Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 316

FREE - THE PATH, Dark Future Series

If you like post-apocalyptic fiction, you may be interested in our 3-pack of Dark Future novelettes, THE PATH.  It is FREE for Thursday, January 5 ONLY. 





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Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Path-Dark-Future-Stories-ebook/dp/B0069X0DHM





A collection of 3 post-apocalyptic stories of survival and new found friendships.



PATH TO DESTRUCTION:

Can a ragtag band of soldiers save what's left of the USA?



In a last ditch attempt to turn the tide in a desperate war, General Matthew Smith of the American Freedom Fighters asks Samurai Master Kenzu to make a batch of the famed memory weapons--weapons that infuse its user with the skills and memories of a samurai warrior. But, in the wrong hands, the users can become uncontrollable killing machines who don't care whom they kill - friend or foe.



When General Smith orders Commander Hurley and his unit of augmented soldiers test the weapons, he believes that he's doing the best thing for all of the men under his command. What General Smith believes, however, and what is true is entirely two different things and Smith must live with the consequences of his decision.



THE RIGHT PATH:

Fifteen-year-old Abraham "Ham" Jones, a cripple, and Zia Slate, a fourteen-year-old tomboy with an attitude, find themselves unlikely partners in this post-apocalyptic tale of survival. It is decades later since the world blew itself apart. Life is harsh, gangs rule the streets, the system cops keep the peace anyway they can. Being a kid in this world isn't easy, being a cripple is about the worst sentence handed down. Being a girl with no protection is only slightly better.



Ham and Zia's lives are irrevocably changed when they meet a mysterious old man bearing gifts - a cane for Ham and a knife for Zia. But, nothing is as it seems. Everyone wants something and no good deed goes unpunished. Forced into a desperate encounter, they must fight for their lives when it's discovered they now have possession of two of the legendary memory weapons, the very weapons that ultimately destroyed the world.



ZIA'S PATH:

In this novelette featuring crippled teenager, Abraham "Ham" Jones, and his tomboy partner, Zia Slate, the stakes are even higher. They have agreed to accept the memory weapons from their new guardian, Henry Lloyd, but with the power of the weapons comes the responsibility to follow "the right path." It's suppose to be simple: help one person at a time, but nothing in this harsh world is ever simple. It's a dog-eat-dog world where food is scarce and gangs rule the street.



When Ham decides to go into the worst gang-ridden area of the city to save a little girl, Zia doesn't think it's a good idea. It's too dangerous, but eventually she agrees and the two set off in search of the girl. When Zia goes off to scout ahead, Ham's worst nightmare comes true. Zia is snatched by slavers. Can Ham find out where she has been taken and mount a defense to save her in two days before she is sold as a sex slave?

Interview with Michelle Snyder

Briefly describe your journey in writing your first or latest book. [image error] I have loved art and images since I could see. Drawing was something I could not help but do passionately since I was two years old. For decades I taught drawing and design. But in 2000 I was diagnosed with a progressive condition that made me rethink my life, and my future with teaching art. The year Dan Brown published The DaVinci Code, I became quite entranced with what Robert Langdon did; I had no idea someone could be a symbologist. That was fascinating; I pursued a postgraduate degree in decoding symbols at the University of Wales. During my research I published a column about symbols in a newspaper. They became part of my first print book, Symbology: Decoding Classic Images.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?My mother was an editor. When I was younger she sent me to Little Brown and MacMillan in Boston with edited manuscripts. She had also written one, and spent years sending it out and being rejected. She was never able to publish. In 2005 I began working with a colleague's material, preparing it for publication. I searched for traditional publishers who accepted unsolicited manuscripts. I didn't find any – you had to be published already to submit something to be published.... Catch 22? I researched agents, and with the ridiculous money they got paid, low royalties, the loss of rights to, or control of the material, we were discouraged. And even if you made it through all that, there was no guarantee they would market your book. Then I stumbled upon BookSurge (now CreateSpace). We published his, then our own material.

