K.J. Simmill's Blog, page 28

Book review: C.A. King – Sometimes Love Stinks (@PortalProphecy)

Gastrella was looking forward to a new year at school. Having moved home she had left [image error]the stigma behind her, she would remake herself, hold back the embarrassing problem anxiety caused, a problem her name only amplified. Everything was going fine until she caught a glimpse of the hot jock Tanner. But the interest wasn’t one way, much to the irritation of his on again off again girlfriend. But when things are taken too far Gastrella realises she is not the alone with her anxiety, that so many feel the same as she does, and reaches out to someone she feels can help.

Sometimes Love Stinks is one of C.A. Kings books based in Knolville, everything about this town has a touch of paranormal, and it even raises it head, albeit more subtly, in this book. I enjoyed the tale, and read it in a single sitting. This short and quirky this tale has a splash of humour, but also carries a serious message about bullying. While it isn’t along the vein of what is normally written by this author, the alteration made for a nice change and yet another enjoyable tale. You can

Book link:

 

Book review: Phil Price – Unknown (@PhilPrice19)

Jake had lost everything the day his wife and child were taken from him. He fought his [image error]grief, surrendering his badge for a private license. As a police officer he felt powerless, he apprehended villains only for them to be turned loose and commit another crime. At least as a PI he could choose his work. Or he could, until a favour for his brother-in-law drags him into an investigation out of this world, literally. A series of random and unlikely connections lead Jake to discover the world is not as black and white as he thought. There are doors, portals, which lead beyond his world to a place monsters lurk, worse still, they sometimes cross over, hunting. Jake finds himself on the mission of a lifetime. His very life, and  that of those he cares for is on the line. Can he hold back the tides of evil, or will darkness consume everything?

Unknown by Phil Price is a paranormal horror written in an engaging third-person style. I’ll admit to struggling initially to get into the book, mainly because there were a lot of different characters and timelines introduces, all of which are important later in the tale. I enjoyed the attention to detail and the world-building of the alternate dimensions, and the reactions to the different environments. I liked Jake’s character, and he became perfectly complimented by Kathrine. Danger, monsters, and myths unite to bring this tale that those liking anything paranormal will be bound to enjoy. The only criticism I could level was near the end I felt as if I was missing a few chapters, one ended on the cusp climax, and the next picked up when everything was over, leaving what happened a mystery for the readers’ own imagination, and with a second book to follow I imagine answers will be found as the tale unfolds.

Book link:

 

Book Review: Kim Alexander – The Sand Prince (@KimAlexander80)

Princess Hellene had loved Malloy. It didn’t matter he was human, that he came from [image error]beyond the door. And he had loved her too. Right until the weapon had sealed the door between the two worlds forever. But her young lover had left her something, not only a book written by his own hand, but a child. The sealing of the door brought devastation to Eriis. Left to take the throne, Queen Hellene struggles to pull her people through the hardship, but when the mages, in need of human blood, discover the secret she has been guarding she is left with no choice but to send her son, Rhuun, through the door. He had been obsessed with the humans, but he soon discovered things were not always like portrayed in a book. Bound into service by a child he is forced to carry out her petty whims, unaware something larger is happening, a plot to have him returned to Eriis.

The Sand Prince is the first book in Kim Alexander’s The Demon Door series. I thought the author showed brilliant world-building with the creation of two worlds. Eriis, the demon world, has completely different rules, magical systems, and culture to the earth-like Mistra. I enjoyed how the history of both sides following the sealing of the door was written differently by each side. Plots, politics, manipulation, and scheming will drive the reader forward while the vivid descriptions and wonder experienced by Rhuun as he beholds the world he has only read about, encourages you to see everything we take for granted anew. I enjoyed watching the forming of bonds of relationships, and the steady unravelling of the greater design. Engaging, entertaining, and unique The Sand Prince will capture your attention and leave you wondering what will happen in the next addition to this saga.

