Heather Hummel Gallagher's Blog, page 8

Words of Inspiration with Visual Beauty

[image error] Introducing Heather Hummel's
newly launched Inspirational Photography and Quotes
line on RedBubble. 
Inspired by both nature and human nature, all photography is Heather's original work and all quotes are her original thoughts, except for one, which is her grandmother's, Dorothy Crispo (as shown on the left).





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Besides immersing herself in photography, Heather Hummel is a ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Health, Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in English and Secondary Education. She is currently earning a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.
Visit Heather's website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHummel
"Like" Heather's Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage

Facebook's New Timeline and Why I Love It!

As of December 22nd, everyone's Facebook page will look a lot like a blog. It's the new Timeline layout and it's quite a big change compared to the last round we endured.

My Reaction
I will say right off that I LOVE the new layout. The "Cover" image at the top and the scrolling Timeline is much like the banner images and blog posts we see on people's blogs. As a photographer, I'm especially excited about this new design. As a writer, the new layout also comes in quite handy for promotional purposes.

So many people use Facebook for posting images and videos. I've been on people's walls where that's all they have - shared images and videos from other people's walls. There are days when it seems that the News Feed is filled with them. This new layout is conducive to a very visual environment, which is why I think it works so well. Posts are now side-by-side one another, unless you make a certain post a Highlighted one (see below), much like a column in a newspaper or a magazine. If you want to see a great example, check out Ann Curry's.

Here are my three top fav features for the new Timeline.

Cool Features: 
[image error] Cover Image
The new cover image, as I said above, is much like a banner picture. SO much better than the 5 thumbnails across the top that were there before and that we had no control over. With the new banner size image, there are limitless possibilities. As you can see with mine, I PhotoShopped in three pictures and added text in the upper left corner to my website...it's subtle. When visitors click on the image, I've added a short bio and a link to my website. This is just one way authors, photographers, and many other people can utilize the new features to their advantage. [image error]  This image is the Cover for my photography buddy, Marcel Pepin. He and I have been chatting quite a bit about the advantages of a landscaped image at the top of your page and all the different things you can do with it. From making it a collage of pictures as I did (easy to do in a program like Photoshop), to including a directional link in your photo description as both Marcel and I have done, there can be subtle and even not-so-subtle uses for the banner image. Choosing your image is a personal statement, and we all know a picture says a thousand words...sometimes even more.
Life Events
I chose to update and publish my own page before the December 22nd deadline so that I'd have time to be sure the posts from 2009 that I didn't want to be reminded of were deleted. The new Timeline goes back to the beginning of your Facebook time...including highlighted posts. You can add your own "Life Events" to years going back to when you were born. Most people might add their wedding day, when they had their children, etc. but there are great possibilities for authors, too. For example, I added when both WHISPERS FROM THE HEART and WRITE FROM THE HEART were published to my Life Events (as "Other"). One thing I noticed is that the default for Life Events seemed to be "Public" so I changed mine to "Friends."

Highlight Feature
One feature I really like is the "Highlight" feature. The "Highlight" feature is the Star next to the Edit (pencil) icon in the upper right corner of a post. When you click on the Star, it makes the post spread across both sides of the Timeline - looks cool for pictures and photo albums.

Fewer Ads
Another thing I noticed that's a big plus, is that with the Timeline layout, you actually have a Timeline bar on the right side of the screen - that's where ads use to be! So, now there are fewer ads on the right.

My Christmas Wish
My only wish for Facebook is that they do the same type of layout for Fan Pages, which they seem to never change.

Ready to change your Facebook layout? Click Here to learn how.


*****
Heather Hummel is a celebrity ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:

Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
 Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Visit Heather's website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHummel
"Like" Heather's Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage

Visit Marcel's Photography at RedBubble 

$1 and $100 Launched on KickStarter!

As of 11/11/11, the $1 AND $100 project has officially launched on KickStarter and is already drawing activity and interest! 

The $1 AND $100 project explores how everyone from all walks of life relate to money when it's in their hands. The idea was inspired by people just like you...in fact, it was inspired by a variety of people from all walks of life who have one thing in common – money.

The concept of this novel, appropriately titled $1 AND $100, came to me when I considered the traveling journey of a dollar bill and a one hundred dollar bill…all of the people's hands, generational eras, and places that they pass through, and yet each of us relates differently to them when they're in our hands. I thought it would be a neat idea for a novel to follow the bills, making them the protagonists. 
Stop by KickStarter and help explore how people relate to money on an emotional rather than tactile level!






Visit the project on KickStarter

Chick Lit Plus Hosts Whispers from the Heart's Blog Tour

"Loved, loved, loved this book!  Heather Hummel has an amazing way

of keeping the reader completely engulfed in the story from page 1."

