Elysia Lumen Strife's Blog, page 4
April 7, 2022
New Sweet Romance Series: Farmers’ Market Sisters
This is a new series for 2022 featuring seven sisters of Sweet Springs Family Farm set in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. These sweet and clean romance books progress through a year of holidays from Valentine’s Day to New Year’s Eve. At long novella lengths, they’re quick weekend reads you can easily set aside and return to. They don’t have to be read in order, but are best served if they are.
Each sister has her own responsibility on the farm and their own stand at the local farmers’ market. They loves they find are perfectly matched, they just don’t know it yet. With every book ending with a happily ever after, you know this series is sure to delight and leave you with a smile.
Love in BloomAmber & Fynn
Amber doesn’t normally expect such a large bouquet request unless someone has been very bad.
Fynn isn’t her typical customer. When he returns to her farmers’ market stand, it isn’t for more flowers; it’s for a date with her.
Kiss Me for LuckRosemary & Kieran
Rosemary has always been the responsible older sister, looking after others and their family farm. Rosemary knows the chances she will meet another man are slim. Then one cold winter night, her family carried in a handsome, soaked stranger.
Sweet as HoneyWillow & Luca
Willow never expected to find love on the side of the road. But there was Luca Jacoby, hood up, steam billowing out of his truck. It was quite the Saint Patrick’s Day luck. A journalist for an agricultural magazine, Luca is visiting her family’s farm to write an article on sustainable farming. His surprise appearance has Willow clinging to his stories of other farms and the beautiful countryside across the states. She’s always wanted to travel.
Cherries & SparksSky & Camden
Sky has been waiting for Cam to come home from war. When he arrives but doesn’t call, she wants to know why.
Sky has always been faithful to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together for years, since long before Cam decided to join the military.
Be My Pumpkin
Sienna & Joel
Sienna has always been the farm’s marketing specialist. But when the pumpkin patch opens for the season, attendance is unexpectedly low. Joel Kirsch is only supposed to be there installing a security system, but he wants to help. Together, they plan a last-minute fall festival to bring in extra customers.
Decked with Love
Melody & Tucker
Every year, Melody donates Christmas trees from her farm to local families in need. Someone calls in a special, anonymous request, sending Melody on a new charity mission.
Tucker, the new school teacher in town, has discovered a family in need of a lot more than a tree.
Midnight Snow Ball
Azalea & Elias
Azalea’s baked goods have earned her a reputation among the locals, but so has her rough and wild attitude. A new Farrier arrives at the farm to care for the horses. He’s a hard, lonely man in need of some quality cooking. Azalea needs a date for the New Year’s party.
To keep up to date on the books and get FREE early copies before they’re available to the public, subscribe to Sugar & Spice Club and get a free book here.
April 5, 2022
Author Interview: Angela D Shelton, Christian/Young Adult
I’m currently writing under my true name, Angela D. Shelton in the Christian Fiction, Young Adult genres. In March, I published Collapse: The Death of Friendship with Two Oaks Publishing, LLC. The second book in the series, Collapse: The Death of Honor should be out by June.
From Planning to PublishedWhen did you start writing and why?
Author: My grandmother was a writer who used her craft to help pay my aunt’s way through college. Though she died before I was able to have conversations with her about her writing, I’ve always wanted to follow in her footsteps. In my freshman year of college, I took a creative writing class as an elective and the professor tried to convince me to change my major to writing. At that time, I figured there was no money in writing for most people, so stayed on my track to becoming an accountant. Two years ago I decided it was time to try my hand at creating stories for the page, and I’ve found that I absolutely love it.
How long did it take you to finish your first book?
Author: My first book took about six months to write. Unfortunately, it was a learning experience. The result was so awful that my own sister didn’t even finish reading it. Fortunately, I found the American Christian Writers Association and Word Weavers who provided mentoring opportunities through critique groups. There are some amazing writers out there and those I’ve worked the closest with have indicated my work is pretty good now, so I’m excited to share my work with others. Even my sister read my first published book and loved it. She’s waiting impatiently for the second book to be published. Even my sisters don’t get to see it until then.
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
Author: I am an independently published author. As an accountant, I understand the financial side of the business and could see very little benefit to traditional publishing other than the vanity aspects of it. I see that it will take a bit more time for my work to be recognized as an indie, but I’m patient.
How did you determine your target audience?
Author: My critique group pointed me in the right direction. Because my protagonist is a young adult, it makes sense for me to sell to that audience; however, a number of my critique partners have indicated that adults would enjoy my book just as much as the younger set.
How do you define success as an author?
Author: Since I’m just starting out, I see success in every positive review that I obtain. Unfortunately, many more people tell me how much they enjoyed my book than those who take the time to write a review for me. I do encourage them to write, but folks are busy.
About Your WorkWhat was your first goal when you started your journey to becoming an author? Has that changed?
Author: As a Christian, my goal is to share the joy I experience on a daily basis. So many people struggle in their lives, it’s hard to watch sometimes. If I can bring a positive message that helps even one person, it’s worth it. I don’t like heavy-handed preaching though. For the most part, Americans are aware of Christianity, and many have walked away from it for various reasons. Rarely do they walk away from it because of God. Usually, it’s over other Christians and how they’ve been treated. I get that. I’ve been there and “bought the t-shirt” as they say. But we were put on this earth to encourage each other and that’s my goal.
What is your writing process, from idea to polished work? Pantster? Plotter? How long does that typically take you?
Author: I’m a combination of pantsing and plotting. Using the Save the Cat method, I put together my basic outline of the story. But once I’m writing, I often find myself writing my way out of my outline and have to go back and re-outline because I prefer the direction the new story is going.
Fun StuffWhat do you listen to while you write?
Author: Nothing. Seriously, it drives me nuts when someone is talking when I’m writing. I live out on a farm, which is where I draw a lot of my inspiration from. So my favorite sounds are birds, chickens, cows, and sometimes my dogs who love to complain. Two huskies, Ricky and Lucy, usually sit nearby when I’m writing, and if I take too long without paying attention to them, they “talk” to me about it. If dogs could cuss, I’d swear they were at me some days.
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an ottoman?
Author: It all depends on the day and time. I like to sit at the kitchen island, in the early mornings at my desk, or if I’m on vacation, in the hotel room at the desk with the window open to the beach. Nature inspires me, so my favorite spots include the sounds of animals or the ocean. It’s almost always enhanced with a hot cup of chai latte though. That’s the one constant.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Author: I can’t share the title yet, because I’m reading for a fellow author who hasn’t yet published it. It’s a really good read though, so watch my website for my review that will be out soon.
angeladshelton@outlook.com
Visit our farm at: http://www.twooaksranch.com
Check out my blog at: https://www.angeladshelton.com
Get the book: Collapse: The Death of Friendship
February 2, 2022
Author Interview: Lindsay Payne, Children’s/Fiction/Non-fiction
Lindsay Payne is the author of Children’s picture books and chapter books, non-fiction, and fiction which is her favorite to write.
Red Shoes & Wine is published, 99 Red Balloons is in the editing phase and will hopefully be available on Amazon end of February 2022, and she will commence writing The Red Butterfly in February 2022. Her most recent publication is Granny Clampet’s Cupcakes.
From Planning to PublishedWhen did you start writing and why?
Author: I wrote my first book in 2006 – Bags of Trouble for Valeskia Maleskia – about a beautiful fish trapped in a plastic bag in the ocean. I realized there was a message and moral I wanted to write about and so began the journey of writing children’s book – each with a moral, intertwined between the pages.
How long did it take you to finish your first book?
Author: It took me three weeks to write Bags of Trouble
Has your publishing timeframe improved at all since your first publication?
Author: Yes definitely.
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
Author: I’m an indie author, purely because it was very difficult to find a literary agency that was willing to give me a chance. I spent years trying to go the traditional route and it was only around five years ago, I found the indie route and it’s been a fabulous journey.
How did you determine your target audience?
Author: I’m still working on that! My children’s books generally sell through word of mouth and through mums scrolling through Facebook or Instagram.
What is your publishing process?
Author: I publish through KDP on Amazon.
What platforms do you use to publish your works?
Author: I currently publish on Amazon only, but market on Facebook, Instagram and have just started the Tik Tok journey.
How do you get critiques, betas, feedback, and edits?
Author: I ask close friends if they will read my first draft for me and provide honest, unbiased feedback. I met my editor through a Facebook group last year and he’s now become a good friend and my editor which I’m truly grateful for.
