Leah Lindeman's Blog, page 8

In Between Homes

I’m trying out a new system of blogging. It’s called Steemit. It was recommended by a friend. It’s got a system of cryptocurrency, curators, and a whole bunch of terms I’m still learning. One day I’ll write a post about it just for you, my WordPress followers.

Anyway, I’ve decided to use that as my main blogging station and set up my WordPress as more of an official author site. Still not too sure about the details; so please bear with me.

Don’t worry about not being in the loop because I’ll always put the first few paragraphs of the new post on Steemit here with a link to the original post.

I was going to double post, but then I found out I can’t (even if it is my original content). Google doesn’t like doubles.

I’m hoping this will be a smooth transition for everybody!

New Post

This past Tuesday I wrote a post on the pros and cons of traditional publishing. I also listed the pros and cons of indie or self-publishing. Here we’ll break down when is the best time or circumstance to use either and how you can leverage both systems. Check out https://steemit.com/publishing/@leahlindeman/publishing-options-what-s-the-right-fit-for-you to see the first part in this two part series.

When To Be Traditionally Published 

1. If you just want to write, this is for you. You don’t want to deal with the brunt work of marketing or have to pitch TV, radio, and/or newspapers so that the whole world knows you’ve written a book. You’d rather stay in you hobbit hole and write to your heart’s content.

Read the full post here on Steemit.

Publishing Options—What’s the Right Fit for You?

I know that the question titled as this post was one I struggled with once I was in the finishing stages of completing my final manuscript. Maybe you’re in the same boat right now, or that question will need an answer a few months or a year away. I’m here to help you figure out what will fit your needs or wants best.

Traditional publishing, self-publishing, or vanity publishing? You’ve probably heard of or met some die-hard self-publishers or always hear the tooting of traditional. With all the noise, you can’t see how you can make a proper decision. And this decision is super important! Why? Because both will affect your life in completely different ways. Today we’re going to look at the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and self-publishing. I’ll include a word on vanity publishing at the end. This is the first part in a two part series. The second part will be up on Thursday.

 

Advantages of Traditional Publishing

1. Having a big name to back you up, readers will more likely invest their money in buying your book. Why? Because they know this publisher was behind their latest book love, so they’re willing to bet yours will be next.

 

To read more…check out my Steemit post

 

 

Limitless Adventures—Just Let Go

How many times do we tell ourselves, “Maybe next time…not tonight,” and so on? How much more often do we focus on the challenges of the journey ahead of us instead of the possibilities that await us?

We get bogged down by all the little things that could go wrong. We’ve got our checklist in hand and go around the house (sometimes like a chicken with its head cut off) to make sure we’ve checked off everything (because, of course, that’s going to ensure that nothing goes wrong from there on out). Then things go wrong anyways because that’s just life. Instead of experiencing the adventure for everything that it is, we brood, mope, stress, and that list can go on, and on, and on.

I want to encourage you to shake loose the shackles of “what if?” If you keep on this slope, you’ll miss out on every miracle moment we breathe. The possibilities will pass us by, and we’ll wonder what happened to our lives. Instead of seeing a clear role of film, it will be a mirage, not clearly defined and unmemorable.

I’m not expecting you to perfectly live this out. I’m preaching to the choir, myself. Last weekend, I fully lived this out. My brother-in-law needed a ride into NY state because he’s studying school there. No one was able or willing to bring him down except me. Those two days were so refreshing! We bonded over our drive, I got to stay in the gorgeous, unforgettable, Victorian-esque Rosemont Inn in Utica, and I was privileged and blessed to become better acquainted with the family who runs the inn. On my way back, I got lost (okay not really, just took a different route, which I was DEFINITELY NOT accustomed to) and soaked in every moment of independence. Today was just the opposite. I was everything I’m encouraging you not to be, stressed out, brooding, mopey. So writing this is a great reminder to myself.

Now I’m also not telling you to be irresponsible in your quest to experience life to the fullest. Save up the money you need to go on vacation, and don’t blow it. Make sure your loved ones don’t think you’ve run away or disappeared for good. Arrogance accompanying your need to experience life brings more hurt than good to you and those around you.

We’ve only got one life to live. Just let go; you’re your worst enemy. Be responsible. Go out with your friends to dinner and a movie instead of shacking up at home. Go on random road trips to savour the world around you. Live, don’t let life pass you by.