- Lost in Literature    
[image error] WHISPERS FROM 
THE HEART is on a

    Blog Tour this month

    Hosted by Chick Lit Plus
  



    Some of the reviews brought even this author to tears...

        Michelle at Just Jump has this to say:

    "'Go read this book' doesn't do it the justice it deserves.

    Heather Hummel has written such a heartfelt and touching book.

    Madison Ragnar is such an intriguing character. One of

    those that makes you want to hug her and tell her it is going to be okay."   


    And Lost in Literature gave this glowing review:

    "I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a beautifully-written chick lit novel that will keep you turning pages eagerly."
   
    The tour started on October 10th and runs through Halloween.  Visit Chick Lit Plus for details.


October 10- Lost in Literature- Review

    October 12- Just Jump- Review


    October 13- Just Jump- Guest Post


    October 15- Books Etc- Review


    October 16- Reviews By Molly- Review


    October 17- Tea and Scribbles- Review


    October 18- Books Etc- Guest Post


    October 19- Amy's Reviews- Review


    October 22- The Reading Nook- Review


    October 24- Chick Lit Plus- Review


    October 25- A Cozy Readers Corner Reviews- Review


    October 26- Books Like Breathing- Review


    October 29- The Book Bag- Review


    October 30- The Book Bag- Guest Post


    October 31- Jersey Girl Book Reviews- Review & Q&A


    **If you purchase your copy of Whispers From the Heart between now and October 31, and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card!**

Blog Tours are Scarier than Halloween

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As a kid, when I only dreamed of being a writer, what scared me were things like Halloween. Now, as an author and a handful of decades later, I have the same anticipated, nervous excitement of going on a blog tour that I did as a trick-or-treating youth.

My first novel, WHISPERS FROM THE HEART, of the Journals from the Heart series is going on tour this month. Hosted by Samantha Robey at Chick Lit Plus, the tour starts on October 10th and runs through, you guessed it, Halloween. Madison Ragnar's journey in WHISPERS FROM THE HEART will be visiting a dozen blogs in 21 days that will consist of reviews, guest posts and author interviews. (Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!)

But, is there a difference between a blog tour and trick-or-treating on Halloween? I don't think so. Think about it...in each case, much thought goes into initial character development and implementation. Just like a book, Halloween brings out the good-will, generous and inspirational protagonists...Cinderella, Fairy Princesses, Luke Skywalker, Batman and Robin, and Indiana Jones. And then there are everyone's favorite frightening characters, aka the antagonists...witches, zombies, pirates, and Freddy Krueger. And when all is written and done, an author's book and a trick-or-treater's costume are ready for show.

Authors launch their books into to world via book signings, social media, and blog tours and await rewards in the form of reviews and notoriety in recognition of their book's fright or beauty or cleverness, and ultimately to score a few or more sales.

Halloween's tricker-treaters showcase their characters as they go from house to house, knocking on doors and awaiting their rewards in the form of costume compliments, recognition of their fright or beauty or cleverness, and ultimately to score candy.

As WHISPER FROM THE HEART heads out the door this month on tour, the feelings of excitement and nervousness abound. Though it's tempting to turn off all the lights and the television and to hide in the bedroom curled up under a blanket with a flashlight and a good book while others are out there trick-or-treating, at some point there's a need to brave the streets and neighborhoods in hope that there are more treats than tricks. Happy Halloween!

For the complete listing of blogs and more information on the tour, visit Chick Lit Plus.


***
Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe  (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders by Michael Chiaradonna & James T. Vance

From The Times Herald (Norristown, NJ)Norristown evil eye murders of the 1960s are inspiration for longtime friends' venture into the publishing world......Chiaradonna and Vance co-wrote Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders , a fictional story based on the facts of the 1960s murders.
Although Vance and Chiaradonna, who met when they were 15 and students at Bishop Kenrick High School, co-wrote the book 33 years ago, "Malocchio" was only published recently. With the help of California-based author Heather Hummel, the duo celebrated an Amazon eBook release on Sept. 1, and a paperback version also is expected out this month.. Read the full article here. [image error]
Buy Malocchio on Amazon
Buy Malocchio on Barnes & Noble 

Michael Chiaradonna & James T. Vance



*****
Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe  (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Book Review: ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci

ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci - Book Synopsis:

It's almost Christmas, but there is no joy in the house of terminally ill Jack and his family. With only a short time left to live, he spends his last days preparing to say goodbye to his devoted wife, Lizzie, and their three children. Then, unthinkably, tragedy strikes again: Lizzie is killed in a car accident. With no one able to care for them, the children are separated from each other and sent to live with family members around the country. Just when all seems lost, Jack begins to recover in a miraculous turn of events. He rises from what should have been his deathbed, determined to bring his fractured family back together. Struggling to rebuild their lives after Lizzie's death, he reunites everyone at Lizzie's childhood home on the oceanfront in South Carolina. And there, over one unforgettable summer, Jack will begin to learn to love again, and he and his children will learn how to become a family once more.

