it’s my smaller photo.

Colors-(Play around to see what looks best on your page.)

  • Page Colors-You can do both colors and patterns. Also choose the opacity.
  • Bio Box and Font Colors-You can choose the opacity. This is a tricky section. I have my box somewhat opaque instead of completely opaque because my words would not show up properly against the Background Photo. Think about that when choosing your Background Photo. One that has a lot of different colors in it will make choosing font colors difficult. Also remember there are people that are color blind so there are combinations that won’t work well.

Fonts

  • There are four different font areas on your About.me page. You can choose the font style you want and the size. The recommendation is no more than two font styles on the page. Play with it. Just remember people are looking at you. Don’t get so ‘fancy’ with your fonts that people have a difficult time reading them.

Apps

  • Apps are things like Twitter and Google+, in other words this is where you chose what Social Media Buttons will show up on your About.me page. They have three pages of apps/social media outlets for you to choose from. One thing to remember is, the About.me account is an app itself of sorts. When you set up your blog you can have a widget app for the About.me page. This is a great way to have all those media buttons for people to follow without cluttering up your blog.

Links

  • Featured Content-This will show recent content from the links you share.
    • Soundcloud-I don’t have Soundcloud right now but I have seen it out and about during my travels among various blog type platforms. You never know what will attract someone to follow you.
    • Links-My most recent blog post titles show on this page and people can click them to go to my Blog and read them.
    • Youtube or Vimeo-I have a Youtube account and am looking into doing something with it. Stay tuned for . . .  something. I really have no idea what.

Contact

  • Contact Info-This is just what it says it is, including your address. Doesn’t have to be filled out.
  • Settings-This is what you want to appear on your screen and what kind of compliments are possible. Yes, people can compliment your page. People will read your Bio and possibly be inspired by it or think you are creative or cool.  Groovy, right? Wait, I’m from the South. I spelled that wrong. Gravy, right?

 

Well that’s it for today. This should take you some time to set up if you do it properly and you know what? You can always make changes to it. I do all the time. And bonus tip time: Make sure to update your About.me page when things change About.YOU.

Come back tomorrow for the next step of setting up your web presence. It’s an easier one. Kind of. And it’s the next step closer to a Blog.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

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LWI #WeekendDateBookClub

What to do for the weekend?

No date?

Or no date worth the time I should say.

Check out our authors for dates that will last all weekend.

Our first

 

Weekend Date Book Club

 

begins now and you are all invited to join.

Is one of our authors on your dance card for the weekend?

Do you have one that you are hot about and might be a great interview or review for LWI and want to share it in comments?

Tell us about your upcoming date. Share your secrets. Then return to tell us if they were as great as you hoped for.

LWI Authors

Adult Fiction

Jeanne Bannon

PS Bartlett

Cyril Bussiere

Paula Cappa

Oliver Chase

Luccia Gray

Alysha Kaye

Jon Langione

Lisa-Mason

Olga Núñez Miret

Jo Robinson

Orlando Sanchez

Jinx Schwartz

Thom Tate

Sandi K Whipple

Kent Whittington

Middle Grade Fiction

Monica LaSarre

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

New Adult Fiction

Lisa Mason

Amira Makansi

Elena Makansi

Kristina Makansi

Young Adult Fiction

Shannon A. Thompson

Amira Makansi

Elena Makansi

Kristina Makansi

 

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2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved by litworldinterviews.wordpress.com

The 2014 Colorado Writing Workshops: Boulder (Nov. 14) and Denver (Nov. 15)

Are you near Boulder or Denver, CO? If so get it in gear and get there. And if you are, let us know. One of our followers might be in the area and you could find a friend to hang out with. Every little bit of support helps.

Meet Agents and Agencies that I’ve queried and been rejected and tell me how you succeeded.

Alex Barba
Chuck Sambuchino
Erin Buterbaugh
Rachelle Gardner
Renee Nyen
andra Brond
Sara Megibow
Sarah Freese
Shannon Hassan

 

The 2024 Colorado Writing Workshop

Screen shot 2014-08-13 at 8.58.34 PMThe latest Colorado Writing Workshop is now finished. Thank you to all who attended. If you are interested in attending the next area event, email us at writingdayworkshops [at] gmail.com and say you want to be alerted about the next Colorado workshop when a date is finalized.