MarketingDo you have a platform? What does it consist of?
Author: I use Facebook mainly and have three pages I bounce between, my personal page, my children’s book page and my adult book page. I’m not as active on Instagram as am still learning the ropes and have just started using Tik Tok.
What is your launch plan for your works?
Author: I don’t have a solid plan. What I currently do is publish on Amazon and then will write a blurb about that particular book with the cover image. Once the book is available on Amazon, I then post the links on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.
How do you get reviews for your books?
Author: Once my second last edit is back, I will then post on FB that I’m looking for new beta readers. When sending the book to them, I ask that once they’ve finished reading it, would they be happy to write a review.
How do you promote your content?
Author: Usually a blurb on Facebook or Instagram. I’ve tried FB Ads, but I haven’t been too successful with that. I think it’s all to do with target market and I’m still working my way around research on how to be more precise.
What do you think is the most critical marketing component or tactic for becoming successful?
Author: I think “soft marketing” is definitely the best approach. One also has to be very mindful of how to self-promote – something I truly battle with.
How do you define success as an author?
Author: When an author is being mentioned among other authors, then you know that your name is getting out there. Not only are we our own worst critics, but our fellow authors can be too, so if you are being discussed among fellow colleagues for all the right reasons, then you generally should be “good to go!”
About Your WorkWhat type of content do you write and why? Fiction Novels? Poems? Songs? Screenplays? Short Stories? Epic?
Author: Moral based children’s books – which have stemmed from my swimming coaching career since the age of twenty. More recently, I’ve dived into thriller-based novels and at this stage of my life, this is where I’m happiest writing.
What genres and subgenres do you write in?
Author: Children’s picture and chapter books, non-fiction and fiction.
What is your author brand (genre, mood, image, theme, message, etc)? How did you decide on it?
Author: My children’s book illustrator, has found her own style with creating the images for all my children’s books and this branding seems to be working well. She has a very keen eye for detail and is very perceptive to the precise images I’m trying to portray. I had been searching for an illustrator for quite a while, because I literally can’t draw to save my life, within a few days Meg had produced the image for “When A Stranger Says Hello” a little book for children about stranger danger.
Sally has a wonderful life and special friends. Her best friend is Tessa who lives next door. They have been friends with each other since they first met at nursery school five years ago. Now they are in primary school in the third grade.
The besties love school and seeing each other every day. Both girls are very good readers and often come first and second in the class for their beautiful essays. Their stories are filled with adventure and excitement and Sally in particular, thrives on adventure.
The one thing Sally struggles with is swimming. She is not a very strong swimmer and feels embarrassed about this, until one day she has no choice but to swim.
Follow Sally on her lifesaving, life changing adventure.
How many works have you published?
Author: I’ve written thirty-one children’s books, two non-fiction books and have just completed the second book in a trilogy series.
Can you tell us a bit about your most recent publication?
Author: Granny Clampet’s Cupcakes was inspired by an aunt who lives in the UK. She’s a lady everyone loves and a grandmother to eight children. She’s led a very interesting, incredible life and is someone you can have a jolly good chat with. She can talk to anyone, no matter your background or age and so, with this in mind, the idea came to me one day where I thought about how we can’t be good at everything, but as long as we are a good person.
Granny Clampet lives in a cottage on the outskirts of a lovely village called Wiltshire. She has a wonderful playing golf once a week, bridge twice a week, Scottish dancing every weekend and attending book club once a month.
She’s a terrible baker and this is all tested one day when she’s asked to bake something for the local Wiltshire Community Fundraiser. A whole lot of chaos arises in her kitchen, which creates a chain of remarkable events.
Name some common elements in your writing: villains, magic, red-herring twists, the unfortunate ensign, mysterious phenomena, asyndeton, sentence fragments etc.
Author: I always try introduce some sort of villain element into every book I write, taking every opportunity I can, to add in red-herring and twists and turns, especially in my thriller books.
What was your first goal when you started your journey to becoming an author? Has that changed?
Author: I’ve always had a love of writing and seeing words formulate into a sentence and then into a paragraph and a page. My love for writing and the bug that bit, has not changed. I had no goal in mind five years ago when I first self-published, I just wanted to write and that has not changed.
Do you have other supporting services like a podcast, blog, webinars, courses, video channel?
Author: I have a website, a Facebook page for my children’s books and adult books, an Instagram page and have just started on the Tik Tok journey. As far as finding the support, I certainly have on all the services you mention, which have been the greatest help.
What do you want your readers to get out of your works?
Author: I aspire to move people when they read my books, to have some emotional attachment to all the stories and characters.
What part of the author process are you working on or studying most now?
Author: Marketing is not my strong point, as I really struggle to self-promote, preferring the softer marketing version. So currently, I’m reading up on all sorts of techniques and tricks required to market.
What has been your favorite part of the writing and querying or publishing process?
Author: I still get an absolute thrill with the start of any book. I love forming the characters, sprinkling them with idiosyncancies that will help connect the reader to the character. I thoroughly enjoy the research that goes into my thriller novels, because this process ignites the beginning of the storyline, plots and subplots and I still get a kick, every single time with the publishing process — as my manuscript is being uploaded, the sense of achievement is a buzz.
Do you recommend any programs, courses, or websites?
Author: I would highly recommend Mark Dawson’s – Ad’s for Authors and Joanne Penn – The Creative Penn – both on You Tube. There is an endless supply of information, tips from experienced authors.
Which authors write similar books to yours? How did you find them?
Author: I read my first James Patterson book, Kiss the Girls, when I was twenty-two and then soon afterwards, discovered Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell, while browsing in a book store one day. My thrillers are inspired by the writing style of these two authors.
Have you always read in the genre you wanted to write in? Do you think that’s made it easier or harder to create new stories?
Author: Yes, I’ve always written in the genre I read, which has definitely made it easier when creating stories. I love reading crime fiction, immersing myself in the story for days.
What is your writing process, from idea to polished work? Pantster? Plotter? How long does that typically take you?
Author: I stick to a good ole word doc. My budget was very limited when I started on the indie writing path and so I couldn’t afford any specialized app that could help with the process. I’ve become so used to a word document, that I still use it today.
Regarding writing children’s books, I fall back on life lessons that I’ve learnt along the way through various people I’ve met. A moral will form in my mind and then I begin to work out how I can tell the story through a child’s eyes and remain on their level. It usually takes me a week to create and finish a very rough first draft.
With the non-fiction books I’ve written, the first one took me three days to write and a month to proofread and edit. It was easy enough to do, because it was a personal story. The second non-fiction book I wrote, took about two months to complete.
My first thriller in the “Red” series took me exactly two months to write and two months to edit. I’ve just completed my second book in the “Red” series and that took me just under three months to complete and is currently in the editing phase. My third book in the “Red” trilogy series, is yet to be written. I hope to start writing this one in mid Feb 2022 and plan to take my time nurturing it and filling in all the scenarios of crime situations that I’ve been storing away for years.
I use a separate word doc for plotting, sub plot formation and chapters. It’s a fast-track technique that I use to keep referring back to interchanging characters as well as keeping an eye on specific details that need to be remembered and are crucial to the unfolding chain of events.
Where do you network most with other writers, authors, and creative types? LinkedIn? Wattpad? Twitter? Facebook? Somewhere else?
Author: I’ve joined three major groups on Facebook, which has been paramount in learning as much as I can from fellow author’s and entrepreneurs. They are three very dynamic groups and all unique in what they offer. I’ve started to push myself out of my comfort zone and am networking in a more proactive way.
Do you sprint-write like a starving cheetah, or are you a totally chill turtle writer? Somewhere in between?
Author: Regarding my thriller novels, I’m a sprint-write, high on the writing drug maniac!! I sleep, eat, breathe my characters and the moment a new sub-plot is forming on the tail end of the one in front, I become manic. This demon writing possessed form that overcomes me, is probably not the most therapeutic enhancing but I thrive on the adrenalin!
StrugglesWhat has been the hardest thing to overcome on your journey to authorship?
Author: Overcoming my deep fears of self-doubt regarding my writing. Once I jumped that hurdle, it’s made life a whole lot easier.
How has the writing and querying or publishing process affected you emotionally? Do you have any tips for budding writers?