What Heather Says:

I have been a fan of David Baldacci since I happened to pick up TOTAL CONTROL in an airport right before moving to Charlottesville, VA, where the book essentially takes place. Baldacci had me hooked, and I've been a fan ever since. I've met him at several of his book signings, and he's an incredibly likeable guy and an engaging speaker.

As an author in the women's lit genre, I was really happy to see Baldacci expose his softer side with ONE SUMMER - the side I knew was there from having met him all those times.

Jack Armstrong is on his deathbed doing the unthinkable - saying goodbye to his family as he counts his last breaths. Jack's goodbyes are in the form of the love letters he writes to his wife, Lizzie, handling the emotional turbulence of each of his three children who run the gamete of too young, still innocent, and hardened teenager, and coping with in-laws whom you want to hate, but you almost can't.

The tragic event of Lizzie's sudden death shocks them to the core and the unexpected recovery of Jack creates a new reality for the Armstrong family beyond the realm of what any of them could have expected. I found Jack to be much like Baldacci himself - a likeable guy whom you want only the best for. As Jack rebuilds his life from his deathbed to now raising three children as a widower, they uproot and move to South Carolina to begin anew. The relationship with his daughter, Mikki, becomes the foundation of the story. Yet, each side story - Jack's new and tentative love interest and Mikki's adaptation to southern living - weave back and forth, while stitching their own relationship back together. The in-laws remain a force throughout the book, and the mother-in-law is someone you want to hate, but just can't. There are several characters, including Jack's best friend and the new friends of Mikki, who add depth to their characters by virtue of their interactions. Young adults would enjoy this book just as much as adults due to the many high school characters that come into play.

I very much enjoyed ONE SUMMER and hope that Baldacci continues to write in this genre. I think a lot of the feedback I've seen for this book stems more from people not being used to him writing in this genre than it does from a fair criticism of the book itself.



I don't rate books on a star system because I think that's like rating people on a scale of 1 to 10 and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, I will simply say that I loved this book and highly recommend it.

*****

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe  (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Facebook's Favs: Chocolate and Quotes

Without fail, when I open Facebook and see the sea of status updates in the News Feed, there are two guaranteed themes that compel others to comment. The first one is one I rarely adhere to. The second, I've learned holds merit.

#1 Quotes. 
Full disclosure: I am a firm believer in original thought. When someone posts quote after quote, it has two effects: 1) it leaves the impression that they don't have one original thought of their own, and 2) the quotes only become a meaningless blur of ABC soup..People's e-obsession with posting quotes sends creepy-crawling-cat claws up my spine. I did manage to find one other author,Van Heerling, who shares this peeve, so though I'm out numbered, I have a friend in kind.On the rare occasion that I do post a quote, such as "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." - the Help, I always have a caveat to the post. In this case, I noted that I couldn't get the words out of my head, so I was given them away to my friends. They were well received...of course, because people love quotes!

#2 Holy chocolate, Batman! 
People love chocolate! Though my other author friend, the unintentional antagonist in this post, Mike Sullivan, has many wonderful Facebook status updates, nine out of ten times that I happen to catch them in the News Feed, they are about chocolate! Mike posts about where he hid the last piece; how he's running out at 10 p.m. after everyone is asleep to buy more; or did you know the freezer is not the safest place to hide chocolate?  Full disclosure: Mike lives in a house with his wife and three daughters.

I began to worry about Mike. This man has an addiction to chocolate worse than flies to ketchup on a diner counter top. I also began to notice something else. People were responding! All the time! Here I was writing compelling, thought provoking posts about the demise of Borders really being the fault of iTunes and NetFlix since Borders sold music, videos and books; and yet no responses. Hmmmm. I can't be that far off in my evaluation, can I? But, it didn't matter if I was or not. After 5 p.m. people don't want to think so hard anymore. And since I'm in California, any post I write after 2 p.m. is already dinner time on the east coast. At that time of night, people want other people to do the thinking for them, so they read and post others' brilliant thoughts. And, they want dessert...ideally in the form of chocolate. Add some humor, and you've got a winner!

So, because Mike and I have been friends for a long time now, I messaged him and called him out on his chocolate obsession. I let him know about my thought provoking post at the same hour he posted something about cold milk, chocolate cake and a game...which, by the way, he didn't even mention the sport he was watching! It didn't matter though. What caught everyone's attention was the chocolate cake. So, I interrupted Mike's perfect evening of milk, chocolate cake and what I think was a baseball game...even his puppy was sound asleep at his feet...and asked him flat out - what is the deal with chocolate? Graciously, Mike took a moment between innings or periods or half time to answer my question. And, indeed, his answer was brilliant - and I believe original enough in nature - and it made me smile because he was right. What did he say, you ask? Simply this, "Food with sugar provokes emotional responses!" True that, Mike!