————

After a successful launch in 2014, the Colorado Writing Workshop is back for 2016! Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2016 Colorado Writing Workshop — a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event outside Denver, CO on July 30, 2016.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the new venue (125 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest…

View original post 747 more words

Blind Marsh @OliverFChase Q&A

oliver_chase_marsh_island.jpgMarsh Island was released November 2013 and is available from Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, publisher AEC Stellar, and me via webpage oliverchase.net. The publisher decided to re-release the novel to coincide with the sequel’s release referenced below.

Blind Marsh sequel and final novel in Hirebomber Crime Series will release December 11, 2014 and oliver_chase_blind__marsh.jpgbe launched on Facebook November 13, 2014. Advanced electronic copies are available now for preorder from Amazon, B&N, and from Smashwords. Paper is available now via AEC Stellar and me via the website oliverchase.net.

 

 

Those in the mood for an armchair adventure won’t be able to put this one down. Oliver Chase’s mystery thriller, “Marsh Island” is a page-turner. Chase writes with a refreshing style in the genre of Sanford and Burke…

The main character is very easy to relate to, although at times he is a bit frustrating. I found myself mentally shouting at him, warning him not to trust people and not to be so gullible. Chase only gives a few moments of the villain’s point of view, but they are extremely intriguing…

Ollie’s comment: Wait for Blind Marsh where the villain confronts Phil. The world demands a life be taken.

Marsh Island is a thriller to its core. It’s twists and turns kept me reading, searching for answers. The storyline kept me turning to the next page, only to become more determined to find the answer. Page after page, Mr. Oliver had my heart racing, and my adrenaline coursing through my body, watching and waiting to see what came next…

 

What to say about my guest today? Things you won’t hear about today are things like “Distinguished Flying Cross” as a Marine Pilot, or 22 years in the FBI on dark missions. No those aren’t things discussed today, nor the hard to understand neighbors of Louisiana. Cajuns perhaps? I’ve worked with a few and have to say, I know a little Cajun French, but there are female readers present, so never mind. What makes today’s guest qualify to write the books mentioned today? As I went through the questions and my guest answered I pictured a relaxed and casual setting as he leaned against his little Grumman Tiger airplane and memories were recalled and excitement rose about the forthcoming book release. Now it’s time for you to feel that same thing as you meet . . .

Author

Oliver Chase

oliver_chase_author

 

RW: You grew up in the military, calling yourself a Military Dependent and not the commonly used Military Brat, for obvious reasons, tell us about that life and how it shaped Oliver Chase?
OLIVER: I grew up on military bases throughout the country from California to North Carolina. What a great place to be a kid – safe, communal, and social. I didn’t miss a thing from a traditional school setting. The friends I made in elementary school usually showed up again in Junior High. High School was a like a reunion of old pals from years gone by with new friends to be made.
We always seemed to know one another, one another’s friend, and best of all, we knew the little girl on roller skates with skinned knees in fourth grade that grew up to be our Homecoming Queen. I’ve read about the meanness in some kid’s life when it came to school. That was not how we grew up in the military.
I was also one of the rare kids whose dad had a short, one-time tour in the civilian world when I was a sophomore and junior in high school – convertibles, drive-in movies, and lovely ladies on roller skates serving shakes at my local hang outs for almost two years. We even had our own Wolfman Jack wannabe that played rock and roll songs, took requests, and spoke with a gravelly voice, just like in the movie. What a great hiatus from the button-down world of the military and just what a “rebellious” teenager needed.
There was a time when I had this teensy-weensy problem with the truth. I can’t tell you in how many versions, George and his cherry tree were explained to me. Of course, I grew up and not only found the value of honesty, but discovered I liked being in groups of honest people. There is no honor amongst thieves or liars, and I like honor.
In all my growing up however, I never lost my yearning to spin a good tale. I think engaging a reader in a fictional story and letting the author speak to his personal beliefs is the height of literary actualization and honesty.