 

My Stint on Radio

I love Joan Stewart’s site Publicity Hound! Lots of great things have come my way because I’ve subscribed to her newsletter. I’ve learned so much from the webinars marketed on her newsletter and the hundreds of helpful tips she always includes. I heard of RadioGuestList through her newsletter. Through email, this site updates you on different radio shows looking for specific guests. I looked through their weekly emails for about a year and half before I found a radio show for which I truly believed I would be a perfect fit.

There’s always that small doubt in my mind whispering that I’ll be rejected. It wasn’t silent when I emailed them asking to be on their show. I received a reply saying I needed to fill out a form on their site. No rejection, but not a gain either…only a misstep. I did fill out the form; then to my delight was accepted for an interview.

Then I did it, the interview. It was very intimidating because it’s so different from newspaper. I learned that I had to capture the audience within the first ten seconds with the tone of my voice and words. Even though there wasn’t supposed to be a huge pressure to be perfect because it was going to be recorded, then edited, then broadcast, I’m the type of person to put just enough pressure to be the best that I can be in every circumstance. I was stopped twice only after being asked the first question. I could have started pitying myself, thinking of myself as a failure. Instead, I pushed through not letting myself get down. I aced it on the thirsd try ; and the whole interview was smooth from then on. Now I’m looking forward to doing more radio!

My interview is available to listen to at the Authors Show until midnight tonight.

Also check out my new author website here. I’ll be keeping my blog for my weekly content. This site is to highlight my books, poetry, and events. Check it out and let me know what you think!

No Questions Asked: The Six Essentials of a Pitch

Over the last few months, I’ve learned to craft the pitch. It is what is most effective in connecting with reporters or media people and landing interviews. Every time I’ve pitched a journalist, I’ve met them and they’ve interviewed me landing me in the newspapers. As you can see, the elements of my pitches are working.

I want to share with you what I’ve learned are necessities in crafting your pitch.

You must personalize your pitch. This is the most important point I have to make. What does that mean? Don’t send a generic pitch to every journalist you can think of. You need to do your research. I know you’re thinking “Uh, more work?” Yup, and it pays off big time. Need a little encouragement? Read my last post Do You Know How Valuable Determination Is? Journalists receive a vast amount of emails. The last thing you want is yours to look like everybody else’s. Stand out. How do you that? Read some of the other articles this particular journalist has written. In your pitch, refer to one you particularly liked or learned from.
Include your title and the type of book it is. Pretty simple.
Write a brief synopsis. Notice I used the word brief, two to three sentences max.
Include a small bio. Same thing here, two to three sentences—include an interesting tidbit about yourself (but not something completely out there).
Display your contact information. You definitely don’t want to forget this step! Journalists are incredibly busy people. Help them out, and make it easy for them to reach you. Don’t only include your email address but also a phone number.
Declare your availability. Include the link to your website/blog. Offer to answer any question they may have or provide them with any materials they need. Remember, anything to make their job easier.

Your pitch needs to be short and sweet, to the point. I hope this is helpful for you struggling authors trying to get some press attention. Have fun with this!

If you think I’ve missed a really important step or have a small tip to add to this, please make your voice heard in the comments.

Below is one of my pitches (a sample for you).

Hi (name of reporter),

I really enjoyed reading your article on (whatever article you really DID enjoy reading: remember to be sincere).

Being a local Canadian author, I’d like to introduce to you my newly published historical fiction novel Redeemed From the Ashes. My novel tells the story of Evelyn, a young woman who loses her husband to the Halifax Explosion and searches for him. As time passes and his existence is doubted, she falls for another man who might be the hope of her future or the destruction of her present.

I’ve been working toward publication for five years while raising three young children. I graduated with honours from the Institute for Children’s Literature. Being a history buff, I decided to combine my two loves of literature and history to write historical fiction.

If you would like to review my book or conduct an interview, you can contact me at 613-361-2154 and telesfora7@hotmail.com

To learn more about me and my journey as an author, the link to my blog is (add link here). Let me know if you would like a copy of my book, have any questions, or need additional information.

Sincerely,

Leah Lindeman

Do You Know How Valuable Determination Is?

You are running. Your body heat is rising to an uncomfortable temperature. Your sweat coats your skin and runs down your forehead as you keep trying to wipe the excess away. All you are conscious of is your shaky breath spurting out, your labour to breathe it in fully, and the upbeat music banging in your ears. Suddenly, your steps start to falter and you become engulfed with the reality of how hard it is to keep going without seeing the immediate results.