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Book link:

 

 

Book review: Alison Morton – Aurelia (@alison_morton)

Ex-Praetorian officer Aurelia Mitela regretted ever thinking she was bored. Following [image error]her mother’s death, she is forced to take care of matters. But such a life was not becoming of her. When the opportunity to be retrained as an undercover operative is placed before her it is a chance she could not resist. her familial ties put her in the unique position to be able to investigate a smuggling ring, an opportunity which allows her to realign with the person she wanted to be. Unaware of the dangers she would bring upon herself and her family she delves deeper into the investigation, determined to expose the guilty party, but when someone finds the means to exploit her, she has some difficult choices to make, country, duty, or family.

Aurelia is part of Alison Morton’s Nova Roma thriller series. Interesting twists will keep a reader engaged as they become invested in the well-developed characters, Aurelia the main protagonist is perfectly complemented by the challenging antagonist. Morton’s world-building shows insight into how times may have been different if history had moved in an alternative direction, and her descriptions suggest she has good knowledge and understanding of key areas, all which enhance the feeling of reality injected into the complex and thoughtful story arcs. Action, mystery, and adventure drive this steady paced plot forward as divided between duty, country, and family Aurelia is forced to make difficult, sometimes heart-wrenching, choices. I enjoyed watching her character change and alter as her investigation takes interesting and life-threatening twists. Those who enjoy strong female leads and in a 1960 alternative history setting are bound to enjoy every moment of this tale.

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Book link:

How to Twitter, and Hashtags for authors

Someone in a group I am part of asked me for some tips on using Twitter for novices. Now, I am the first to admit that I am a long way from being an expert, however, I am more than happy to share what I know and have learnt. So in this article I will cover

Finding followers
How to Retweet
What to Tweet
How often to tweet
Common Hashtags for authors
and some Useful Tool

Once you have a Twitter account set up you’re going to want to start following some people, I find following people I share interests with help, as well as those I am in groups with. I am by no means an expert, but this is what worked for me.

Finding followers:

Start by typing your interest in the search bar with a # in front of it. For this example, I will use #authors, but look for people who enjoy your hobbies, your genre, etc

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This brings up posts with this hashtag

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Ignoring any accounts that show at the top scroll down, if any tweets catch your eye, retweet and follow them, often Authors will follow back.

To follow someone:

If using the above step you find someone you want to follow, hover over their name to open the profile

Click the follow button, this will then turn blue and say following. (PS I don’t know this person it is just who came up during my screenshot for the example)

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The way is after doing the hashtag search click on the people tag. This displays all the people with the hashtag you searched for, read their profile and follow anyone you like

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How to retweet:

Retweeting is one of the most important things when trying to establish an account, it shows people the kind of things you like, and if you share content they like they are more likely to follow you. By retweeting others, you make the page not all about you, but about others too. This is important in social media. The general guidelines, based on my digital marketing course are as follows, don’t worry about these too much, it is just to show what kind of balance you eventually want to aim for:

Posting tactics:

In my digital marketing course, the following Tweet strategies were recommended as best practises.

5-3-2 – 5 pieces of content from other people, three of yours, two personal status updates – this works best for people and small businesses

5-5-5 – 5 updates about you and content, 5 about other people, 5 responses to other people’s posts – these posts should add value and be relevant to you, your hobbies, or the market

4-1-1 – 4 posts from other people, 1 retweet for every 1 self-promoting update

Rule of thrids – a third of you, a third of others, and a third on personal interactions

 

How to retweet a post:

Using the search function find a post you think will enhance your feed and be of interest to your followers. Again I will use #authors as an example. Here I recommend instead of using the default page that comes up, you select the ‘latest’ tab. Scroll down until you find one you like.

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For this example I will select the retweet button

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When you click this the option to RT will come up. You can either just retweet, or rt with your own comment

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Once it is done the rt button turns green. The number by it is how many times a post has been retweeted.

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Retweeting your followers

Being engaged and retweeting your followers is really important. The tweets of the people you follow are displayed on the Home page

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Using the same process above, scroll down to find the ones you want to retweet, and select the retweet button

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What to Tweet

Content is all important. It is better it send out 4 or 5 tweets your audience will be interested in, than 50 they won’t. There is a fine line here, as you want to use it to promote your book.

Posts with pictures, according to my digital marketing course, get around 80% more engagement than those with text alone. So where possible include a relevant picture, gif, or in the case of authors, a book link often pulls an image from Amazon.