RW: I think it’s somewhat obvious with the adage of ‘write what you know’ why you write about mystery thrillers with a touch of politics and airplanes but I always ask this of my guests, how did you come to writing and why do you write in the genre that you do?
OLIVER: I began by reading historical novels like The Source, Battle Cry, The Right Stuff, Space, Exodus, and Hawaii. I’d spend time in school away from my math and science books just to disappear into the world of James Michener and Leon Uris. My grades didn’t do well until I discovered Pulp Novels like Ray Bradbury, H.P Lovecraft, and Dashiell Hammett. Now I could stick a whole book into the back pocket of my jeans, and read a chapter or a few paragraphs on the bus, between classes, and in study hall…not to mention the occasional all-nighter or until the flashlight batteries gave out. Pulp novels are what I write now. The only difference is that we call them mystery noir. I like mystery thrillers, techno thrillers, and political thrillers. There’s a pattern here, I think.

RW: You told me Marsh Island is a real place in Louisiana, where you reside now, tell us about your Hirebomber Crime Series starring Phil Pfeiffer, your protagonist.
OLIVER: In Marsh Island, Army Ranger Phil Pfeiffer is left for dead in the opening days of the Gulf Wars. He’s found by wandering Iranian tribes people, severely injured and the lone survivor of a secret mission. Phil is released from the Army and decides upon the simpler life of a private investigator skip tracing and catching cheating husbands. Simple that is, until he is hunted by the mob, pursued by a psychotic hit man, and stalked by deep water sharks. He must shadow box a bizarre and dangerous world of false clues and thousand year old prophecies to survive. In the sequel Blind Marsh, Phil agrees to protect the lounge singer we met in the first book from an unpredictable ex-boyfriend and his gangster family. Let the love sparks fly. Struggling with his own demons and disappointments, Phil survives a Wild West shootout and uncovers a plot we knew was brewing in that pesky first book. Phil uncovers the theft of a trillion dollar industry and weighs his own life against that of the killer. He chooses to take both when true evil is disclosed.

RW: I think knowing of your Military and FBI background I read at OliverChase.net where some of what went into your books but what inspired you to actually write them?
OLIVER: Many people have given their lives over our short history to stop tyranny and injustice. I see these individuals as the foundation for our country and our beliefs. The key in my books however is not the involvement of the mass, but individual strong men and women unwilling to compromise their values in a vanilla world of common music, social blandness, and popular thinking. If you believe that singular acts cannot change the flow of history, just look at a generation of strong moms and dedicated fathers that said no to genocide, apartheid, dictators, and even teenage drinking. A single man or a woman can change our world. We can take that to the bank.

RW: Tell us about your main characters and what you think will them connect to readers.
OLIVER: Phil Pfeiffer was described by a reviewer as an everyday man, flawed like many of us, but called upon to test the strength of his beliefs. Our heroine in Blind Marsh made her choices in life, too – some good and some not so good. They set themselves apart by choosing to overcome adversity with character and sometimes, raw guts. Greatness is not just the province of the historical figures; greatness resides in all when we choose.

RW: What message do you think your book delivers to the reader?
OLIVER: I’d like to believe many of us see ourselves as something other than ants working in the pile. Whether that’s true or not, I like stories about strong people caring for their comrades, delivering lunches to the shut-ins, or teaching kids to swim at the YMCA. We have a potential to make life better for others. Service doesn’t take away from strength but delivers it, and makes us more than just soldiers, laborers, or even ant-queens.

RW: Writers inevitably put something of themselves in their work, what do you discover about yourself when writing?
OLIVER: More than I’m probably willing to admit. My first book was written a couple decades ago and resides in my closet. Sometimes on a cold, uninspired mornings I’ll drag it out and read. I’m always surprised by again meeting the people I used to know– real and imagined. Most are compilations of persons from my past in cramped and scary airplane cockpits, hiding under flimsy roofs during rocket attacks, or with a badge walking the dark streets in a city already several hours asleep. I tell their stories even if they never quite recognize themselves from my words.

RW: Describe your book in one word.
OLIVER: Rollicking

RW: Where can we get your book now?

For paper, Southern Bound Bookstore in Biloxi and Bay Books in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Amazon (of course); and B&N by mail.