This sounds like me. Recently I’ve taken up running. I wake up at six in the morning before my kids are up, and I go running. I’m not even a morning person! There are two reasons why I decided to start this gruelling habit.

I was curious as to what it felt like. I hear of all these health-conscious people doing this insane routine (yes, I still think it’s crazy to wake up so early in the morning to run even though I’m sticking with it).
Although I’ve come back to my original weight after three kids, I want to keep firm and toned. Cardio is going to do that for me.

When I get to those moments where I feel like giving up, I get a second wind. I only get to my second wind by determination. I keep going by sheer will until the payoff comes, and I feel like flying.

 It’s not true that nothing in life is easy. There are shortcuts, there are hijacks.The question is should we encourage ourselves to use them? Sure, it feels good in the now; but in the long run, you’ll regret that you didn’t push yourself and build character.

Not only have I experienced this in my newfound exercise regiment but also recently in my writing. For the last month and a half, I’ve been going through the motions of making myself write just for the sake of writing every day, not because I was inspired or because I desperately wanted to. Then last week, my tank of inspiration was overflowing. I made great headway in my second novel. Right now I’m at the end of Chapter 5. Can you imagine if I hadn’t written two chapters for a whole month, I would only be at the end of Chapter 3 right now? I would have wasted all the precious writing time because I didn’t feel like it or I wasn’t inspired.

Sometimes we need to keep going not because it feels good (feelings come and go) but because it’s our duty. It’s my duty to take care of the body God gave me by exercising. It’s my duty to myself and my readers to keep writing.

Going the hard way—you’ll have no regrets.

 

From Shell Shock to PTSD

As previously mentioned in You Need To Know You’re Not A Social Stigma, the husband of the protagonist in my book suffers from PTSD. His name is Carl. In my novel, his symptoms display themselves after he is relieved from the war front because of a physical injury. Soon after he arrives home, he is unusually distant, can become temperamental very quickly, and suffers from nightmares and delusions. He is a fictional character whose sufferings are based on the sufferings of real men who lived a century ago.

Today PTSD is now known as emotional and traumatic stress in overdrive. Those who have fought in the war front develop symptoms. Those who have witnessed death or any kind of disturbing imagery can also develop PTSD.

During WWI, PTSD was known as combat trauma, shell shock, or the nerves. Men would show symptoms of slurred speech, sporadic spasms of muscles, memory loss, nightmares, etc. At the beginning stages of the war, the army would shame and even execute an Allied soldier who showed signs of “cowardice.” Yet as the war progressed, execution ceased to be an option as hundreds and thousands of men developed these symptoms.

It was called shell shock because medical personnel believed these symptoms were brought on by the explosive impact of being hit by shells in the trenches. They believed the nerves in the brain had been physically damaged. True, many men who were hit by shells developed these symptoms. Men who were not hit by shells also developed these same symptoms.

Over time, medical staff and psychoanalysts changed their view from thinking it was a physical pain to an emotional and traumatic pain. There were two ways of treating combat trauma during WWI.

First, some treated these symptoms in despicable ways. As mentioned before, execution was one form of dealing with the problem. When that no longer became an option, they heavily shamed the men and used electric shock to “cure” them.

Second, W.H.R. Rivers and likeminded others came up with an effective treatment made of five essential steps.

Immediacy: They would start treatment immediately to deal with the acute stress before it turned into chronic mental incapabilities.
Proximity: They kept suffering soldiers in treatment facilities near the front lines where they could be in communion with their compatriots; they were close enough to hear the din of war.
Expectancy: Sufferers were told told to expect a positive outcome for recovery. This was instilled by positive reinforcement.
Simplicity: The treatment was simple. Rest, sleep, nourishment, and practical psychotherapy.
Centrality: This idea reinforced the effective flow of psychiatric patients from the front lines to the rear and the therapeutic doctrine all medical staff were to adopt when dealing with patients suffering from combat trauma.

Over the last century, PTSD in all its mysteries has slowly been unraveled to reveal what we know today. If you would like to read a thorough history of PTSD, click here.

Compassion in the world: past and present

There are few images which stir the soul, which instil brave thoughts such as first responders on the scene of emergency. The greater the danger, the grander the sacrifice. The eyes of the nation on now on Fort McMurray, its inhabitants, and the saviours of these. While forest fires have alway been a danger in the aforementioned area, this blaze will surely be remembered as the behemoth. Policemen, firemen, paramedics, the army, RCMP—they have aided a mass-scale evacuation. WestJet has poured out volunteer staff and equipment to make this possible. Compassion is living and breathing even today.