What have you learned during your self-publishing journey? [image error] My biggest learning experience has been how to market my books. I bought books on how to market books. It was, perhaps, a paradigm changing realization that just because you write and publish a good book, does not mean sales; with the ease of publication, the opposite is true. Desktop publishing has made it possible for almost anyone to enter into the Mass Media market place. You can write and upload a book, and get it listed with online distributors without much difficulty, sometimes for free. The market is flooded with "anyone can publish a book" quality books. I think the best, most promising, and most exciting aspect to self publishing is eBook technology. As a consumer, buying eBooks means my already huge research library can grow without taking up more space. And the books are cheaper. Great opportunities lie in this new aspect of Indie publishing.

Did you design your cover art?  My husband Jay and I are partners in graphic design, multi-media production, and publishing. We do the covers together. He is does the layout using my artwork.

What kinds of social media [twitter, FaceBook, webpage, blog, writing forums] are you involved with trying to garner publicity for your book(s)?My first attempts to market included finding reviewers. CreateSpace has a community forum where there is a good list of them. It was there I found Debra Martin. I contacted her, and she invited me to publish a column on her blog. I was very excited. Then I bought books on marketing. I highly recommend eBook: How to Make, Market, and Sell eBooks, All for Free, by Jason Matthews. His advice is comprehensive, with how-to included. We have a website, WhiteKnightStudio.com , where we post information about the books, and links to where they are sold. Finding a local publication that would feature an excerpt was recommended: I landed another newspaper column in the local paper, which also publishes online. This gives me publicity twice monthly in print, and archives the articles online; I tag the end of each article with my books and website.

I use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for professional networking. We also put up a blog: Once Upon a Time, the world of symbols. A great way to get some name recognition is to comment on other people's blogs that are relevant to your genre or material. You find them by setting up Google alerts to be sent to your email, using search words. For me they were symbolism, mythology, and fairy tales. I have driven a lot of traffic to my blog doing this; people tend to click on your info when you comment. The greatest lesson to be learned is you can only sell what the audience wants. In the long run – Audience is King. Ask yourself, who are you writing for?

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale? [image error] Symbology: Decoding Classic Images is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online, and a local bookstore. The two eBooks are available in multiple formats through Smashwords, for Nook at Barnes & Noble, and Kindle at Amazon.

What is the best advice you can offer new authors?Have long-term vision. I read a newspaper article that said a major difference between print and eBook marketing is that in print-sales, your book, if it makes it to the shelf, is there for maybe six months then removed to make room for new books, whereas eBooks get put up and stay up. This gives you more time to make them known and gather some momentum in sales. And if your first book is not a smash hit, try again. My husband reminds me that if you don't have a product to sell, you won't make any money. If you have one, at least you have a chance. If you have more than one, your chances get better. Like the menu at MacDonald's - need to diversify? Make a new sandwich.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Honestly? Yes, even though my kids are grown. What I want to be doing is not always what needs to be done. Marketing and writing are both full time activities. Can I put off having a life until my books sell? Do I believe they will? Do people even like my stuff? How much can I put off, and for how long? These are tough questions to have nagging at you. The drive to create opportunities for publicity is sometimes all consuming. But without a book, there is nothing to market, and my first love is symbology. That is my passion, so I write when I am inspired. Then I invest a lot of time here, communicating with the online world. Just keeping up with the list of Google alerts takes a lot of time.

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest books? [image error] Our newest eBook, World of Symbols, is about symbology, and includes the meaning, origins, and historic context of symbols like dragons, unicorns, and the Green Man. The eBooklet, World of Symbols: Secrets of the Mermaids, is a short introduction to symbology, focused on mermaids, and the symbols associated with them. Some of this information is a result of my postgrad research, and is published for the first time in my books. Jay and I are now co-authoring a new series The Sally Knight Mysteries, a collection of short stories, the first of which is "The Lost Unicorn." Summer 2012 is our target date. 