Contacting me through my webpage oliverchase.net will “net” you a signed copy for same charge as Amazon. As I indicated earlier, I’m between books at the moment and have a little time to connect more personally with a reader.

Electronically, add Smashwords and KOBO to the nationals mentioned above.

One great thing Oliver is doing is his Book Launch for Blind Marsh on his facebook page. It is coming up October 13-15.
Oliver gave us some great answers and I think you can get a full understanding of what went into his books, but now let’s look at bit at what is Oliver Chase. Yes I said what, not who.

“I like modern day thriller mystery writers like Craig Johnson, Tom Clancy, James Lee Burke, and Stephen King. I cut my teeth on James Michener, Herman Wouk, Tom Wolfe, Leon Uris, and Ernest Hemingway. Didn’t we all? Don’t let me forget Lee Harper, Susan Sontag, and Lorraine Hansberry. All very influential in my life and my writing. You know something? I never realized how powerful they were until I cranked out my first book Western Sunrise. All I knew was they told great stories making me regret that I’d turned the last page. I hope readers of Marsh Island and Blind Marsh feel the same way.”
“I like a cup of coffee when it’s cold outside; hot tea (orange pekoe) to follow if I’m still in the mood. In hot weather, I like cold tea in the morning after my workout.”
“When I’m full of ideas, I write. I believed Stephen King when he said write, write, and write. When I’m just full with myself, I run or swim.”

Upcoming from Oliver Chase.

Levant Mirage is waiting the editor’s red pen in November 2014 and will see light in the winter of 2015 as a new release. The novel is twist away from my noir mystery style and is a techno thriller with a threatened dystopian plot. Borne from my days at NASA, Islamic terrorists see and take the opportunity for final Jihad when our country dissolves the Constellation heavy lift rocket program and gives away the technology.

 

In The Joshua Tree, a bright political and personal future beckons Scott McHale, newly elected junior senator from California. Some whisper about a run for the presidency after Scott puts in few years to calm and mature a headstrong and driven personality. When politics conflict between kingmaker and prince however, a rift is irrevocable and a murder results. Survival is in the hands of those Scott loves when the world and the fickle press turn against him. The Joshua Tree will be completed in the Fall of 2015 just in time for the Presidential Election and will be a first draft product of the NaNoWriMo challenge this year. Only do this challenge once, however. There are eleven more months in every year. http://nanowrimonomo.com/

 

I’ve also written a screen treatment of Marsh Island based on Craig Johnson’s successful Walt Longmire model. The publisher will get his first installment in December 2014 after percolating in my desk drawer for a couple of months.

 

RW:I know you don’t have an agent but would be open to one at some point but tell us about AEC Stellar. I’ve had experience with another of your members Shannon A. Thompson of Take Me Tomorrow, and she was a great interview just like you have been.
OLIVER: The group writes in the thriller, YA, paranormal, Sci-Fi, and romance ilk. Inside our limited population, we help with Advanced Readings, reviews, launches, and critiques…and we do occasionally take one another to the woodshed when its warranted. I’ve been there and am better for the experience. Our publisher formulated a unique business model by offering printing and formatting services, editors, and publicists. We choose inside or outside the Community when we want the service. Most importantly, AEC introduced us to each other so that we can learn, grow, and spread our literary wings safely, and where jealousy and ego have no place.

RW: If you could have written any book that exists, other than your own, what would it be and why?
OLIVER: 11-22-63 by Stephen King
I’ve read the book twice, and examined the craftsman’s work often. King is a master yarn spinner, and his time travel adventure is one of the best examples of Sci-Fi and Thriller rolled into one. I liked the fantasy in The Stand and The Dome, too. In 11-22-63, King stayed historically close enough and strayed sufficiently in fiction to keep me riveted. Quite a good balancing act and worthy of multiple reads. Hey, Stephen. I taught, too and appreciated your comments on the youthful ineptitude we once brought to class. I just hope the kids survived and didn’t listen to me.

RW: What is your favorite word?
OLIVER: Insipid
Don’t you just love a description of something dull and uninspiring? As a sometime personal provider of insipid first impressions, I like when characters break out and prove others wrong.

 

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

 

 

 

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