I also let Mike know that right before I messaged him, I tested his food for thought theory by posting a status that pondered if I could make brownies in my new Crock Pot. Within minutes (and not too long after my Borders post), I had a slew of responses...and some wonderful soup recipes.

The "Take Away"
People seek Facebook as a way to bond with friends, commune over shared emotions, and for comfort...be it in the e-sharing of food or the read of a reassuring quote at the end of a hard day. What other platform in the world gives you these to peace offerings with just a click? It is quite compelling that we can have our cake and eat it too. There, I quoted a cliche. Happy now? (Just don't tell Van!)

With love and respect,
Heather

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe  (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Oz has Spoken! And "Oz" is the Reader! The New Trend in Kindle Tags

"This new trend of using tags to boycott traditional publishers' high Kindle prices is quite telling of the times."  - Heather Hummel

Anyone with enough online experience knows that when you "tag" something - such as a blog post - you're providing a searchable word related to the tagged content. For example, a blog on what to pack for a summer picnic might use the tag words "summer" "picnics" "sandwiches" "blanket" "basket" "flies" - you get the idea.

Any author knows that when their book is listed on Amazon (or other online bookstores) tags can be assigned to describe their book by using the  "Tags Customers Associate with This Product" feature. A John Grisham book would likely be tagged with words like "legal" and "lawyer" whereas a Jennifer Weiner book would be tagged with "Chick Lit" and "Women's Lit" etc. When a book is tagged on Amazon, other readers have the option to "agree" with a tag. The higher the number of "agrees" to a particular tag results in better odds of it moving up the ranks in search results for that word. For example, if someone searches "Chick Lit" and one of Jennifer Weiner's books is tagged "Chick Lit" and hundreds or thousands of readers agree, it will rank high in a search. Another author might have "Chick Lit" as a tag, but only a few people check on its box to "agree," causing it to rank lower in search results. It's all very word and click driven!

That was the original concept for tagging. However, what I'm seeing now is an interesting trend in readers using tags to boycott high Kindle prices set by traditional publishers. A Jennifer Weiner paper back might be tagged with "Chick Lit" "Funny" "Women" "Beach Read" and "Relationships" and yet, her Kindle version of her recent book Then Came You is tagged with: "too expensive for kindle, waiting for kindle price to go down, ebook overpriced, outrageous kindle price, publisher greed, 9 99 boycott, jennifer weiner, kindle swindle, no sale, agency 5 price fixing."

This new trend of using tags to boycott traditional publishers' high Kindle prices is quite telling of the times. Naturally, this use of tagging hurts the author because the tags that ought to represent their book aren't being used, but the tags such as the ones above are. Ultimately, the anger being directed at the publishers is punishing the author. My belief is that the publishers aren't even noticing this! A good publisher would ensure that their authors' Kindle books have the proper tags listed since it's such a powerful tool for books sales,  but they don't seem to be. Yet, if they did, they'd notice what tags are there instead.

One common misunderstanding that I'll dispel is that Kindle does NOT set the price for its eBooks. The publishers do. I hear many people complaining about Kindle setting prices too high, when in fact the price is set by the publishers. And, clearly the readers aren't happy with any eBook priced over $9.99.

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe  (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million.
Visit Heather's website at: www.HeatherHummel.net
Join her Facebook Fan Page 
Follow Heather on Twitter

Journals from the Heart - A New Series by Heather Hummel

[image error] [image error] Are you an avid journal writer? Do you find comfort in knowing love is still
attainable even after putting your heart on a shelf? 
Heather Hummel's new series Journals from the Heart threads the powerful theme of journal writing between characters who use the art in many areas of life. From reflection to grief to survival, journal writing carries these characters through challenges and to a place of love and empowerment. 
Madison Ragnar utilizes journal writing with her high school students in Whispers from the Heart . 
Samantha Sounder in Write from the Heart turns to her past journals and the beginnings of a new one in a mission of self discovery. 
The third, and forthcoming, Wisdom from the Heart , will introduce Jamie Jacobs, a fourteen year old girl who finds out she's adopted and depends on her journal entries to guide her through to her adult life.
Both novels are available on Kindle! Wisdom from the Heart will be released this fall.
Buy Whispers from the Heart on Kindle and Buy Write from the Heart on Kindle



Heather Hummel is also a celebrity ghostwriter. Her books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree and is working toward a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.