Buy links:Symbology at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Symbology-Michelle-Snyder/dp/1456548441/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312398072&sr=1-1

World of Symbols Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/World-of-Symbols-ebook/dp/B00669TSDE/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325452487&sr=1-2

Secrets of the Mermaids Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/World-Symbols-Secrets-Mermaids-ebook/dp/B0066A9V9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325452487&sr=1-1 

Review: AMONGST MY ENEMIES by William F Brown

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[image error] 4 of 5 stars

Michael Randall definitely did not come through the war unscathed. When his bomber was shot down, only he and his best friend Eddie Hodge survive the crash. They don't get very far before they are captured and sent to a frigid submarine port of Konigsberg as slave laborers. Beaten and starved on a daily basis, Eddie doesn't last long in this harsh environment. Michael vows his death will not be in vain and embarks on a harrowing journey when he stows away on a German U-boat.  What happens on that submarine will set Michael's path for the next six years from Sweden to North Carolina and back to Sweden again. He has no idea that he is the linchpin involving Nazi war criminals, stolen loot, corrupt officials in Bolivia, the New York City police and the Israeli Mossad. Everyone wants to get their hands on Michael and learn what he knows about the demise of U-582.

The author does a fantastic job with the details and clearly did his research for this storyline. World War II espionage is not usually a subject I read, but Michael Randall is a compelling character that draws you in and makes you understand his personal hell and what drives him to do what he needs to do to avenge Eddie's death and finally to heal his wounded spirit. Rounding out the cast is his girlfriend Leslie, a NYC police officer, a former SS officer and a Swedish fisherman.

AMONGST MY ENEMIES is an exciting and intriguing story that will keep you turning the pages. My one criticism is the number of typos and extra words in the book. It could use the eyes of an editor to take care of these. Fans of WWII, political intrigue, and espionage will thoroughly enjoy this book. Recommended. 

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Amongst-My-Enemies-ebook/dp/B006LAOIWY

Author bio: [image error] William F Brown is the author of 6 mystery and suspense novels, and 4 award-winning screenplays. Amongst My Enemies is my second e-book. It is a fast-paced Cold War adventure filled with international intrigue, espionage, revenge, and an old German U-boat filled with a fortune in gold bars, treasure, and a secret that will tear NATO apart.

The Undertaker, my first e-book, is a snarky, fun, fast-paced domestic thriller with a slug of humor, romance, and stark terror! Someone with a sharp scalpel and an embalming table is planting bodies und other people's names. If Pete Talbott doesn't stop them, he'll be next on the list. Published in February 2011, it has already garnered 16 Five-Star and 13 Four-Star book reviews.



Thursday at Noon is a Joan Kahn Book published by St. Martin's Press in hardback, in paperback by Harlequin's Gold Eagle, and in various foreign editions. It is set in Egypt in 1962 and deals with murder, espionage, an Army coup, and new rockets aimed at the heart of Israel. Reviewed favorably in the "New Yorker" and other major publications, it will be released as an e-book in early 2012. Beaufort Books published my first novel, The Allah Conspiracy in hardback. It deals with international terrorism and an attempt to kill the President, and will also be released as an e-book in 201, as will Winner Lose All, a new international suspense novel set in the closing months of WWII, as one war winds down and all eyes are on the next one. As alliances begin to shift, old enemies become tomorrow's friends, and everyone wants their piece of the revolutionary new German weapons technologies.



In addition to the novels, I've written four award-winning screenplays. They have won First Place in the suspense category of the Final Draft contest, Finalist in Fade In, First Place in the Screenwriter's Utopia -Screenwriter's Showcase Awards, Second Place in the American Screenwriter's Association, Second Place at Breckenridge, and others. One was optioned.



Preview Chapters from all six suspense novels, plus updates on my writing can be found on my web site http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpres... as well as my Face Book Author's page http://www.facebook.com/pages/William...



A native of Chicago, I live in Columbus Ohio and occasionally escapes the keyboard with landscape painting and golf. My wife and travel widely in Russia, Italy, Germany, the Caribbean, England, Ireland, Scotland, eastern Europe, Egypt, and Israel.

Happy New Year!

It's been another successful year on Two Ends of the Pen. The blog has had over 75,000 page views. I've interviewed hundreds of authors, highlighted many new releases and hosted guests posts. By the traffic that comes to the blog everyday, I'm thrilled that so many find it full of interesting and informative posts.



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I'm looking forward to spending another year with all of you! Wishing everyone a happy and successful 2012. Why not scroll down the right side box and click "follow" the blog so you won't miss any new posts.

Spotlight: SHADES OF GREY by J.C. PHELPS

Blurb:



New job. New name. New assignment.