Author: I think I can speak on behalf of most authors when I say, that writing is deeply personal. It’s a very fine balance between not taking anything too personally if someone is giving sound advice and feedback and letting the hard knocks wash over you. Follow your heart and instincts when it comes to your words and storyline. No-one else will have a story like yours, so write with confidence and it will show in the end product. Try to always remain humble, for we never stop learning and growing.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for those who want to go the final step and become authors?
Author: Just take the leap of faith. I always advise that even writing that first word, will then lead into a sentence, into a paragraph and into a book, you just have to start somewhere.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change?
Author: I actually wouldn’t change one thing, because all the challenges have helped to shape my writing, ensuring I strive for a higher standard of quality and excellence.
Are you a driven & self-advocating author, a gun-shy promoter, or a total marketing procrastinator?
Author: I think initially I fell into the gun-shy promoter category, but am now slowly turning the corner into a driven and self-advocating author. I’ve had to push through that barrier of self-doubt and blaze forwards.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
Author: The storyline of all my books keeps me motivated. As I finish one story, I’m already thinking of the next one. My fingers are never far from the keyboard, so I’m very grateful that I can remain motivated. I also try and swim at least four times a week which helps my mind to remain healthy and focused and a lot of plots come to me when I’m blowing bubbles.
How do you combat writer’s block?
Author: This is one of the writing hurdles that so far, I’ve been very lucky not to battle with! There are too many thoughts racing through my mind at any one time. It’s a very busy place in there! LOL!
What literary/writer-based term did you not know when you started that has become important and relevant to you?
Author: Up until September 2021, I had absolutely no idea what formatting really meant. I would just write away happily, completely clueless that I was creating all these unnecessary tabs and gaps in my document. I learnt the hard way and had to redo a two-hundred-page book which took me nearly a month to complete. It was tedious, pain staking work, so I’ve learnt so much from that mistake and I’m never doing that again!
How did your family and friends react to your writing? Was it what you expected from them?
Author: The reactions have been a mixed bag. Some very helpful hints and tips have come through from family and friends and some not so helpful hints and tips have come through from family and friends.
What assumptions about writers and authors do you think are myths?
Author: I think one assumption that is a myth is that authors wile away their days languishing in comfy chairs and writing when they feel like it, the rest of the time taking leisurely naps! Or taking trips to the coast or woodlands so that they can glean inspiration from these locations! There’s nothing further from the truth. Most authors I know, are getting by on the sniff of an oil rag and so they need to rely on their imagination to whisk a reader off to an exotic place, all created from a single idea from their mind.
Fun StuffWhat do you listen to while you write?
Author: Usually the generator powering away in the background! LOL! Living in Zambia the power cuts we have at the moment are immense. If the power is on, I prefer a quiet space in which to write.
Is there a fun word or group of terms you like to put into your writing?
Author: Because I was born and brought up in Zimbabwe, I have a heap of phrases and sayings that are often in my conversations and I have to be so mindful of this when I’m writing a book in American English. Some of the words I use often are, “Eish” (Wow), “Hobos” (Heaps), “Brekky” (Breakfast), “Muti” (Medicine), “Chisa” (Hot), “Shamwari” (Friend), “Mampara” (Naughty), “Chingwa” (Bread), “Arvie” (Afternoon).
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an ottoman?
Author: I have the cutest, tiniest office with no windows. It’s my sanctuary and the place I feel safest and where all my writing and scrawling’s are created. The climate in Zambia can be scorching in summer and so, instead of finding another room in which to write, I just move the fan closer to me and continue writing away. I have such a connection to this space and feel emotionally at peace here.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Author: The Store, by James Patterson.
How do you try to “break the mold” and be unique?
Author: That’s a tough one. I think we all just need to be confident in our writing ability and that in itself will set you apart – my theory that no-one else will have the same story or book as you is important to remember, so that you don’t become overwhelmed by self-doubt.
What have you learned about yourself from the writing and/or authorship process?
Author: I’m determined, focused and motivated when it comes to writing and I’ve learnt to dig deep and follow my instincts with certain techniques and writing styles.
What is your favorite writing snack and drink?
Author: Coffee and anything crunchy – the crunchy snacks certainly seem to help with forming sub-plots!
Do you have a writing companion?
Author: I have two cats and two dogs. They all seem to take it in turns to sit with me, although my pointer Shilo, is always by my side when I write. She brings me such comfort and a relaxed aura.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Author: Take one second at a time and then one minute. Don’t do tomorrow, before you’ve completed today and live in the moment!
How can readers follow you and learn more about your books?
You can find me on Facebook @ Lindsay Payne Children’s Books & L. D. Payne Books, and my handle on Instagram and Tik Tok is @lindsaypaynebooks. My website is: https://www.lindsaypaynebooks.com
Look forward to connecting with you all!
You can also find Lindsay Payne on Amazon.February 1, 2022
Splitting Genres
If you are looking to follow science fiction, please find and follow E. L. Strife. I have finally come to terms with the fact its best to manage yet another account. I seriously need a PA... just not quite there yet!
Thanks for understanding! I hope you are well!
January 21, 2022
Author Interview: R. W. Harrison, Supernatural Thrillers
My main genre is supernatural thrillers. My most recent book is Raven’s Temple, published in January 2022, about a serial killer who belongs to a cult that promises immortality.
From Planning to PublishedWhen did you start writing and why?
Author: I began writing seriously in 2011. I had a rough story idea loosely based on a series of hauntings I experienced many years ago and finally decided to get it down on paper. It became the first book in my Onyx Trilogy, The Onyx Seed.
How long did it take you to finish your first book?
Author: It took me three years from start to finish, including research, writing, editing/proofreading, cover design and formatting.
Has your publishing timeframe improved at all since your first publication?
Author: I’ve been able to condense that timeframe over the years. My latest book took exactly a year from beginning the outline to publication.
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
Author: I’m an indie author. I did a lot of research as I was finishing up my first book, on both traditional and indie publishing. It came down to a business decision for me. I liked the control that indie publishing offered and that the timeline was of my choosing. Plus, the profit margins are higher.
What is your publishing process?
Author: I enlist the help of other authors that I trust for beta reads after I’ve self-edited the first draft. After taking their suggestions and rewriting as necessary, I send it to my editing team. After my rewrites and another review from my editors, it gets polished and proofread, and I work on the formatting and cover design. Once that’s all done, I upload to KDP.
What platforms do you use to publish your works?
Author: So far, it’s been exclusively with Amazon’s KDP platform, but I am considering going wide.
How do you get critiques, betas, feedback, and edits?
Author: I’m active on a few Facebook groups, including Beta Readers and Critique Partners and Self Publishing Support Group. I’ve made a lot of author friends in the groups and their help with beta reading has been invaluable.
MarketingDo you have a platform? What does it consist of?
Author: It’s small, but growing. My platform consists of readers who are new to supernatural thrillers. My books aren’t too dark or scary, so they’re “safer” for the casual reader who just wants a hint of the supernatural in what they read. I also include a lot of geographical references in my writing, so people who live in, or have visited the particular areas, enjoy reading about landmarks and scenery they’re familiar with.
What is your launch plan for your works?
Author: I definitely need to ramp up this part of my marketing. I haven’t taken advantage of ARCs yet, but will for my next book. I promote the books on my personal social media and my author pages, and “lightly” promote it in some of the other groups I’m active on.
How do you get reviews for your books?
Author: In the back of my books, I encourage people to leave honest reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and any other place they normally review books.
How do you promote your content?
Author: One of the things I’ve done is become active in Facebook groups that are focused on where my books take place. For example, my Onyx Trilogy takes place mostly in and around Letchworth State Park in upstate New York. There is a large and engaged FB group for the park and I have enlisted the group’s help with research questions, explaining that I’m writing a book that is set in Letchworth. I keep the group informed on the progress, ask more questions, etc. When it released, I asked the administrator of the group if I could announce it. They agreed and I did, which resulted in a lot of interest and sales. The key is to be an active, genuine member of the group, and not be spammy.
What do you think is the most critical marketing component or tactic for becoming successful?
Author: I haven’t figured it out yet, but from everything I’ve read, it’s writing more books, being consistent with your marketing, and being authentic.
How do you define success as an author?
Author: Personally, I’ll be successful if I can write full time.
About Your WorkWhat type of content do you write and why? Fiction Novels? Poems? Songs? Screenplays? Short Stories? Epic?
Author: I write primarily supernatural thriller novels, approximately 75-80K words in length. I am currently outlining a straightforward thriller.
What is your author brand (genre, mood, image, theme, message, etc)? How did you decide on it?
Author: My slogan is “Books to Leave the Lights on For”. My brand is tied to my genre – supernatural thrillers. I’m fascinated by the things unseen in this universe. Sometimes we call them ghosts or spirits or poltergeists. I may not be convinced that those things exist, even though I experienced a haunting myself, but science hasn’t explained them all yet. The things that go bump in the night make for terrific stories.
How many works have you published?
Author: I have published four books: One trilogy and a stand-alone novel.
Can you tell us a bit about your most recent publication?
Author: Raven’s Temple follows a man suffering from a debilitating disease who belongs to a cult that promises immortality. He’s chasing a cure and wants to live forever, but what the cult asks him to do to achieve that eternal life comes at a steep price. It takes place in north central Florida, in the Ocala National Forest and involves ravens, hence the title, which are usually not found in Florida. I had a lot of fun researching ravens and crows, and cults.
GET RAVEN’S TEMPLE ON AMAZONName some common elements in your writing: villains, magic, red-herring twists, the unfortunate ensign, mysterious phenomena, asyndeton, sentence fragments etc.
Author: I try to keep the reader turning pages, so often I will end a chapter with a mini-cliffhanger. The next chapter usually changes POV to another character, so if you want to know how the earlier chapter ended, you have to keep reading.
What was your first goal when you started your journey to becoming an author? Has that changed?
Author: I knew I had a story to tell and initially, I just wanted to make sure I could do it. Once I had it down on paper, my goal shifted to getting it in readers’ hands.
What do you want your readers to get out of your works?
Author: As a genre writer, I offer an escape. A fun rollercoaster of a read that can be enjoyed over a few days and hopefully a story and characters that will be remembered.
What has been your favorite part of the writing and querying or publishing process?
Author: I love the brainstorming part before I’ve even begun writing. Jotting down ideas, bouncing story lines off other authors, coming up with twists and turns for the plot. That’s my favorite part.
Do you recommend any programs, courses, or websites?
Author: I got a lot out of the MasterClass video courses, especially the courses by Dan Brown, Neil Gaiman, and David Baldacci. I also recommend Mark Dawson’s SPF courses for marketing. A great, free resource for marketing is Ricardo Fayet’s book, “How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market”. It’s available for free on Amazon as an ebook. David Gaughran also offers a wealth of free information on indie publishing.
Which authors write similar books to yours? How did you find them?
Author: In a way, my books are similar to those of Scott Smith, Nick Cutter, and John Langan. Libraries are great places to discover new authors, and since I work in one, it’s easy to see what’s popular or new on the scene.
Have you always read in the genre you wanted to write in? Do you think that’s made it easier or harder to create new stories?
Author: I have to be careful with what I’m reading when I’m writing, especially during the brainstorming phase. For example, I’m working on a novella about a haunted lighthouse and happened to start reading a horror novel that takes place in a lighthouse. I put the book down because I didn’t want to unconsciously steal ideas from the book.
What is your writing process, from idea to polished work? Pantster? Plotter? How long does that typically take you?
Author: I’m kind of a hybrid between a pantser and a plotter. I started my first book, The Onyx Seed, as a pantser, totally enamored with the idea of just sitting down at the computer and typing out my Great American Novel. However, it didn’t take long to write myself into a corner because those characters sometimes take on a life of their own. So I outlined the rest of the book, and that made it so much easier. Now I work from a loose outline, which allows me to go in other directions if I have to.
Where do you network most with other writers, authors, and creative types? LinkedIn? Wattpad? Twitter? Facebook? Somewhere else?
Author: I’ve found my community of fellow authors mostly on Facebook. Some on Instagram, but I’m somewhat more established in FB.
Do you sprint-write like a starving cheetah, or are you a totally chill turtle writer? Somewhere in between?
Author: I wish I could write in sprints, but I’m definitely more of a turtle writer. I’m getting faster, though.
StrugglesWhat has been the hardest thing to overcome on your journey to authorship?
Author: Figuring out the marketing and business end of the journey. I’m far more comfortable with the writing and editing. It’s getting your book in the hands of readers that’s the most challenging.
How has the writing and querying or publishing process affected you emotionally? Do you have any tips for budding writers?
Author: If I let it, it could be demotivating, but I’m confident that, if I just keep writing quality books, they’ll find an audience. They already have, but it’s modest. I’m not sure who said it, but I heard a quote recently…you want to get to the point where you’re not the one beating the drum for your books – your fans are.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for those who want to go the final step and become authors?
Author: Keep reading in your genre, read outside your genre, learn the craft, practice, ask questions. And, as the title of James Scott Bell’s book says, “Just Write”.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change?
Author: I began writing at the age of 47. If I could do it over again, I would have started much earlier.
Are you a driven & self-advocating author, a gun-shy promoter, or a total marketing procrastinator?
Author: Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to marketing. I know what I need to work on, but I’m far more interested in writing more books. I justify this because I know one of the keys to being successful is having a large backlist of books.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
Author: I try to set goals for myself, usually 3,000 words a week. Life gets in the way too much for me to set daily goals. I try to reward myself if I hit the goal with one of my guilty pleasures…watching an old, classic movie.
The peacefulness of a small, post-World War II town in New York is shattered when Larry McConnell drowns mysteriously in a local lake. When a kind boarder joins Larry’s widow, Margaret, and her young son Davey, she begins to think her house may be haunted.
The sheriff believes a rogue deputy is responsible for Larry’s death while Margaret reluctantly seeks the help of a palm reader. The psychic identifies a dresser in Davey’s room as the source of the haunting and the root of the evil that is now swirling around them and threatening Margaret’s son.
GET THE ONYX SEEd ON AMAZONFun StuffWhat do you listen to while you write?
Author: I usually listen to Psychedelicized.com. A streaming channel that plays classic psychedelic rock from 1967-70. That’s my go-to music.
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an ottoman?
Author: I have an office in the house. I’m very fortunate to have a dedicated space that’s totally mine. It has built-in bookshelves on one wall, a large desk, a comfy chair, and a nice view.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Author: I just finished “The Hollow Places”, a horror novel by T. Kingfisher. Next up is “The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land” by Thomas Asbridge. I tend to read a mix of fiction and non-fiction, mostly history.
What have you learned about yourself from the writing and/or authorship process?
Author: I’ve learned that dreams can come true. I’ve always wanted to be an author. Writing and publishing one book got me there. And now I’m hooked and loving it. Now my dream is to do this full time.
Do you have a writing companion?
Author: Often our black cat Tucker keeps me company in the office. One of these days, I’ll include him in a book.
Readers can find my books on Amazon and more information about them and me on my website, www.rwharrisonbooks.com. I also offer author services such as editing, cover design, and formatting, with details on my website.
December 7, 2021
Book Dedication Challenge #2
For Subscribers Only
Subscribe here & get a free sweet holiday romance book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/bajw9gr7fd
INSTRUCTIONS: MUST READ 
Challenge: So this Canadian AI called “WOMBO dream” renders different images every time you search even the same thing. Here’s what it came up with for some of my holiday romance titles.
Rules: correctly guess which book each picture represents, and I will add you to a list.
If only a few people enter, the winner will be the one with the most correct guesses.
The tie breaker, if necessary, will be selected randomly in Excel if more than one person gets all of them correctly. (I tried to select the easiest images)
Each picture has a number. Just respond to a newsletter with your answers to enter, that way we keep others from piggy-backing on your answers
Titles to pick from:
The Last Blue Christmas
Stuck with a Cowboy for Christmas
Christmas at the Peppermint Inn
Christmas in Montana
Wildfire
Hibiscus Christmas
The Christmas Light Keeper
I’m leaving this contest open through the end of December, 2021
The winner will receive a packet with questions about their holiday traditions and things that are special to them. I will use the answers as prompts to craft a novella for next holiday season (2022) dedicated to this reader. It will of course include my own twists. So if the reader decides it isn’t what they expected, they are free to request removal of their name from the dedication page. However, the reader will have a chance to read the book before anyone else and request changes.
For questions or to share your picks and enter, simply reply to a newsletter.
Read this year’s dedication: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09K6PJ3R8
Here are the images:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6
Image 7Get the crazy WOMBO app here:
https://www.wombo.art
GOOD LUCK!!
Happy holidays!
-Elysia
May 21, 2021
Author Interview: Freya Pickard, Fantasy
I’m Freya Pickard, a Fantasy Author, who’s recently published Fire Daughter.
From Planning to PublishedWhen did you start writing and why?
Author: Stories have always bubbled up inside me and have to be written out. I enjoy the telling of stories and enjoy telling others my stories. I’ve found that if I don’t write, I become a bit weird and frustrated. Therefore I always write out my ideas, even if they don’t gel the first time round. Nowadays it’s as necessary to me as eating and breathing. Writing is my life!
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
Author: I’m an independent author. I do everything myself with some help from 3-4 beta readers and Jonathon B. Hoyt who does the cover designs for me. I tried the traditional publishing route prior to 2014 but it was very expensive, sending MSS through the post. Because I don’t write for a particular marketplace (I write for myself, from the heart) my work doesn’t really fit into traditional publishers’ marketing schemes. In 2014 I nearly died of cancer and that made me change my outlook on my entire life. I decided to self-publish in 2016 and haven’t looked back since! I am a control freak and enjoy being in charge of the entire process from the first word on the first page to marketing my books once I’ve published them.
What is your publishing process?
Author: I write. Then I draft. I work on my writing a lot. I ask my beta readers to see if I’ve made any mistakes. I work on it some more until I am happy. Then I publish it! The whole process takes 1-2 years as I have very high standards for myself.
What platforms do you use to publish your works?
Author: I use KDP (one has to) as well as Draft To Digital as I like to make my books available on a variety of platforms. I have plans in the future to venture into Smashwords and Gumroad too.
What do you think is the most critical marketing component or tactic for becoming successful?
Author: Having a LOT of money in order to promote your work online.
How do you define success as an author?
Author: Getting the book written is a major success. Getting the book published is also a major success. Getting paid for my writing is a bonus. I suppose I’d consider I was properly successful as a writer when all of my books has at least 20+ positive reviews each!
About Your WorkWhat type of content do you write and why? Fiction Novels? Poems? Songs? Screenplays? Short Stories? Epic?
Author: I write Fantasy novels that are on the Darker side of Happily Ever After. For instance, Silver Fire has an attempted rape scene in it which some fragile readers found offensive. I’m not sure why, as the victim attacks the rapist and stops him from committing the vile deed. I prefer to embrace the dark along with the light – life has shown me that if you ignore the bad things that happen to you, you’re not living your life to the full. I like to reflect this in my writing. The Kaerling series is an epic fantasy that deals with prejudice, fate and freedom of choice. I prefer writing in the Fantasy genre as opposed ‘Real Life’, as there is more scope for dealing with senstive issues such as prejudice and sexual matters.
How many works have you published?
Author: To date I’ve published 15 e-books and 7 paperbacks.
Can you tell us a bit about your most recent publication?
Author: My most recent book is called Fire Daughter, a paperback, and it contains volumes 4 – 6 in The Kaerling series. I publish 3 e-books before publishing the paperback. Originally I had planned to publish just paperbacks, each with 3 sections. I soon realised that readers nowadays prefer to purchase e-books, so I adapted my plans. Fire Daughter contains the e-books Olin Heon, Hidden Lands and Aura Vere. The paperback introduces new characters to The Kaerling storyline; Lored, a taku-kevir from Olin Heon and Tari, an acolyte in the Temple in Aura Vere. The first two sections deal with Lored’s quest to discover the truth about his mentor’s demise and then his journey to find a new purpose in life. Tari, meanwhile, has her quiet Temple life disrupted by a new priestess, a new acolyte and the sinister kaerlings who question everyone. The third section re-introduces the storylines of Otta and Erl who are desperate to reach the kaerling boy Derri before his kaerling family find him once more. The four storylines are drawn together at the end of the book, making way for the third paperback to begin!
Available on Amazon
What do you want your readers to get out of your works?
Author: I want readers to immerse themselves in my worlds, to experience the good and the bad in a safe environment and to come back to the real world refreshed and renewed and inspired.
What has been your favorite part of the writing and querying or publishing process?
Author: My favourite part of the writing process has always been the first draft. It’s a virgin page. I have my notes so I know where the story is going, but really, anything could happen! I love the flow of words, that tapping into my creativity deep within my soul and producing pure poetry on screen. I love the sensation of being a medium between the muse and my readers. I’m a channel for the story to come through.
Have you always read in the genre you wanted to write in? Do you think that’s made it easier or harder to create new stories?
Author: I read a variety of genres; Fantasy, Science Fiction, Poetry, Romance and some Faction. I write the kind of Fantasy I enjoy reading and feel satisfied with. I learn a lot from other writers; either how to improve my writing or how not to write! No book is ever useless – even if I don’t enjoy it, I learn from it in some way.
Struggles
What has been the hardest thing to overcome on your journey to authorship?
Author: Discovering that most of my friends and family aren’t actually interested in my books! Despite people in my life always showing a polite interest in my work, most of them have never bought a copy of my work. Once I realised this, I concentrated on maintaining friendships with people online who were genuinely interested in my books. Gradually I’ve let go of everyone else which has been an extremely releasing and cathartic process.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
Author: I’ve had one brush with death and that has made me concerned that maybe I won’t get my three score years and ten. This provides me with a huge amount of motivation to get The Kaerling finished as soon as possible.
Fun StuffWhat do you listen to while you write?
Author: I have an eclectic musical taste and prefer to listen to Leonard Cohen whilst composing poetry but I find writing new drafts to Billie Eilish, Ghost of the Robot and Disturbed particularly inspiring! When I’m drafting, I rarely listen to music as I need to hear the words out loud.
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an ottoman?
Author: I write in a snug office that I share with my soulmate who is very understanding – eg if I have headphones on he understands that I cannot be disturbed, even if the world is ending. I look out over a field of Devon Ruby Cattle and in the distance I can just see the moorland hills. I use the scenery to rest my eyes and consider the next paragraph on the odd occasion that my creativity falters.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Author: I’m currently reading “Requiem for the Bastards” by Chris Sendrowski. It’s the second novel in his Dregs of the Culver Waste series. I love his writing because it’s so visual, visceral and unpredictable.
What have you learned about yourself from the writing and/or authorship process?
Author: To be a writer you have to be selfish and learn to say to ‘no’ to other people in order to write. I’ve learnt not to worry if I offend or upset someone who doesn’t understand my need to write. If people don’t understand that Writing is my life, despite me explaining this many times to them, it’s not my problem, it’s theirs.
What is your favorite writing snack and drink?
Author: I find eating either a handful of seeds or nuts or dried fruit mid-morning keeps my energy up. I tend not to eat sugary snacks because I get such a low mid-afternoon. Biscuits are for tea time after I’ve finished writing for the day! Favourite drink is peppermint tea!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Author: Write what you know and enjoy the writing process.
Readers can follow me at:
website: DragonScaleClippings
Amazon
Patreon
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Kobo
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Spillwords
BookBub
MyBookCave
April 4, 2021
character Post: norah, A Promise in Ash
During the work week, I start my mornings with a double-shot caramel macchiato at the coffee shop just off of Highway 45 in Houston, Texas. Sometimes Samantha, who always remembers me, makes it a triple for free. I do the best I can to hide my exhaustion, but she always knows.
I work at Clerester Enterprises Inc. as an accountant. It’s a fast-growing plastics repurposing company, and I often find myself staying late. But I promised my younger self that someday I’d be a manager, an important person, and be able to afford a house of my own.
Evan, who works in marketing, sits across from me in our cubicle row. He’s built like a figure model, with forest-green eyes and a dimpled smile. If he wasn’t a devoted widower, he’d be a terrible tease. His daughter is in middle school, and I occasionally tutor her with math—and other subjects Evan claims he isn’t good at—via video chat during lunch. She’s a sweet, ever-curious girl, and I’m glad I gave in to Evan’s pleas for help two years back. I only let Evan order lunch for me those days without complaint.
The few evenings I don’t work late will be filled with errands or Evan and Ashley. Ashley takes Karate. I go to support her. My step-mother was abusive, so I know how Ashley feels: not having a mother that loves her. Occasionally, Evan and I will spar in a training room if he gets a wild hair, which seems to be happening more lately. We always go out for ice cream after. But Evan and Ashley live on the coast, and I live between them and Houston, so I have to head home before it gets too late.
Sometimes I’ll get a call from my fiancé, Ray, to go on a dinner date. It’s always to a fancy, upscale restaurant, and he’ll expect me to dress to please. He’s a manager at a sister company and hoping for a promotion soon. So he’s always going to company meetings and dinner parties. He’ll tell me what to wear and will pick me up in his Maserati. Everything about him is pristine.
He rarely asks me to join him on business trips out of the country. I’ve realized I’m more of a jewel on Ray’s crown than I am a queen at his side. But I’ve only known him a year, so I figure there are still kinks to work out. He doesn’t care that I tutor Ashley or spar with Evan. He’s only concerned that I show when he needs me to. I have yet to figure out if that’s because he trusts me, or because he just doesn’t care. I’ve tried to talk to him about our plans for a wedding and for living together, but he usually says that I’m worrying too much, that I shouldn’t push things. He’s not as nice as he was before I said yes.
I regret that word a little more every day.
On the weekends, I drive to the gulf coast and spend Saturday surfing in the warm waves. My father taught me to surf when I was a child. I love the light crunch of the soft sand between my toes and the thundering rush of riding into shore. My father taught me to find peace in Mother Nature. He said it reminds him, through all the frustrating parts of life, that we are still simple humans underneath the bills and suits and deadlines.
My father, Phil, turned to drinking after my mother died when I was young—like Ashley’s did. One night, he came home with Jolene, my wicked step-mother. But he’s a man of his word and married the abusive woman. I admire his morals, but I do not know what he ever saw in her. My father quit drinking after that.
I call Phil every Sunday morning. I can’t bring myself to visit the house that often with Jolene still living there. With Jordan, my half-brother, off to college, I have less reason to stop by. I love my father and miss our time together before Jolene. So I climb up on the hood of my Jeep and stare out at the shimmering water of Trinity Bay while we talk. He shares his life lessons with me then tells me to leave Ray and ask Evan out. Every weekend. The same conversation. If only it were that easy. There’s something important I haven’t told him.
Anything stressful exacerbates his COPD. I could tell my father the truth about how Ray is growing manipulative like my ex Damon, how Evan has been acting depressed, or that Jolene used to hit me and lock me in my room when I lived at home, and he was gone to work. But I won’t. I’m a habitual white liar who struggles with the concept of her self-worth. Abuse does that to a person. But I push through it because I want him to be proud of me.
So I return to Clereter Enterprises each week. The nausea grows as does my pile of work. I stop drinking coffee and try to eat better. Evan’s quieter and his smile isn’t as strong as it used to be. Sometimes I think he knows. When I ask him what’s wrong, he hesitates then tells me something reminded him of Demi, his deceased wife. I’m not sure if I believe him.
I do what I can to make others happy then wonder when I’ll take the time to work on myself. But Mr. Clerester’s called a meeting, and Evan needs a hug. So I pick up my tablet, pat Evan’s shoulder, and start for the conference room.
“Magnesium,” he says behind me.
I turn around. Evan won’t look at me.
“What?” I ask.
“For the nausea—”
A prickle of awareness slithers down my spine. Evan knows.
But I’ve had practice hiding pain for years.
Not even Evan can know about the tearing ache in my gut.
Something is wrong with me.
***
To find out what happens with Norah and Evan, check out A Promise in Ash!
Thanks for reading!
-Elysia
Flash Fiction: A Touch of Revenge
A Touch of Revenge
E. L. Strife
Flash Fiction
Copyright ©2019
You can download the pdf here: A Touch of Revenge
Or read on below:The enemy spaceship’s display blinked red, indicating its weapons-ready status. Through the wall of windows on the main bridge, Eryk studied five other ships which armed at his command, their missile bays illuminating like rings of miniature stars in the eternal night sky. Eryk’s fingers trembled as they hovered over Release Payload. He didn’t know if he had the gall to turn Earth into ash.
“Humans believe in equality,” he said to himself. We punish criminals.
Eryk had no home to return to. His wife, his parents, his people were dead. The planet was dead.
Three years ago, Kugrons had provided Earth with hover-engines—a “peace” offering. But the engines emitted radioactive fallout. Humans, animals, and plants died. Kugrons colonized in the wake of their destruction—like starving maggots.
The few humans who evaded the fallout had perished while sneaking Eryk onto an automated transport as it dropped off more hover-engines from the ships in space—a ship he now stood inside. The engines were never a gift, always a necessity, one Kugrons didn’t want humans to discover until it was too late.
No one knew what Eryk would find when he docked. He was a soldier; he would improvise.
Empty ships.
Translation chips.
An apocalypse switch.
Eryk slumped in the captain’s chair and stared out at Earth. Every Kugron was down there, thriving in the rot. The once-green continents were brown and red with death, the blue oceans now gray and steaming from decay.
Beside him, in the co-pilot’s seat, a small creature burbled as it licked the bandages Eryk had scrapped together out his clothes. Judging by the glowing collar, it was a pet. He had discovered it while hiding in a ventilation duct. The critter had cowered in a corner until a half-eaten grain cookie given in the shadows had made them friends.
Anger and revenge had been Eryk’s driving force. But after he’d armed the weapons, he’d hesitated.
What if someone else is hiding down there like I was?
He swiped through the diagrams of Earth on a display to his left. A rainbow of terra-forming progress. Wireframe schematics of topography. Landmass acquisitions. Thermal maps. Oceans.
The creature snorted and shook its head. It curled up like an old dog on a cold day. Tufts of its rust-brown fur were charred to the skin, others matted with blood. Eryk had to figure Kugrons had beaten it. A chunk was missing out of an ear, the eye on the same side scarred and milky green. Torch, as Eryk named him, had been the one to lead him to the bridge.
Flipping through the logged data displays of Earth, Eryk found one showing Earthlings in red and Kugrons in blue. He spun the globe, scanning.
Eryk was the last—his red dot alone on a ship in space, a green dot nestled beside him.
Torch.
He sighed and rested his chin in a palm, staring out at Earth. It was never a decision he thought he’d face—the fate of a planet too grand of a responsibility for a grunt like him.
One command from the Kugrons’ main bridge, designed to take out a fleet of battleships, would eradicate his enemy.
One tap of his finger would turn his home planet into a churning mass of magma.
Inside, Eryk felt cold as a corpse on a slab. He sat frozen and torn between saving a symbol of humanity’s existence and exterminating an infestation. No war could callus his hands or heart enough for such a burden.
He would be the sole human in the galaxy. There would be no history but what he could remember.
Still, he’d made his kind a promise.
Eryk focused on the flashing button beneath his fingers. Even if the blast kills me, “At least they won’t be able to do this again.”
He tapped the flashing button.
Streams of white rockets pelted out of every ship, silent swords in the night. They thrust into the planet’s crust like thousands of righteous needles in sadistic nurses’ hands.
No more bills or traffic jams or disease.
Eryk cocked his head and watched Earth’s skin bubble and crack the way Cerise’s had the week she died. He’d seen so much death in recent years that he’d found peace in its silence. It was the end of pain.
Crags of blood-orange light crawled around Earth’s surface. Plumes of steam and ash and dirt from disintegrating tectonic plates darkened the skies.
There was no one left to hug or kiss or cry with.
Torch howled high and long at the ceiling, a sad tune that reminded Eryk of arctic foxes near his home in Alaska—two things he could never see again.
Red lights flashed on the main display. Through the windows, Eryk watched a veil of red fall over the ship. All six of the Kugron vessels donned a shield. Ahead of him, Earth sank inward. Fractures of white light shone through as the planet ballooned.
Rapid beeps rattled Eryk’s ears. He grabbed his harness and closed his eyes.
Something warm and soft jumped into his lap with a whimper. Eryk released a hand to pull Torch close. “Hang on, buddy.”
Carmine light flickered across his eyes as the ship launched backward. Metal groaned and screeched as the hull bore the pressure of the blast. Sirens whistled and warbled from displays at stations on the bridge behind him. Engines kicked on in a distant hum. But Eryk couldn’t hear much over the rush of blood in his ears or think through the realization he was now no better than his enemy.
He had nothing: no family, no home, and no morals. Eryk prayed for the end to be quick.
But the flash of heat from the explosion dissipated. The ship steadied and momentum equalized. Alarms quieted. And the windows darkened.
Eryk opened his eyes to a blinking blue indicator on his display.
Mass Compensation?
With no logical reason not to, Eryk selected it.
Two orbs launched from each ship, one blue, one yellow—twelve in all. Only then, did Eryk see the distance they’d traveled from Earth’s prior location, and noted the expansion. The moon arced off into the distant stars—a motherless asteroid.
The blue and yellow orbs converged into a writhing green knot. Eryk felt a tug on his body and the ship. Everything came to a standstill again. He stared out at the globe of light filling the hole Earth left behind—a hole Eryk had made.
Hours passed that he stared at that tiny flickering ball in the emptiness, too shocked to celebrate or cry. He wished it had killed him so he wouldn’t have to live with the memories and guilt. The other five ships remained in position as if awaiting a command.
Eryk had no desire to move. The sky looked empty and wrong. But there was no going back.
Just as his bones chilled and joints began to ache from not moving, Torch stirred. A warm tongue licked his hand.
He looked down and noticed fluid leaking through one of the creature’s bandaged legs. Tearing off another strip of his shirt, Eryk removed the old and tied on the new. The animal kicked and squirmed in protest, bumping a display.
A three-dimensional hologram lit up the windows. Galaxies and planets danced and swirled in greens and blues and reds, highlighting their bodies and the controls before them. Targeting brackets blinked over different locations zooming in and expanding nine locations. Along the bottom of the display, names and statuses appeared.
Eryk studied them. Planet selected for colonization. Kugron Outpost Twenty-seven. Class M Planet for inspection—Space Travel Capable Colony. Kugron Supreme Council Headquarters.
He hadn’t committed genocide. He’d merely lopped off a finger. Hope sparked in his chest as he swiped through the options with interest. “Couldn’t save humanity, but maybe we can save someone else. What do you think, Torch?”
The creature sat up in his lap and pawed at the hologram in the air. The Class M planet scrolled back to the center of the display. A square expanded with a close-up of the star system. A button flashed beside it.
Accept Coordinates?
Eryk couldn’t still the energy building within him. He would never hold his wife again or sit on a sofa watching TV while enjoying pizza and beer with his friends. There would be no vacations. Every job would fall on him. Maintenance, defense, command—all responsibility would be his.
Drawing in a deep breath, he shrugged to set himself at ease. “Why the hell not? I just blew up my own damned planet. Three months should be enough travel time to learn how to work all this shit, right?”
Torch let out an excited yip.
The button pulsed red beneath Eryk’s steady finger, swollen with the promise of blood.
Giving Torch’s head a gentle rub, Eryk grinned. He tapped Accept.
April 2, 2021
Author Interview: Matt Holmes, Non-Fiction
My name is Matt Holmes (Pen Name: Matthew J Holmes) and I write non-fiction books around the topic of advertising for self published authors. My most recent book is The 7 Day Authors Guide To Facebook Ads.
From Planning to PublishedWhen did you start writing and why?
I have been writing blog posts about marketing and advertising for many years and have also written lots of scripts for all sorts of videos/short films as I used to run my own Video Production Company. However, when Covid-19 hit back in March 2020, my Video Production work came to an abrupt halt.
So although I have written a lot of words over the years, I didn’t start writing my first book until April 2020! And then, with new babies on the way, major house renovations we were doing and feeling the imposter syndrome that a lot of us do, it took me until January 2021 to go back to that first book, review it, rewrite it, edit it and finally publish it.
Since January, I have released 2 further books, so I guess you could say I caught the bug! I wrote these books because I had a lot of information in my head that I needed to get down onto paper and I felt could help other self published authors avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that I have been through with advertising and marketing.
How long did it take you to finish your first book?
I started writing my first book in April 2020, but I didn’t get round to publishing it until January 2021! So, around 9 months in total! But in terms of the outlining, writing, editing, proof reading, book cover design and everything else that comes with publishing a book, the total amount of time I spent was around 2 months.
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
I am indie author; I just love the control that being indie provides; we are in control of our own destiny and can change course if and when we need to, without having to go through lots of red tape or barriers that can come with traditional publishing.
How did you determine your target audience?
My wife is a self published author and she is my perfect target audience avatar! There will be lots of self published authors, like my wife, who are overwhelmed and perhaps, intimidated about the advertising and marketing side of self publishing, so my books are written in such a way to make advertising more understandable and relatable. Advertising is simple, but it’s not easy. My aim with the books I write is to simplify advertising as much as I can, whilst at the same time, making sure that the reader actually implements and takes action on the content.
What is your publishing process?
First, I determine where the reader is before they start reading my book. Then I determine where they want to be after reading my book. I then map out the process they need to take to reach their destination, step-by-step and create the chapters of the book from there.
The next stage is fleshing out the content and specifics for each chapter. From there, it’s a case of writing the first draft of the book. I use a lot of images in my books to visually explain what I’m talking about, so I add these images in as I’m writing.
I then go back through the book from beginning to end to flesh out and refine the content, making sure I’ve covered everything I need to. Finally, I run my books through Pro Writing Aid to help with structure, flow, consistency, etc. Pro Writing Aid is an amazing tool; so many powerful features and reports; I can’t recommend it enough to every single author!
What platforms do you use to publish your works?
I publish primarily on Amazon and put all my focus onto Amazon. However, because my books are permafree (i.e. always free) at this moment in time, I also publish them through Draft2Digital and then ask Amazon to price match my books to one of the platforms I’ve published to through Draft2Digital.
Ultimately though, 99.9% of the downloads for my books come from Amazon so that is where I focus all my advertising and marketing.
How do you get critiques, betas, feedback, and edits?
I have an email list who are fantastic at providing feedback on the books, let me know of anything I’ve missed out on, spelling and grammar issues, etc.
Marketing
Do you have a platform? What does it consist of?
I have an email list which I have built and continue to build by providing free resources to authors, such as tracking sheets, planning tools for advertising, as well as a free 3 part video series that shows authors, over my shoulder, how I plan, build, optimise and scale ads on The Big 3 advertising platforms for authors, Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads and BookBub Ads.
What is your launch plan for your works?
I’m relatively low-key with my launches! I just publish it to Amazon, tell my email list about the book and then start running Amazon Ads to it. That’s it! Nothing fancy at all.
However, I also run the advertising and marketing for my wife’s fiction novels and they are a different animal when it comes to launching. I start planning for the launches of her new books 3-4 months in advance! I use Kindle Countdown Deals for my wife’s books when launching and spend a lot of money ($2500+ during the 7 day Kindle Countdown Deal) on Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads and BookBub Ads, as well as promo sites, such as eReader News Today, Bargain Booksy, BookRunes, etc. And for the upcoming launch, we are also going to be trying out some PR tactics as well as influencer marketing, which is exciting.
How do you get reviews for your books?
My email list are great for leaving reviews which is wonderful. And I also use BookSprout; readers receive a free advance copy of my book and in exchange they leave a review.
How do you promote your content?
Primarily, I use Amazon Ads to promote/advertise my books. However, I have an Autorespinder sequence setup which introduces my email subscribers to books of mine that they may not have read.
What do you think is the most critical marketing component or tactic for becoming successful?
Persistence, patience and testing. There is no right or wrong way to advertising/market a book. You just have to do what feels right to you. Yes, there will be tactics you try that don’t work and that’s ok. You just have to have the resolve to not throw in the towel and give up too soon.
Marketing/Advertising is something a lot of authors don’t enjoy; they just want to focus on writing because it’s what they love the most and that’s fantastic. However, as a self published author, you need to not only wear your writer’s hat, so to speak, you also need to wear your business hat, particularly if you want writing to become your full time career.
How do you define success as an author?
As a non-fiction author, success to me is when I receive an email from a reader who says that they have taken action on what I have written about in one of my books and they have seen great results from it, or my words have had an impact on the way they see advertising.
If I can impact just one person from my books, that to me, is a success.
What made you want to learn about advertising?
I have always loved marketing and advertising and I initially learnt about the fundamental of it so that I could reach more potential clients for my video production business. However, when my wife released her first novel several years ago, I jumped at the opportunity to learn about advertising and marketing in an industry I hadn’t explored before. From then on, I’ve been hooked on advertising and marketing books!
Why did you select the platforms you did to study and really figure them out?
Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads and BookBub Ads are The Big 3 as they are sometimes known amongst authors, so this is where I thought I should start.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle when it comes to advertising?
Overcoming the fact that some ads just will not work and to be ok with that. Even the best advertisers in the world have ads that don’t work; it’s just part and parcel of the advertising game.
What is the main benefit for readers who pick up a copy of your book/website? (What do you hope they get out of it?)
Ultimately, I hope readers of my books will be able to take action on what they read and learn. Paralysis by analysis can be very real when facing something new and daunting such as advertising. I want to help authors overcome this fear and take action. Once they do, and they start seeing results, they will hopefully be able to get out of the mindset that they can’t run ads or don’t know how to run ads and start to reach more readers, sell more books and ultimately, start building their author career.
How do you think our quickly advancing technological society will affect online advertising and its importance for authors?
This is a difficult one! Advertising platforms are changing and evolving every single day. Although the fundamentals of advertising remain consistent, it’s the intricacies of the individual platforms and the tactics we use on them that will change. As the likes of Facebook learn more and more about its users, they have millions upon millions of data points that help us, as advertisers, reach the right readers, which is an incredible tool to have in our toolkit.
However, some people aren’t comfortable with companies such as Facebook and Google knowing so much about them; where they live, their age, their interests, what websites they look at online, etc. Yes, it can be sort of scary when you think about it, almost like Big Brother!
But from my perspective, as both a consumer and an advertiser, I don’t want to see content online that I have absolutely no interest in. Time is our most precious resource and I want spend it on things that matter to me, whatever that may be. So if the likes of Facebook know a lot about me and that allows them to personalise what I see on their platforms, based on my own interests, then I am more than happy for them to do so.
Just think about watching TV and how we tend to ‘skip’ the adverts/commercials. Why do we do this? Because they aren’t relevant to us. If the adverts/commercials were about things that interested us, then we would be much more likely to pay attention to them and not ‘skip’ them. The advertisers would win because they would get more eyeballs on their products/services, the consumers wold win because they would be seeing products/services that can help them, and the advertising platform would win because they would be attracting advertisers who can reach their ideal audience, as well as showing their consumers/customers adverts/commercials that were relevant.
It’s a win-win. The technology to achieve this is almost here really and we are already seeing it a lot on Facebook, Instagram and Amazon. It all comes down to relevance and that’s exactly what Amazon and Facebook are all about and built upon; showing relevant ads/books to relevant readers. The more relevant we can be with our ads and our targeting, the cheaper our advertising costs and the better our conversion will be.
About Your WorkHow many works have you published?
I so far have 3 books published, with several more ideas on the back burner! The 3 books are in my 7 Day Author Series:
The 7 Day Authors Guide To Book Advertising The 7 Day Authors Guide To Amazon Ads The 7 Day Authors Guide To Facebook Ads
Can you tell us a bit about your most recent publication?
My most recent publication is The 7 Day Authors Guide To Facebook Ads where I walk readers through how to plan, build, launch, optimize and scale their first Facebook Ads.
Facebook Ads can be pretty overwhelming and daunting the first time you lay eyes on it and as is my focus on all the books I write, I want to reduce this feeling of overwhelm and focus on the fundamentals of Facebook Ads and learn enough to start seeing some results quickly.
A quote I really like is: Action creates more action. Inaction creates more inaction. If you can start taking action, you will want to take even more action and it becomes almost addictive! Likewise, if you take no action, it can be very difficult to do anything more than take even less action.
Yes, there is a lot to learn with Facebook Ads, but what I focus on is not looking at everything you need to do and learn; instead, just focus on the next step, then the next step, then the next step. If you focus on every single thing you need to learn about Facebook Ads in one hit, you are likely to never take any action whatsoever, because you get caught up in paralysis by analysis.
So that is a long winded way of saying that my most recent book is about making Facebook Ads accessible for authors who don’t (yet) enjoy or get excited about advertising, my breaking it all down in to a simple 7 day process, with actionable steps at the end of each Day to help them take action and keep moving forwards. At the end of the 7 days, my aim is for the reader to have launched their very first Facebook Ad and have the knowledge to know how to optimize and scale their ads as and when the time is right.
Do you have other supporting services like a podcast, blog, webinars, courses, video channel?
I write in-depth guides and case studies on my website all around the topic of advertising and I have recently launched a brand new podcast, The Author Ads Academy Podcast, where I will be sharing weekly content about advertising for self-published authors.
Do you recommend any programs, courses, or websites?
I find that the Kindlepreneur website has a lot of great blog posts about self publishing and this was a fantastic resource when I was brand new to this industry. I do till go to the Kindlepreneur website today and see what interesting articles they have published.
Sometimes, we need to come out of our own little world and look around us to see what other people are doing in the industry. One thing that is so true with self publishing is that you never stop learning. There are new technologies, algorithm changes and a whole lot more that happen on a regular basis; we need to keep upto date with all of this, because although the fundamentals may remain the same, it’s the intricacies of advertising particularly that can change on a regular basis. The way I see it is if we don’t change and evolve, we get left behind.
Have you always read in the genre you wanted to write in? Do you think that’s made it easier or harder to create new stories?
I have always read non-fiction books, mainly around the topics of business, marketing and personal development. I feel that this has given me a good understanding from a reader’s perspective about what makes a book enjoyable to read.
On top of this, however, I have found that some books go too deep into the weeds on theory and leave out the critical element of actually taking action on the content within the book. This is why I have written my books in such a way that I provide Action Steps throughout to encourage readers to implement what they are learning so that they can start seeing results.
Where do you network most with other writers, authors, and creative types? LinkedIn? Wattpad? Twitter? Facebook? Somewhere else?
I primarily focus on networking with other authors inside Facebook Groups and helping out with struggles and problems other authors are having that I have been through or had experience in.
StrugglesWhat has been the hardest thing to overcome on your journey to authorship?
I think my biggest struggle has been overcoming Imposter Syndrome. I felt that little voice in my head saying “who am I to…”, “why would people listen to me…”, “what have I got to say that would make people want to pay attention to me…”
Once I got over those feelings and managed to quieten down that nagging little voice in my head (my inner bi*?h!) through a lot of personal development work, things became a lot easier.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for those who want to go the final step and become authors?
Focus on writing the best books you possibly can. You can’t advertising or market a poor quality product. If you can write a great book, it makes the advertising and marketing of that book so much easier and enjoyable. Also, don’t try and write for everyone. There are some people out there who just won’t enjoy your books and that’s ok. You are not writing your book for them. You are writing your books for those people who devour every word, who clamber over your next book, who get lost in your world and never want to come out. Those people are your readers. Write for them and no one else.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change?
I would publish sooner. I would focus on overcoming the imposter syndrome and get my books out there into the world. You will never be 100% ready. So just do it. The best time to publish was yesterday. The next best time is right now.
Are you a driven & self-advocating author, a gun-shy promoter, or a total marketing procrastinator?
I have worked for myself since leaving University back in 2010, so I have always been driven to achieve what I want to achieve. However, there are definitely days where I procrastinate on marketing and promoting myself, without a doubt. That little voice in my head crops up from time to time and temporarily stops me from taking action on some things that are important to me. But once I quieten down that little voice, I’m back on track.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
Every single morning I read and look at my goals not only for this year, but for my life as a whole. I also practice visualisation every morning and envision the life my wife and I want to build for our family. After my morning routine, I make sure that everything I am doing is working towards achieving those goals and our vision.
How do you combat writer’s block?
I step away from the computer and spend 10-15 minutes with my wife and our 2 babies. That is enough motivation for me to get back on the horse, as it were and start writing again. It also helps to just give myself a screen break and turn my mind to something else for a few minutes.
Fun Stuff
What do you listen to while you write?
I listen to Brain.fm! This an App that plays sounds/music that affects the way your brain works, but not in a bad way! Within 5-10 minutes, I am completely focused on my writing and almost forget about the outside world! Brain.fm works best with headphones, so I put on my noise-cancelling headphones and I’m gone! It just helps me focus in a way that music from Spotify, for example, just doesn’t.
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an ottoman?
We have an office in the garden, so this is where I like to write. My desk is in here, but we also have a big couch that I sometimes lay down on to write too!
What book are you reading at the moment?
I’m currently proof reading my wife’s book before it goes off to the editors, in preparation for her upcoming launch!
What have you learned about yourself from the writing and/or authorship process?
That I have a lot of knowledge I didn’t realise I had!
What is your favorite writing snack and drink?
Tea, raisins and cashew nuts. Yea, a little bit weird, but it works for me!
Do you have a writing companion?
Sometimes, one of our dogs, Freya and Loki, will join me in the office. But I think that’s only because they want to finish my cup of tea!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
You don’t want to reach the end of your life and meet the ‘you’ that you could have been. You want to get to the end of your life with no regrets and know that you have made an impact on your family, your friends and the world as a whole. Live life to the full and enjoy every single moment.
The best place to find me is on my website, www.matthewjholmes.com. From there you can see my books, the podcast, my blog/marketing guides, my free video training and much more.