When promoting your own work, I find best practice is to offer pictures with teasers.

Another well-received option is to use quotes from your reviews, and short elevator pitches.

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Think of a Tweet like a pick-up line, you want to entice and tease your reader, gain their interest so they want to know more.

However, it is not all about your book. You need to be personal, reveal and share snippets of your day. If you’ve written something you love or hate, tweet about it. Seen something which inspires you, made something you’re proud of? Take a picture, share it. The goal is to connect with your audience, let them see you, and your work.

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How to Send a Tweet

Start by pressing the Tweet button

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If you have some text highlighted in red when you write a tweet, this means it is over the character limit.

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You can always find a way to save space if needed by changing things a little

[image error] Once your tweet is written, double-check it for typos and press the Tweet button.

 

How often to Tweet

The average lifespan of a Tweet is 17 minutes, after which, unless people have RTed or looked for it specifically then it is finished. This is because of the constant scrolling timelines. According to Internet Live Stats, every second around 6000 tweets are sent. However, despite their short lifespan this doesn’t mean you should be sending out something every 17 minutes. Here it is important to focus on quality over quantity. Before posting anything make sure it will add value to your customers.

If you don’t log into your account within six months, Twitter may shut it down.

What Hashtags to use

The author community has so many hashtags it is hard to keep track. The rules are simple.

First, make sure they are relevant, don’t use #nonfiction if your book is #fiction

Secondly, check what is trending. If you can, you want to turn a trending hashtag into a marketing push, some people call this trend hijacking. Trending hashtags are displayed on the left side of your Twitter.

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Here, since my book donates to charity, I could utilise the current trending #internationaldayofcharity and highlight the donating aspect of my book in a promo tweet.

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In this instance, you’ll also see I opted to link to the charity rather than the book. It is a day of charity after all, if someone is interested in my book, they can always check my profile, however, I want to promote the DMWS here.

Always be tactful and tactful when using trending hashtags

Common hashtags for authors

Books and Reading

#amReading

#Bibliophile

#bookreview

#Books

#BookWorm

#GreatReads

#MustRead

#WhatToRead

#bookswelove

#FridayReads

#TeaserTues

#IlikebigBooks

#recommendedreads

#Weekendreads

#whattoreadnext

#WriterWednesday or #WW

Genre, examples

#ChickLit

#classicbooks

#contemporaryYA

#cookbooks

#crime

#DarkFantasy

#dystopian

#EpicFantasy

#erotica

#Espionage

#fanfic

#Fantasy

#fiction

#graphicnovels

#HeroicFantasy

#histfic

#Horror

#indie

#LBGT

#LitFic

#LitRPG

#Love

#MagicandWizardy

#manga

#mystery

#nonfiction

#paranormal

#PictureBooks

#Romance

#SciFI or #SYFY

#Suspense

#SwordandSorcery

#Thriller

#UrbanFantasy

#WomensFiction

#yabooks

Promo

#99c

#AuthorRT

#BookGiveaway

#BookMarketing

#Authorfollowback (not popular anymore)

#FreeReads

#FreeBook

#NewRelease

Publishing platform

#Apple

#Amazon

#eBook

#BookBuzz

#eReaders

#KDP

#Kindle

#KindleBargain

#Kobo

#Nook

#SmashWords

#KindleUnlimited

#FreeonKU

Useful Hashtags

#Bookboost (any tweet tagged with this gets a rt from Bookboost)

#IARTG (Indie author RT group)

#ASMSG (Authors’ Social Media Support Group)

Writing Process

#AmWriting

#AmEditing

#CopyWriting

#Creativity

#Editing

#IndieAuthor

#WIP

#WordCount

#Author

#Writing

#WritingAdvice

#WriteMotivation

#WritingTips

#WritersLife

#WritingCommunity

Useful tools

 

https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/ – Free

Use to schedule tweets. Type your Tweet in the box, select date and time, and repeat with different dates for repeating tweets.