When Alexis Stanton, a.k.a. Ms. Grey, is assigned to uncover the true identity of the infamous sniper Penumbra, she's also expected to protect the business mogul next on the assassin's hit list.



The one person who holds the key to the sniper's true identity warns Alex not to dig any deeper. Penumbra has never missed his mark and will take out anyone who gets in the way.                 Buy links--$2.99:Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Shades-Alexis-Stanton-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B003L0QT1ABarnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shades-of-grey-jc-phelps/1102017097?ean=2940011066764&itm=1&usri=jc+phelpsSmashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18350

Bonus book:The first book in the series, COLOR OF GREY, is currently FREE at all outlets.



Book Blurb:



...exciting, highly paid position for person with specialized training...



Recently unemployed after quitting a boring office job, Alexis Stanton finds a mysterious ad in the help wanted section that might prove to be the answer to her desire for excitement and adventure.



After an intense application process, including actually fighting with her competition, she gets the job of her dreams.



But is it going to kill her?



Download links:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Color-Alexis-Stanton-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B003L202M0

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/color-me-grey-jc-phelps/1102449139?ean=2940011063657&format=nook-book

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18272     

Spotlight: OUT OF TIME OMNIBUS by Monique Martin

Buy Links:Amazon Exclusive: http://www.amazon.com/Out-Time-Omnibus-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B006G385Y8

Individual books are available on Amazon, BN and iTunes.

Book Blurb:

This omnibus edition contains the first two novels in the Out of Time Series: Out of Time & When the Walls Fell.





BOOK 1: OUT OF TIME

Professor Simon Cross has spent his life searching for evidence of vampires and avoiding emotional entanglements. When a mysterious accident transports Simon and his new assistant, Elizabeth West, back in time, Simon finally finds both the proof that he's been looking for, and the romance that he hasn't.



In 1920s Manhattan, they find that are more than mobsters vying for power in the city's speakeasies. Will Simon and Elizabeth's developing relationship survive the vampires' teeth? Will they survive to make it back? Or will they be forever out of time?



BOOK 2: WHEN THE WALLS FELL

Professor Simon Cross and his assistant Elizabeth West have returned from their accidental journey into the past and are adjusting to their new life together as a couple. But an unwanted visit from the Council for Temporal Studies could change everything.





A murder in the past is changing the future, and if the killing isn't stopped, Simon Cross might never be born.





When they arrive in 1906 San Francisco, Elizabeth and Simon have no idea who wants Victor Graham dead or how it will happen. With the earthquake that leveled most of the city just days away, the race to save Graham thrusts them into a complex mystery of jealousy and revenge where murder might be the least of their worries.




Out of Time and When the Walls Fell are time travel adventures filled with suspense, mystery, romance and a dash of the paranormal.





Look for more books in the Out of Time Series coming in 2012!



Author bio:  Monique was born in Houston, Texas, but her family soon moved to Southern California. She grew up on both coasts, living in Connecticut and California. She currently resides in Southern California with her naughty Siamese cat, Monkey.



Monique attended the University of Southern California's Film School where she earned a BFA from the Filmic Writing department.  Monique worked in television for several years before joining the family business. She now works full-time as a freelance writer and novelist. Her novels Out of Time and When the Walls Fell are the first two books in the Out of Time series.

Author website:

http://moniquemartin.weebly.com/

World of Symbols: Zodiac

The World of SymbolsMichelle Snyder: The Symbologistwww.whiteknightstudio.com http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com/

The Grand Zodiac

The mythologies of the Zodiac are the oldest stories ever told. They were laid into the tapestry of stars before recorded history, and the symbolism of these great tales is found worldwide. Our ancestors watched the magnificent skies, they knew the power of natural cycles and understood the need to predict them. The Grand Stories were told to children, passing on this knowledge, and the constellations were the pictures that accompanied them. The ever-present stars provided a fixed reference for timing natural cycles as well as for cultural history, rituals, and knowledge. This "language of the stars" carries records of astronomical observation and its application to survival. The stories were immortalized by oral tradition and symbols.

There is great wisdom in studying the heavenly cycles. The Bible pronounces "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years…that night unto night showeth knowledge," (Genesis 1:14-17). Leading thinkers in Greek philosophy, science, and religion accepted that planetary alignments affected events on earth, including those of the individual. According to Duncan-Enzmann, this thinking has its beginning about 12,500 BC.