This compassion relief demonstrated now in the present is quite similar to the relief that was shown almost a century ago right after the Halifax Explosion happened. The first responders on the past scene were your closest living neighbours and any medical and servicemen personnel who hadn’t died on impact from the explosion. Firemen rushed to put out the burning ship. Even fire companies from Amherst, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick (both more than 200km away) arrived to aid in their crusade. Nearby ships, even those passing through, picked up the wounded and became makeshift hospitals. By nightfall, the train tracks were cleared of debris; and trains from Truro, Kentville, Amherst, Stellarton (Nova Scotia), Sackville, Moncton, Saint John (New Brunswick), and Boston (Massachusetts), brought in emergency relief supplies.

We look back in history; and we see those things that need to change, those things that need not be repeated again. It is many times despairing to see how we don’t change for the better. However, some things should never change such as compassion, a soul aiding another less fortunate one.

If you wish to donate to the Red Cross in their fight to save lives in Fort McMurray, click here. All individual donations will be matched by the Canadian government.

You Need To Know You’re Not A Social Stigma

In my book Redeemed From The Ashes, Carl, the husband of my protagonist, suffers from “the nerves” after fighting his part in WWI. Today we call it PTSD. As I continued to watch his character unfold, I felt a need to understand, to learn more of the horrors which haunted servicemen of the past and haunt servicemen of the present. The history of this mental impairment I will tackle in a future post. Now I wish to crush the stigma.

Within the past two years, my awareness of social stigmas has increased as never before. Depression, suicidal tendencies, PTSD—these are just a few mental impairments that plague our society, sometimes targeting specific age groups or groups of people in similar circumstances. I’ve recently realized how broad the brushstroke of these impairments are. Two months ago a young man shared his story on battling anxiety and heavy depression. Last week I spoke with a woman who’s husband suffers from PTSD years after his last war tour in Afghanistan. My eyes were opened. They weren’t numbers but hardened lives.

If you’re thinking ‘this is what I’m struggling with (or something equally debilitating)’ while you’re reading this, you need to know that you’re not a social stigma. You are a person created in God’s image. You have gifts and passions. You are a blessing.

I suffered from intense acute depression when I was 8-12. It wasn’t because my parents were awful or that I didn’t have friends or that my life was miserable. Quite the opposite! My parents were always so loving. I had lots of friends. I was perfectly happy most of the time. However, I had triggers that would turn my happy world into a world where I contemplated ending my life. Most of the time, those triggers would involve my failure in some way or another. I even remember what I would use and how I would use the object to end my life. Thinking back now, it’s scary.

It’s crazy to think that even though people from around the world are at our fingertips and we can communicate through different means that many of us still feel so alone, so ashamed of the struggles we endure. We’re afraid to voice our inner demons, fearing rejection and ridicule. The sad truth is that we all encounter these spites. However, many times the people who throw them our way are as in just as much of a pit as we are. It could be the same one; it could be a different one. And many times they don’t even know it.

They are also people out there who are eager to listen, eager to help in any way they can. They don’t view you as a social stigma but as someone in need of love.

I just want to challenge those of us who don’t suffer in these ways  to be careful how we talk about those who do suffer with our friends, colleagues and family. We can be so careless with our words and jokes. Who knows if a sufferer stands in our midst?

If you’re comfortable in opening up, I would love to hear your story. Or if you’ve been on the giving end, please inspire us in the comments.

Local students produce St. Lawrence River anthology

Before I launch into this post, I’m going to be honest and say that I could do so much better in bringing compelling content to you in a timely fashion. I’ve set my blogging days as Tuesdays and Thursdays. So…I’m sorry this blog didn’t come out yesterday. This is me making up for it.

Local students attending the St. Lawrence College have produced an anthology of poems and stories set near or determined by the St. Lawrence River. And why not? The St. Lawrence River is a key player in our nation’s history. Although it has been thoroughly mapped out throughout the years, it doesn’t mean that its significance has been lost. Rather, as seen in these stories and poems, the river is a character to the people who share its borders.

I had the immense pleasure of contributing a poem to this anthology. It was such a diverting side project! In my poem “Dear St. Lawrence”, the river is a taker of life. Buy the anthology here on Amazon for a low price.

So…did anybody go to an indie bookstore last Saturday? Check out my previous post Canadian Authors for Indies Day on the subject. If you did, I want to hear how it went! Share your stories!