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https://www.socialoomph.com – Free with limited features, or $15 a month to create a queue

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https://www.vicconsult.com/buffered-bulk-tweets/ – great for text only tweet scheduleing – $5 a month, must keep adding content, so keep a notepad with the tweets on to copy and paste in. When I last used this it was still restricted to 180 characters

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https://ifttt.com/twitter – Free – Great for finding and posting content you enjoy

https://ifttt.com/applets/SMvaxczG-if-hashtag-then-retweet-it is a great one to use if you often retweet specific hashtag, but be sure to keep the -RT in the hashtag line. There are so many, that you can opt to rt things from places like NASA, or simply say thank you every time someone follows you

Summary

When Tweeting the idea is to keep your audience entertained, give them insight into you, your work, your interests, while also engaging with them. It is not all about selling your book, it is about adding value to their day, be it a smile, a book teaser, or just something personal they may relate or be inspired by. Try to keep a balance between your things and everyone else’s. RT followers, RT things that interest you, doing this shows people what you like, and shared hobbies and passions help them to relate to you and form an online relationship.

As I said above, I am a long way from being an expert on social media, however, I hope you have found some of these tips useful. This is my Twitter strategy, based on things I have learnt in the digital marketing, associates degree I have just completed, as you get a feel for it you will develop your own best practices. If you have some tips you’d like to share, please feel free to comment below. I would love to know what works for you.

I hope to see you here again.

Article by K.J. Simmill (KS the Dreamer)

Since I still have your attention, and this is a marketing post, it must be time for some shameless self-promotion – check out my award-winning books here, and have a great week x

I am going to Miami! #ReadersFavoriteMiami2019

Hi everyone.

Those of you who follow me closely on social media will already have seen that on September 1st Darrienia won a silver medal in the Readers’ Favorite awards. I am truly grateful and honoured for my writing to be recognised in this way.

As part of the award, in November, I am on my way to Miami to attend the award ceremony. I can’t express how petrified and excited I am. My family really pulled together for me in order to ensure that while I go off on this weekend adventure that everyone and everything at home will be cared for.

Yesterday I booked the hotel and my flights, as well as my vaccines. I can’t believe this is really happening!

#ReadersFavoriteMiami2019

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Book review: Isobel Blackthorn – Twerk (@IBlackthorn)

When a regular customer dies in the middle of a VIP dance all hell breaks loose, starting [image error]a chain of events of the likes never experienced in the Vegas strip club, Hot Foxies. Lana, part-time law student, part-time stripper, was not working in the night in question, but the sudden disappearance of her mentor and friend Amber following the events has left her worried. She was last seen leaving with the paramedic, and no one seems to care she has once again not arrived for her shift. The lawyer in her turns sleuth as she tried to piece together events from that fateful Sunday, was the punter’s death suicide, an accident, or perhaps even murder. No one seems to want to disclose anything. Determined to find answers, Lana begins her own explorations into the events of that night, unaware of the danger she invites. With her investigation, a missing best friend, death threats from her ex, and a precision hate attack on her social media accounts, she certainly has her hands full, but can she discover the truth before things take a darker turn?

Twerk is a thrilling erotic mystery by Isobel Blackthorn, It focuses primarily on the first-person perspective of the two main characters, Amber and Lana, while giving insight into the real scene behind the Vegas strip clubs. The characters are certainly unique, realistic, and developed. It was easy to imagine yourself right in the centre of events, watching as they unfold and you try to piece together who is the coyote amongst the foxes. I enjoyed the banter between characters, and the insight into the mind of a stripper. When most people write about strippers, they become nothing more than objects and a representation of sex, so I loved how you were immediately brought to seeing them as people, not just objects of desire, and I may have chuckled at some of the internal monologues and thoughts being had while Lana went about her routine. Fast-paced, raunchy, with the threat of impending danger growing ever closer, this steamy noir thriller will keep you entertained until the final climax.

Book link:

 

Book review: Adam Boostrom – Athena’s Choice (@AthenaChoice)

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Athena had wanted to be an artist almost all her life. What really cemented the thought in her mind, along with it making her mother happy, was when she saw the truth of what an artist really was, a person who looked upon something and saw not what was there, but the potential for all it could be. The problem was, no one wanted her pictures, she excelled at painting a moment forever captured on canvass. When she is called into questioning regarding the theft of the Lazarus genome, she has no idea she is about to embark on the single most important mission of Womankind. After men were driven to extinction by Y-Fever there have been many groups seeking to bring them back, and this genome should have done just that. As she is pulled into the investigation she starts to experience bizarre dreams, dreams she is certain holds the answer. As her future reveals itself she realises her actions will have more wide spanning consequences than she could ever imagine.