During the ice age babies born at winter solstice had more attention, as outside activities were limited. The world was frozen – there was no pollen, worms, or viruses to make the baby sick. Nurtured well, these babies were healthy, and functioned better during their lives than those born when parents were busy with critical activities, and natural predators were more abundant. Differences in the long term health and functional quality of people were noticed. As a result, babies were planned for winter solstice birth – a time marked by certain patterns in the sky. Here we have the beginning of astrology; the awareness of the position of the stars when a child is born, and their "affect" on that person's life.

This practice evolved with time; since ancient times people have believed that, by divine power, stars shape the destiny of human affairs. We see confirmation of this in an ancient symbol for deity, the Cuneiform sign for god: a star. Astrologer-astronomers advised nobility when the heavens were in favorable position for everything from marriage to war. This is a logical development from knowing the astronomical, and therefore, climatological patterns which affected the path and outcome of human activity.

Astrology is the oldest of occult sciences, the origin of science itself. Astronomy, calculation of time, mathematics, botany - all derive from astrology. Words like conjunction, opposition, forecast, lunatic, aspect, and influence are astrological terms common our language, along with phrases like "thank our lucky stars" and "star-crossed lovers." The zodiac, like folklore, fairy tales, and mythology, carries lore from Once Upon a Time, long, long before recorded history, when we gazed at the heavens, divided time by the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, and learned to predict the cycles of Mother Nature. These stories have survived the erosion of passing time, the destruction of records, and the layers added by new generations. They are examples of how symbolism carries folklore forward over time. That these stories are found all over the world speaks to their endurance and relevance to human life. 

Article and artwork © 2011 Michelle Snyder, author of Symbology: Decoding Classic Images , available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online, and at The Book Rack Bookstore in Arlington. Find more information about symbolism, and post your questions or comments on her blog: www.whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com.

Interview with Earl Staggs

Briefly describe your journey in writing your book. When my wife and I left the snow and ice of Maryland behind and moved south, I retired from the insurance business and decided to do something I'd wanted to do all my life – become a mystery writer.  My first step was to join a writing class at the local community college. The instructor said that by the end of the class, we each would have written a short story.  It seemed like a good way to start so I came up with a short story. I was so proud of it, I submitted it to several magazines. When they all rejected it, I was crushed, but continued writing.  Eventually, some of my stories were published.

A couple years later, I decided to pull out that first story and take a look at it.  Good grief! I saw why it was rejected.  I'd learned a lot about writing by then, and decided to rewrite the story. This time, it was accepted by not one, but two magazines – one a webzine and one a print magazine. It was published by both, and the response was so positive and encouraging, I decided to take the protagonist and his special talent into a full length novel.

[image error] That's when I learned how little I knew about writing a book.  I read every how-to-write book I could get my hands on, read a stack of mystery novels, and found a wonderful group of critique partners to expose my shortcomings. It took three years of hard work, but I finished it.  When MEMORY OF A MURDER was eventually published, it picked up thirteen Five Star reviews and has done quite well.

What genre are your books?  Do you write in more than one genre?I consider myself a mystery writer, but I wander around within the genre.  Sometimes I write hardboiled, sometimes light and humorous, and sometimes in between.   I've always enjoyed a mixture when I read and discovered the same applies to when I write.  Occasionally, I'll step out of the mystery genre entirely and write something purely humorous.  An example is a story called "The Day I Almost Became a Great Writer."  There's no crime or mystery in it, but many people have said it's the funniest thing I've ever written.  It's available for a free read for anyone interested on my site at:  http://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com

If you write in more than one genre, do you use a pen name?I know writers who use pen names and that's fine for them if they want to. I've never seen a need or had the urge to, and I'm sure I never will.  I entered this world with one name and plan to leave it the same way.

Did you query agents and traditional publishers?  Did you receive an offer of representation or a book contract?I've gone that route in the past.  Getting signed by a traditional publisher used to be difficult. With all the changes in publishing in the last few years, it's become nearly impossible.  I signed with one agent, but nothing ever came of it.  This was during the time when major publishers were cutting back on new authors and dropping many they had on board. For now, I'm happy with independent presses and the way they operate and expect to stay with them.

What factors influenced your decision to sign with Untreed Reads?I was impressed with Jay Hartman and the way he presented what Untreed Reads does.  I think Untreed Reads is the ground floor of the future publishing industry and was thrilled to be accepted by them. 

How involved are you during the creative process for your book's cover design? [image error] I think all authors are like me and want to have something to say about their covers. We have a firm picture in our minds of what our story is about and care deeply whether or not the cover conveys what we feel it should.  When Untreed Reads published "Where Billy Died," Jay asked for my thoughts and opinions on the cover.  I responded and crossed my fingers.  I was amazed when I received the artist's rendition and did a Happy Dance.  The cover was terrific. That's the kind of cooperation and consideration we never experienced in traditional publishing

Do you plan to self-publish any other books or will you stay with Untreed Reads?That decision will vary with each situation for many reasons, but I hope to remain associated with Untreed Reads in any way I can.

What kinds of social media [twitter, facebook, webpage, blog, writing forums] are you involved with trying to garner attention for your book(s)?So far, I haven't done much on Facebook and Twitter and know I should.  For now, I'm active on my own website, a couple of blog cooperatives, guest blog appearances wherever I can, and a few writing forums.  I've also presented workshops for two online conferences and love to do live presentations to writer's and reader's groups.  There's still a lot to learn about using the social media available, and I'm working on that.

How do you feel about the world of digital publishing?  Do you think it will replace traditional publishing one day?I don't think digital publishing will ever completely replace traditional. There will always be people who want the feel and smell of a printed book.  Digital is certainly forcing traditional to restructure itself, however, and no one knows for sure what will happen.  The next few years will be interesting, and it's going to be a bumpy road for a while. The best we can do is wait it out and hope they eventually reach a coexistence which will be to the benefit of authors and readers.

What is the biggest thing you've learned during your journey as an author?When we first start writing, without realizing, we're influenced by other writers we admire and our work is an attempt to write as they do.  Over time, word by word and line by line, our own style and voice appears.  It can take a long time, but not until then can we call ourselves writers. Until we reach that point, we're only copying others and falling short of the unique and individual writer we need to become.

Do you have any advice for new authors?Yes, I do and this is it:  Always make sure the next thing you write is better than the last thing you wrote.  Being good is not good enough.  There are too many good writers ahead of you. To rise above the crowd, you have to continuously work to get better.

What's next for you?More books.  I have a Mystery/Thriller almost ready to shop for a publisher and I've started a sequel to MEMORY OF A MURDER.  I also have ideas for half a dozen more books.  So much to be written, so little time.  If you know of a way to add another eight hours to a day, please pass it along. 

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Buy links: http://store.untreedreads.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=gup73ase2ee6dm2mqhimsnjq53&keyword=earl+staggs

Interview with Wade McMahan

Briefly describe your journey in writing your book.  My latest work, "The Lincoln Park Horror," is a little novelette released by Untreed Reads Publishing this past summer.  It's the fourth entry in my worldwide bestselling Richard Dick mysteries series, and it's gaining market traction at e-bookstores everywhere.  My journey with Untreed Reads began when they agreed to publish my first Richard Dick mystery, "Bite This!"  They gave me a great hand with editing that one, and by golly, it absolutely flew up the charts at e-booksellers around the globe.  In fact, it's still doing quite well.  Later, they published "Witches Witch" and "Naughty or Nice" in the Richard Dick series, and a separate little humorous fantasy, "Flying Solo" which has also moved right along.  I've truly been lucky; my journey has been more like a walk in the park.

What genre are your books?  Do you write in more than one genre?I'll write anything that captures my interest.  Typically, though, my work includes humorous, and/or speculative elements. 

If you write in more than one genre, do you use a pen name?Are you kidding?  My name is finally "out there" as a writer, and like Popeye, "I y'am what I y'am."  Establishing myself as a writer all over again under a pen name sounds like too much work and a real pain in the…um…neck.

Did you query agents and traditional publishers?  Did you receive an offer of representation or a book contract?I haven't queried agencies or print publishers recently.  That doesn't mean I wouldn't in the future.  For the past couple of years, I've been working directly with e-publishers, although I did have one work accepted and in print by a traditional publisher. 

What factors influenced your decision to sign with Untreed Reads?Fortunately, I found Untreed Reads Publishing through Duotrope and was among the first writers to sign with them.  That gave me the opportunity to get to know the publishers, Jay Hartman and K.D. Sullivan very well.  I immediately liked and respected them both at a personal level, but more importantly, I saw their innovative vision and bought into their aggressive business model.  I'm certainly glad I did.

How involved are you during the creative process for your book's cover design?I have the artistic talent of a nematode.  So, I'm very comfortable with leaving the creativity to Untreed Reads.  However, they generously asked me to review cover options for "The Lincoln Park Horror," and we mutually agreed upon a fantastic selection that speaks to the subject.

Do you plan to self-publish any other books or will you stay with Untreed Reads?Um…yes, maybe.  I've never truly self-published, but instead have relied on established publishers to move my work into the market.  You see, I've written my share of garbage, and one thing I've learned is that if the entire publishing world thinks something stinks, it probably does.  I hope to stay with Untreed Reads on many levels, although I'm leaving my options open depending upon the individual nature of my future works.

What kinds of social media [twitter, facebook, webpage, blog, writing forums] are you involved with trying to garner attention for your book(s)?I suppose you've noticed that most publishers (bless their little pea-pickin' hearts) now demand that writers show up at several social media locations.  <sigh>  I was forcibly dragged (albeit with considerable yelling and screaming) into some of that, and though I admit it reluctantly, you can find me

On Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001906687040At FiledBy at http://www.filedby.com/author/wade_j_mcmahan/4576964/On my Amazon Author's Page at http://www.amazon.com/Wade-J.-McMahan/e/B004XZQQ2Y/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

You can read my blog at my writer's website "The Incorrigible Liar" at http://wadejmcmahanbooks.weebly.com/index.htmlOr simply email me at wjmbooks@hotmail.com

How do you feel about the world of digital publishing?  Do you think it will replace traditional publishing one day?I love digital publishing.  It opens many new doors for writers and readers alike.  As for the future for traditional publishing, ah, that is the question these days, isn't it?  Of course, we are witnessing the dramatic decline in traditional brick and mortar bookstores. Some school systems have moved over entirely to electronic textbooks.  Some small publishers I've spoken with have already shut down the print side of their businesses and became exclusively electronic.  Of course, at the end of the day, the future of traditional publishing will be about the money, but for now and for the foreseeable future, thankfully, printed books remain profitable, plentiful and readily available. 

What is the biggest thing you've learned during your journey as an author?I've learned that at the outset of my journey, I was dumber than a post.  I knew nothing about writing at a professional level, nothing about agents, and nothing about the publishing industry. Then again, how hard could writing be, right?  Ahem.  Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned is that writing, becoming a published author if you will, must be approached with the same high intensity needed to succeed in any altogether new career.

Do you have any advice for new authors?Write well—write for yourself, please yourself, believe in yourself, and challenge yourself to write to ever-higher levels as you move your career forward. Remember too, there are thousands of writers out there, so you will promote your finished product in an extraordinarily competitive publishing universe. You must delve into the details of the publishing business, know what publishers want, know what they demand and know exactly what you have to do to ensure that your work stands out above the competition. 

What's next for you?Quite a bit, actually.  My novelette, "Fanged!" the fifth work in my Richard Dick mysteries series, will be released by Untreed Reads sometime after the first of the year. Quite honestly, I think it's one of my best, not to mention funniest, Richard Dick (please just call him Dick) yarns.  Following that, I'm planning one final story to wrap up the series.

"Waves in the Wind" is my current, ongoing project and passion, a full-length fantasy novel sited in ancient Ireland. Given such a rich setting, the storyline is already swarming on me, so watch for this one to evolve into yet another series.   

 Buy links: http://store.untreedreads.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=wade+mcmahan

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!





Did you have fun decorating the Christmas tree this year? Is it a tradition in your family? It is in mine and it was wonderful this year as always.





Are you going over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house for Christmas dinner? Or maybe it's Aunt Rose's place this year? Wherever you spend Christmas, I sincerely hope you'll cherish the time with family and friends.