Athena’s choice is a gipping mystery set in a future where men no longer exist. Anyone who has seen Saber Marionette J will be familiar with the idea of a single gender world, and what Adam Boostrom has done is expand on that, with women as the survivors. Well written in a smooth third person narrative that keeps you intrigued beginning to end. I really enjoyed the intermission chapters, small snippets of information from future sources such as Wikipedia, adverts, or school work that really expand your understanding of the world. We are shown a future with amazing enhancements, peace, and a world were people can chase their dreams. I loved Athena’s character and the relationships she builds feel genuine and real. there is enough futuristic technology to satisfy a sci-fi lover, and better yet, they are all things which could be just years away. This book explores many interesting ideas from beginning to end, and it will certainly leave a reader thinking and debating what future they would prefer unfolded before them. Great ideas, fast paced, gripping, and immersive, Athena’s choice is bound to satisfy a broad range of readers.

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Book link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LCVG6QT

Book review: M.A. Guglielmo – Summoned (@Aphemia66)

Despite the fact, his grandmother had died when Daniel was 15 she still managed to get a [image error]message to him. On that fateful day, he was tasked to save the world. His grandmother had told him many tales, many legends, but the act of summoning a jinn seemed insane. Yet summon her he did. Zahara had been waiting for this opportunity, with everything to prove and nothing to lose she made short time of embracing the somewhat lacking offering before her. She was determined to step from the shadows of embarrassment , earning the respect of her family. Daniel is not what she was expected, but neither did she seem fit to the task he needed her for. Can two beings, so wrong in every way, find a way to turn things to their advantage? Sometimes, the right person for the job, isn’t always the most obvious one, for the sake of the world, let’s hope this is true.

Summoned (From Smokeless Fire) is a fun and gripping paranormal by M.A. Guglielmo. Within the pages you with find Lore, religion, and mythology, not to mentions dark and foreboding beings who want the world as we not it destroyed. Amidst these, even siding along side them are the humans, exploiting what they know, or what they think they do. Daniel, an almost accidental sorcerer, has clearly bitten off more than he can chew, and watching him go from the timid wreck to a determined force to be reckoned with was a journey in itself. I loved watching his confidence and character grow as a team of unlikely allies join forces in hope to prevent events that will be the end of everything as we know it. Brilliant settings, great descriptions, and enjoyable characters are just some of the  things that will draw you in. The mixture of suspense, humour, and action are well balanced and fit seamlessly into the plot. The action, chaos, manipulations, and misdirection will keep you entertained, while the characters will win your heart.

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Book link:

 

Book review: Karen Ann Carpenter – Comfortable in Hell (@KACAuthor)

Patsy friend was lovesick, mourning the break up between her and Hans Muff. Her [image error]friends infatuation had started long ago, and now she lay around, getting sicker, like a lovesick puppy. But she was not the only one fascinated with this young man. Patsy had lusted after him for so long, ever since seeing the photograph she stole away. She convinced herself finding Hans was in the interest of her friend, but she knew this was only a ruse. She could not bear to go another day without her path crossing his. Deep in the middle of no where she finds the place he calls home, unaware of the truth behind closed doors. Patsy thinks she would stop at nothing to be with him, but when the truth is revealed will her obsession triumph over danger?

Comfortable in Hell, The Beginning, by Karen Ann Carpenter borders on being point horror right until the last few chapters, which require a more adult audience. Filled with lust, obsession, and supernatural influences it makes for an unusual read. Patsy’s journey into obsession takes a turn for the bizarre when it seems there was more to Han’s obsession with the Krampus festival than first meets the eye. The shift between the Patsy we meet, and the one we leave was nicely transitioned. The author’s style is simple and easy flowing, combining subtle descriptions with distorted and surreal happenings. Obsession, temptation, seduction, and the loss of rationality will entice the reader as they question what will become of Patsy, can she shatter the thrall upon her, or will she be lost to power and desire?

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Book link: