Maximilian Sam's Blog

The Stray Army

Welcome back. We've been extremely busy, so we're sorry we've been away for a little while. Life has ways of putting obstacles in the way...

Atticus - Friend Or Foe

I have spent several weeks working with Sue Bavey, producing the internal layout for a new anthology she has collected from 20 different authors titled Not Marriage Material. It had the potential to be incredibly challenging as we worked, alongside the amazing cover designer Bjørn Larssen, across multiple time zones from the US to Europe to Turkiye. It shows how good we are as a team that, whatever setbacks we encountered, we all helped each other with never a cross word. It made it a truly special experience.

It has also allowed me to put the self-publishing tool, Atticus, through its paces. We’ve had to contend with prose, poetry, and photographs. If there were any bugs in the system, we were going to find them.

I have given Atticus the right to reply, primarily because some issues I encountered may well be down to me and not the software. When I had issues, customer service was always quick to reply and very helpful. In my view, that alone is worth the $147 I paid for a lifetime subscription.

It’s important to point out my computer is about to draw its old age pension. My internet speeds are also very slow. I only use Atticus through my browser. It means I can work on any device with internet access and all my work is saved. The age of my computer and the slow rate of the internet access are the reason the software at times felt clunky. I can’t blame that on Atticus.

No software is perfect. We all work around the parts that are confusing or don’t work. Microsoft Office is a prime example. Atticus, however, is a pleasant surprise. Its flaws are far outweighed by its strengths.

It contains some bugs which are both strange and frustrating.

Let’s start with the flaws.

If you’re self-publishing poetry, Atticus can be the ultimate pain in the rear end. On the ePub version, it is best to change the paragraph settings to spaced rather than indented. It allows you to use the old Word trick to reduce line spacing for the verses, but has larger spacing between each verse. You could use an ornamental break between each verse, but this could become overpowering and certainly won’t work for all poetry. It also won’t work on the print pdf. The verse button is also strange. It creates some very odd spacing that is, frankly, of no use for long poems. It is good for quoting short verses of poetry amongst prose, however. Poetry is notoriously hard to layout properly. Atticus proved more foe than friend, although I did eventually find ways around the issues, even if it involved compromises.

Atticus response: We’re aware of the limitations for publishing poetry within Atticus and, though we do have future plans to improve this area of need, I do think you were fair in your characterization at this point.

Atticus does not show error messages. This is beyond frustrating. I wasted many hours trying to identify issues when a basic error message could have pointed me in the right direction. I also wouldn’t have needed to overwhelm the helpdesk with questions, although they answered all of them with good humour and quickly.

Atticus response: We understand your frustration with the lack of error messages and it’s something we’re looking into options. Unfortunately Atticus is programmed to know when something will not give the desired output, but programming in the why is a lot bigger of an task, on the programming end. Authors are very creative in their formatting goals, so it’s always best to write into support, where our human team can help identify issues with you.

One issue I can’t understand is why chapter headings sometimes split words, leaving one letter on a line with the rest of the word on the next. It took a lot of time to find the correct font size, particularly in an anthology of short stories and poetry. This is a relatively recent issue, as I didn’t run into it when putting together the layout for Stories From A Stray. It is one that needs resolving. I’m sure if I spent time with the excellent customer service team we could troubleshoot the problem and find the solution. It’s not something we’ve had the time to do. It is possible it’s down to my slow internet speed and a very outdated web browser.

It is best to duplicate a copy of your book so you can work separately on ePub and paperback versions. The layouts will never be the same. There is one drawback which can easily be resolved. A duplicate copy will add the word Copy to the title page. It’s useful for differentiating when working on the layouts, but don’t forget to remove the erroneous word in the title when downloading the final version.

My final issue was one most will never run into, and possibly one I’m wrong about. You cannot add your own design to the title page. I’m aware there are good reasons, but it’s frustrating, especially with multiple authors and a requirement to retype the entire author name area if there is one letter to change as there is no edit facility.

Atticus response: For your title page, while you can’t edit the automated copy, you can delete it and create our own either out of an image or just a standard chapter that is adjusted how you’d like it to look.

I would like to see a way layout can be changed by chapter and more options to change certain paragraphs within chapters. It would certainly help with poetry. Hopefully, this is something that can be explored, although I doubt there’s a simple answer.

In pushing Atticus to its limits, these were the only issues I came across. It’s a very strong vote of confidence.

Atticus has saved me days, if not weeks, with its functionality. It’s simple to use, although a couple of hours familiarising yourself with it wouldn’t go amiss.

The video tutorials are easy to follow and cover all the functionality most self-publishing authors will require. Some expert level tutorials would be nice, but are far from a necessity.

I type my chapters using ProWritingAid, export them as a word document, and then import each individual chapter into Atticus. I then, always, hit the smart quotes button. It is something worth doing in each individual chapter. I haven’t worked out how to rectify the very rare errant quotation mark facing the wrong direction, but I’m confident there is a way. It’s such a rare occurrence, it’s not something to worry about.

In conclusion, if you intend to self-publish more than one book, Atticus is a game changer. It is far superior to the competition. The addition of being able to split a book into parts was welcome and incredibly simple to use.

It’s an excellent piece of software that works out far cheaper than any other tools. The option to use it online anywhere is brilliant, although I wish autosave wasn’t so reactive. It can slow up typing time.

All-in-all, it’s been money well spent.

Atticus response: You are very considerate in acknowledging you have unique book formatting requirements, which we appreciate. Atticus is template based, designed to meet the needs of the vast majority of books, but not necessarily as easy to customize for the more unique circumstances. We’ll keep working to add more options, and hopefully it will just get better for you in the future! We really appreciate your feedback and sharing with your audience, it means a lot to us.

I do need to add a huge thanks to Meryl at Atticus who showed the patience of a saint and also ensured I had the responses for this blog. There are many other companies who could learn from the excellent level of customer service.

Not Marriage Material, the anthology Sue Bavey has worked so hard to bring together, is available in both kindle and paperback versions from Amazon. Click the relevant link below to buy your copy.

It's A Stray Dog's Life also had it's third birthday on 28 February so don’t forget to join the Stray Army. Books and merchandise are available from www.maximiliansam.com.

If you’re an author looking for help with PR and marketing, come and have a chat at www.maxsamcommunications.com. We have special packages available just for authors.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack To My Trip - An Icelandic Adventure

Our good friend Sue Bavey is launching her new book, An Icelandic Adventure, on 23 November. It tells the story of a family trip to a place on our bucket list, Iceland. We've been lucky to read an advance copy and it's excellent. You can pre-order the book by clicking the cover below.

To help her celebrate we're doing a Soundtrack Of My Trip. It's excellent and will certainly put you in the mood for hitting the pre-order button.

You can find the playlist on Spotify by clicking the link below.

Alternatively, here's the playlist.

Birthday by The Sugarcubes

As a treat for my birthday, we had a 2:00pm reservation at the ‘Lava Show’ which was a long walk from the centre of Reykjavík. We could have taken an Uber, or tried to decipher the public bus system, but decided to walk instead, having spent too much time sitting around at the airport and on the plane the day before. 

The show was located in a more industrial area, not too far from the ocean. We entered a warehouse-type building, where we were given protective eyewear, and then ushered into seats that formed a horseshoe around a long chute which was obviously what the lava was going to flow down.

Visitor by Of Monsters And Men

Instead of being visited by a kindly man bearing gifts on Christmas Eve, Icelandic people believe there are thirteen visitors, each with an interesting name: Spoon Licker, Pot Scraper, Door Slammer, and Window Peeper, to name but a few. They are the sons of an ogress named Grýla (pronounced KREE-la), who eats naughty children, and the story is used to scare Icelandic children into behaving well at Christmastime. The family lives in a cave and has a large, vicious cat known as the Yule Cat, who is said to eat people who have not got any new clothes to wear for Yuletide.

Sunny Road by Emiliana Torrini

Further along the ring road, we found more beautiful fields of purple and white Alaskan lupins and the impressive 197 ft (60 m) waterfall, Skogafoss (meaning: ‘forest waterfall’) in the distance. We decided not to climb up this one, despite it having a staircase built conveniently into the side of the rock, as we still had a long journey ahead of us.

Mountain Sound by Of Monsters And Men

Our Super Jeep was a remarkable vehicle with a dashboard panel that allowed the driver to inflate and deflate each tyre individually, altering the psi via pumps as we encountered deeply uneven mountain tracks and crevasses on steep roads. The jeep often felt like it was about to tip over and the driver would quickly get to work deflating one tyre and inflating another from inside the warmth of the jeep.

Way Down We Go by KALEO

After we had spent more time playing in the snow and then driving onwards over the glacier it was time to descend the mountain once more and my heart again leaped into my mouth as I hung onto the back of the seat in front of me for dear life.

I Want More by KALEO

I wonder if we will be back again for a third trip to this awe-inspiring country of so many breathtaking contrasts. I certainly hope so. It was a really fantastic week filled with new experiences and amazing sights, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Don't forget you can pre-order the book by clicking the cover below.

Cover Reveal!

What more can you want other than a cover reveal, a banging playlist, and the chance to be one of the first to read and review Sue Bavey's new book? Just one thing as it happens. Read about her family's trip to a place that's top of my bucket list.

I've loved reading all of Sue's books, whether it's Lucky Jack or learning about £10 Poms. A family trip around Iceland is unmissable. The book will be published on 23 November. You can click on the exclusive reveal of the cover below to preorder your copy.

Even better you can sign up to receive a review copy in advance at https://forms.gle/iZUdybZevhtE5a9q8

A little about the book:-

Join the Bavey family in the Land of Ice and Fire. Experience 24-hour daylight, waterfalls galore, a nail-biting super jeep trip up a mountain onto the largest glacier in Europe, a duck boat tour on an iceberg lagoon and many wildlife encounters.

The outpouring of lava from the recent volcanic eruption threatens to stop them from reaching the famous Blue Lagoon. Will they make it? And will they see any puffins before it’s time for them to depart?

‘A guidebook that reads like a story – or a story that reads like a guidebook!'

Jackie Lambert, author of the Adventure Caravanning with Dogs series

‘Anyone wanting to go or just wanting to know about Iceland should read this book.’

Susan Jackson

‘Some great ideas here for a family trip around Iceland.’

Jules Brown, travel author of Don’t Eat the Puffin

You can even enjoy a playlist to get you in the mood by clicking the link below:

You can even browse through many of the photos of the journey whilst listening to the tunes.

Iceland is on many of our bucket lists. Don't miss out on sharing Sue's wonderful trip.

Sue Bavey is an English Mum of two, living in Massachusetts since 2003 with her husband, two teenage kids, a cat named Midnight, and a leopard gecko named Ziggy Stardust. 

Author website: www.suebavey.com

Email: sue@suebavey.com (Emails are always welcome).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sue.bavey

BlueSky: @suebavey.bsky.social

Twitter/X: @SueBavey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suebavey/

The PR Mystery

We regularly hear from authors and small businesses that they find PR a total mystery. Spoiler alert. It is not.

It left us feeling we needed to give everyone a guide to the building blocks of PR. It was never a book we’d intended to write, but nearly 30 years’ experience in PR around the world probably deserves to be shared.

Allow us to introduce The PR Mystery.

It is available in paperback or kindle editions from Amazon by clicking on the links below.

The book will show you how to build a brand, perfect your messaging, create a strategy, and lift the veil on the mysteries of PR. You’ll even get to see some campaigns we’ve worked on.

There are two bonus chapters giving an insight into crisis communications, media training, and presentation skills.

If you need more advice and help with your PR and marketing, pop over to our sister company MaxSam Communications, and have a chat. There’s even a WhatsApp button to make life easier.

We hope you find The PR Mystery helpful. You can still buy It's A Stray Dog's Life, It's A Stray Dog's Life 2, and Stories From A Stray by clicking the link below.

We’re off to write the next two books. After all, the summer is over, so the printed edition of the local newspaper is ending for another year, as we move online for the winter months. We’ll still be reporting on 10 Numera Sportif Efeler 09 Spor Futbol Klub (Didim FC) and writing some new opinion pieces. It just won’t be every week.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

We're Back With A Bang

We’re back and have plenty of news to share. We’ve been overjoyed by the response to our Soundtrack Of My Life series. In truth, we only did it as an idea to help a couple of friends launch their books in the early summer. What it’s become has amazed us. We’ve had authors from around the world, publishers, book reviewers, and podcasters sharing not only their wisdom, but also such an array of different songs. We’re amazed we could trace all the songs.

The most important part of running the series was it gave us the chance to focus on other important things for a few months. There’s a lot of news to get through.

First, we have launched a specialist PR service just for authors as part of MaxSam Communications. It gives authors the opportunity to have a full-service PR agency working with them at a fraction of the cost most agencies would normally command. We’re able to do this purely through the use of technology. Why would we waste your, and our, hard earned money on swanky offices when the truth has always been PR people only need a notebook, a computer, and a phone? These are huge savings we can pass on. We’ve made further savings by partnering with Payoneer, allowing you to pay in your local country with the local currency. We can currently accommodate USD$, AUD$, EUR€, GBP£, and AED. There’s no longer a need for expensive international bank transfers.

Our author services offer three set packages and a whole host of extra services. We’re aware every author’s needs are different, so can tailor packages to fit the requirements of each individual. It also keeps the costs down, as you only pay for the services you need.

Our approach is also unorthodox. If we do everything for you, then it’s more expensive as it takes up more of our time. Instead, we will mentor you from day one, teaching you how to complete some tasks yourself. We’ll always be on the phone, email, or WhatsApp to guide you through. This not only saves money, but teaches you new skills you can use in every aspect of your life.

You can get in touch through the website. There’s even a WhatsApp button so you can chat with us directly.

We’ve been hard at work ensuring MaxSam Communications is the consultancy we dreamed of when we started the journey. It’s taken 12 months of research to make sure we’ve achieved our goal. Thank you so much to everyone who gave up their time to help us ensure we can now offer what our customers are looking for.

We are only looking to work with small businesses. Our concept of mentoring small businesses so costs can be controlled clearly resonates with many people. Sadly, it’s far too time consuming to do so with large multi-nationals. We’ll leave them for the large agencies. If you’d like to know more, visit the website by clicking the image below.

This summer has also seen us fulfil a childhood dream. Before we turned to the dark side, and a lifetime in PR, we grew up wanting to be a journalist. Voices Newspaper in Didim has made the dream a reality. We now have a weekly column under the real name of Chris Evans. We’ve discussed topics ranging from UK banks and pensions to our new professional football team and a day out on a party boat. We even got to earn our journalistic spurs by covering the opening of a supermarket for the news section. Thankfully, we have not had any cats stuck up trees to report on!

We’ve also continued to accept the invitation to appear on Daisy Lane Publishing’s Inspire Series talking about all things books, although we must remember it’s now called KidLit International. You can see all the videos on YouTube by clicking the link below.

Sue Bavey has also been a large part of our summer. We’ve had more than one submission appear in her Not Marriage Material anthology. She must think we’re experts. You can see all the submissions at her website and even submit some of your own.

Ourselves and Sue have also had pieces accepted for a top secret anthology that will be published in 2025. We’ll let you know the details nearer the time.

Sue was also kind enough to ask us to write a blog on marketing as part of Self-Published Author Appreciation Week.

We’ve appeared in several interviews and articles over the summer. Morgen Bailey’s Saturday Spotlight was a particular highlight. You can read it here.

We also had the most incredible photo sent to us by a book reviewer. Aimee is an amazing person and, after this photo, even agreed to do a Soundtrack Of My Life piece.

There will be plenty going on over the winter too, not least the continuation of Spotlight Of My Life with some very special guests. The next book from Maximilian Sam will also be published. We won’t give very much away, but it has a lot to do with the first part of this blog!

You can still buy all the books, merchandise, and posters from the website. There are even two free short stories to download from the download page.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack of My Life - David Clegg

Social media can be a force for good. We first met David a few months before It's A Stray Dog's Life was first published. His encouragement and advice has been invaluable. We now have a chance to get to know him a little better.

What better way to start that letting him describe himself in his own words.

I am an author of military science fiction, who grew up on a steady diet of sci-fi TV, books and films including Star Trek, Doctor Who, Babylon 5 and almost everything else I could get hold of.

Besides writing I work in finance and have been a chef, a salesman and several other things.

When not writing I'm an avid wargamer, student of history, a home brewer and, of course, a reader.

I live in Northampton with my wife, our dog and cat.

He is the author of two military scifi books. You can find them by clicking the images below.

David can be found on social media at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCleggAuthor/

Twitter: https://x.com/davidc_author

You can also find David's playlist on Spotify by clicking the link below:

You converted us to a new genre of books. A good story, well written often does that to us! What made you focus on military scifi?

I've always been a massive sci-fi fan, as long as I can remember. I've also always been interested in military history, technology, tactics, strategy and so on, since my earliest childhood. Military sci-fi combines these great interests and gives a focus to the war stories I'm so fascinated by, along with the use of sci-fi settings to magnify, examine and explore the very human issues that come along with it. Things like grief, loss and guilt, the terror, elation and horror of military action, the call of duty and the need to defend one's home and way of life from an outside aggressor. There is so much scope for writing compelling characters and relatable situations in military sci-fi stories, even while creating future scenarios and imaginative settings.

We’ve always found the stories of how people became authors fascinating. What made you follow your dream?

It's actually quite mundane for me. I'd been interested in writing since my early childhood, but it had fallen by the wayside when I moved to Northampton. I was stuck in a dead-end, part-time retail job and I decided to get back into writing to try to earn some extra income, probably by self-publishing. I quickly decided to research traditional publishers instead, and I queried my current publisher, CAAB Publishing, while I was researching agents. I was picked up by CAAB immediately, so didn't pursue literary agents any further.

You’ve always been one of the great helps to us with passing on things you’ve learned about publishing. What are the most important things you’ve learned on your journey that would help others?

The biggest thing is to research and learn about the industry, whether you intend to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing. I see so many posts in Facebook writing groups, asking for agents to contact them, or recommendations for agents, and all that will achieve is to make the writer a target for scams. Scamming is absolutely rife in the world of writing. I see dozens of scam posts a day, and no sooner is one deleted than there's a dozen more going up. Learning to avoid the scammers is crucial, but also understanding how you get an agent, how you get a publisher, how to find honest service providers, and so on, is crucial as well. In the military, there's a saying: “time spent on reconnaissance is never time wasted,” and it's absolutely true in civilian life as well. Spend the time, do the research, or reconnaissance if you like, and learn before you go into it.  

What’s next in the pipeline?

I've got the sequel to The Aule Stratagem in the planning stage. It's slow going, but I'm about 75% done with the detailed plan, which will then allow me to start writing the first draft. No idea how long this will take, but you haven't seen the last of Michael Patterson.

Here's David's playlist:

Amazing by Aerosmith

This song helped me with a lot of teenage depression.

Not A Dry Eye In The House by Meat Loaf

Just a great song, from a great artist, that really captures feelings of heartbreak.

Soldier Of Fortune by Whitesnake

The first song I heard from this band and it became “my song” in the same depressed teenage years.

Escape (the Pina Colada song) by Rupert Holmes

I never really knew about this song until it came on the radio while I was listening with my wife. It reminds me of her.

Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran

I lost my mother a few years ago, and this song sums up those feelings so well, it's uncanny. The religious imagery Sheeran uses is incredibly powerful and I can't hear it without a lump in my throat.

In The Year 2525 by Zager & Evans

What sci-fi author wouldn't have this on his playlist? It conjures up images of epic sci-fi stories spanning centuries of time, with themes of futility, loss, frustration and acceptance of the human condition. Magnificent.

I Was Only 19 by Redgum

A powerful and moving war song, from the Australian perspective on the Vietnam War. It stills gives me chills.

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by The Pogues

An excellent version of another very powerful Australian war song. I can't get to the last verse without a lump in my throat, and I defy anyone who's got any connection to the military to do this.

Every Time I Hear Your Name by Keith Anderson

I love country music, and this one, despite being upbeat and catchy, taps into feelings of heartbreak and grief for a lost love. I think everyone can relate to this.

Maggie's Song by Chris Stapleton

This one is a gut-punch every time it plays. There's a few songs like this, all about dogs, that are just so powerful, but this one is the best. It encapsulates the love we have for our dogs and the admiration for them in our culture, along with the loss and grief when they're gone. It makes me want to hug our dog, Lady, every time I hear it.

Thank you so much for David. He's introduced us to a few tracks we weren't aware of before.

If you'd like to feature on Soundtrack of My Life, please drop us a line. We'll always find space.

Until next time, when we'll have some big news for you,

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - Jennifer Sharp

Welcome to our latest guest on Soundtrack Of My Life. It's the founder of Daisy Lane Publishing, Jennifer Sharp. For those who follow the Kidlit International Inspiration series, you will recognise Jennifer, as she organises a merry band of authors from around the world to discuss all things publishing with an extra focus on illustrated children's books. If you haven't seen any of the video chats yet, pop over to YouTube by clicking the link below. It's incredibly interesting and informative stuff.

How did you get into publishing? What inspired you to found your own publisher?

Books have been my life. Every Sunday, as a family we would visit my grandparents house for the obligatory Sunday dinner. Grandad was always there waiting for me with open arms and books on the table. He would read to me story after story after story before and after the meal. All I can remember is how his voice sounded when he read to me – it was very lyrical, like he almost sang the words. I was very young when he passed but this memory will always remain with me. 

I was one of those kids who hid in libraries whether it was the school library or the local council one. I always found solace in books and they got me through some really tough times. 

From here I went into primary school specializing in the early years of learning and children with disabilities and learning difficulties. I would read to these children each day as much as I could. I simply wanted these kids to know that when in my classroom they were cared for, and listened to, and accepted for who they were just like how I felt when I was with my grandad. 

After many years of teaching, I decided to leave the profession and found my own publishing house. I had been dabbling for a few years as a freelancer in editing, proofing, designing and many other aspects of bringing a book together, so why not? What I hadn’t learnt, I knew I could learn along the way. Daisies were my grandmothers favorite flower so, as a tribute to both grandma and grandad, Daisy Lane Publishing was born. 

I also have a second publishing company, Soul Essence International, where I publish books for leaders in their industry. This publishing house was born during covid when so many wanted to tell their story. The women’s movement was strong amongst other things, especially on social media, and collaborative books became really popular. I was really lucky that I found a formula, when covid was over, where I publish a collaborative book each year in combination with a leadership retreat. 

Many authors find the publishing process complex and frightening. Can you give us a simpler description of the process and how do you help authors navigate the time from writing their book to publication and beyond?

I think its really important that authors know their WHY before they write, and WHAT they want to get out of it. This often keeps the clarity there whilst they are doing the writing. I step my clients through the process from the writing of their story followed by the editing to the formatting and layout of the internal pages to the cover design. It literally is a step by step process and this takes the angst out of it for them. We often talk through the promotions and marketing of their story, offering different avenues they can take in the process. 

And, they don’t really have to be a writer. Many who want to write their stories don’t see themselves as “writers” and often think they have to have the “perfect” manuscript. In fact, it’s the opposite. All they need is an idea. If you think you’re not a writer talk your story out – when your in the car, walking the dogs, talk it. I have a specialized team of ghostwriters who can then take your spoken words and turn them into the written word. 

If you have an idea, that’s all you need to begin with. So, no excuses!

If you had one piece of advice to help authors as they start their journey, what would it be?

Only one? I had to think about this for a while. There is so much new writers need to learn. For me, my one piece of advice would be to write from the heart. What is your soul telling you? Don’t follow trends. What is a trend today won’t be tomorrow. If you write from your heart this will shine through and people can see that. Writing from the heart is timeless.

You work closely with illustrators too. How do you choose the people you work with?

Illustrators are gold! I love working with them. Their depth of creativity always astounds me. This may not make sense to everyone, but I choose illustrators really carefully and this can take months. When the right one comes along I just “know” they are the one. If the illustrator doesn’t 100% resonate with the story, they are not the one. They may be able to visualize the story beautifully, but their heart won’t be in it. The illustrator must “feel” the story just as I have that “knowing.” When we get the formula right, the outcome is gold. 

With the growth in self-publishing, how do you see the future of the publishing industry?

The publishing industry is undergoing rapid changes and has been for a while. What is today, may not be tomorrow. Self-publishing was once frowned upon, but over the last 10 years, more specifically the last 5, this has changed, and more and more are looking to self-publish or to assisted publishing to help them with the process. 

Traditional publishing is still strong, but many authors don’t want to wait to share their stories. From the signing of a contract to actual publication it can take 3-5 years, if it happens at all. Some are prepared to wait for this, others aren’t. The other downside of traditional publishing is it’s a really low royalty rate for the author whereas with self-publishing, the author receives nearly 100%.

Self-publishing is growing stronger. More and more publishing houses are offering both traditional and self-publishing routes for authors which is a win-win for all. 

There are plenty of ways to follow all of Jennifer's activities. here are the links:

Websites:

https://www.daisylanepublishing.com

https://www.soulessenceinternational.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DaisyLanePublishing/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/daisylanepublishing/

https://www.instagram.com/soul_essence_international_/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaisyLanePublishing

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sharp-publishing-consultant/

You can also find Jennifer's playlist on Spotify

Bat Out Of Hell by MeatLoaf

A favourite in the teenage years. I used to dance all night to MeatLoaf.

Dance Of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker

This was my first ever live theater adventure when I was 12. Watching Ballet - The Nutcracker at Newcastle Civic Theatre. I was totally mesmerized by it all!

Memory from Cats

The most famous musical of all time, first exploded onto the West End stage in 1981. Once again I was mesmerized with live theatre at 16 years old. It makes me realise how much you don't want to hear me sing!

Waterloo by ABBA

(Jennifer said to us, "absolutely anything by ABBA." It's impossible to disagree. As such I chose the big breakthrough from the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.)

A fan of all their music. If it wasn't Meatloaf, it was ABBA. I used to hang out each Sunday waiting for the music show Countdown shown on ABC at 6pm in the 80's so I could watch them.

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

The theme song from the movie Twilight. What can I say, I'm a romantic who doesn't mind a touch of drama!

Walking On Sunshine by Katrina And The Waves

What more can I say? My daily ritual - don't watch me dance to it though!

May It Be by Enya

Whenever I feel anxious, fearful, when the day isn't going so well for whatever reason, I find Enya's music calms my soul. Then I can Walk On Sunshine again.

The Monkey Dance by The Wiggles

Both of my children loved The Wiggles growing up. The Monkey dance was one of the first songs The Wiggles sang and danced to when I took them to a live performance. Everytime I hear this song I recall the delight and happiness and carefreeness of children. 

Only Time by Enya

I love the lyrics of this song. "Who can say where the road goes...Why your heart sighs...Who can say when the roads meet... It's only time, right? What is time in this world?"

A World To Believe In by Celine Dion

This is a song about believing in love but it is also a song that we can listen to because it can also bring hope to this world - "And yet through this darkness there's always a light that shines through and that light is love and something we desperately need in this world of ours on so many levels."

Don't forget you can find a wealth of information by watching the Daisy Lane Publishing/ Kidlit International Inspire series on YouTube by clicking the image below.

Until next time. TTFN.

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - What Aimee Reads

First up, apologies for the short break we've taken. Life was a little rough for a couple of weeks, but the attitude of finding solutions rather than being dragged down by the problems, has got us through.

Let's meet our latest guest on Soundtrack Of My Life. Amy is a book reviewer and podcast host under the name Whataimeereads (social media links are below). She also hosts a podcast Indie Talks with Whataimeereads. It's well worth following her on social media or visiting her website. She'll make you laugh as well as giving insightful reviews and great advice for authors.

Amy's links are:

Website www.whataimeereads.net

X @whataimeereads_

Instagram @whataimeereads_

GoodReads @whataimeereads_

TikTok @whataimeereads_

Spotify Indie Talks

You have an amazing website with interviews and book reviews. How did you come up with the idea?

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that, I do try my hardest to get it to look good! I'm not a content creator or anything, so designing has never been something I excel at, but a few people have commented now so it makes the hard work worth it! I just knew I had a love for reading, so I first started on bookstagram, built up a little following there and thought I was missing out on Twitter. Then, of course, I meddled in the Indie world. I remember authors called Bruno Beaches and Ali Fischer (brilliant authors may I add) who took a chance on me with only about 200 followers to read their books. I realised that there are so many talented people, and not enough marketing or supporters. I enjoyed the indie books more than I was enjoying the traditional books at the time. Don't get me wrong, I love trad books as much as anyone, but I think I focus more on the indie/small press so they get the content and exposure they deserve.

What do you look for when deciding who to interview and which books to review?

I started off doing blog tours, and ended up connecting with a few authors in the indie community and we started talking and creating bonds, and then after a while our conversations grew more and more, interacting and getting to know each other, then it usually ended up with me buying their book/ or they send them to me and I review them! So, when I read them, I post on GoodReads, Amazon, Insta, the blog and now my new podcast. I try to give every genre a go, just because I'm a mood reader, and just because I haven't liked one sort of genre, doesn't mean I should stop reading any others if you know what I'm trying to say? In terms of interviewing, I try to interview as many as possible, if I have more to talk about in terms of the book I'm reviewing I'll most likely approach them first, but I think people have got to the point now where they know I'll offer an interview at some point, whether it's written or video call. The thing that stops most of us finally getting to it, is that we are adults. Our lives get in the way! I'm hoping to stop the written ones now, and move onto podcast and video calls/live so that the readers can actually get to know the authors on a personal level, and hear their own authentic voices.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?

I wouldn't say a typical favourite as I really enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, romance, smut, thriller...pretty much everything. So I dabble everywhere really! I like to discover and hear about new genres that I wouldn't have even noticed before, so that's exciting!

Where does your love of books come from?

Honestly? Don't laugh. Belle from Beauty and the beast, and the film Matilda. My mom and dad read a lot, and I always got to read to them as a child, and they did the same to me. I always wanted to be 'that girl' from the Disney films who walked around carrying a book in their arms! The way my brain feels in a library, or a bookshop is a weird feeling, it's like my safe place. The amount of adventures that you can enter just by opening a page of a book is unreal. I also studied English Language and Literature as an A-Level, so I think my passion was spiked there knowing that my coursework is literally just me rambling onto a page about a book I read, the historical aspects and the detail that was written in the likes of Shakespeare...I knew I was doing the right with my life.

What other projects do you have in the pipeline?

Ok so! I have a podcast that has recently just been set up, it's fairly new at the moment, but I'm hoping to expand as much as I can with some other guests on there. I'm currently in the process of some other collabs with a few indie businesses, and trying to start a magazine! I'm also writing a book at the moment, it's a WIP as I get writer's block quite easily, so I get back to that whenever my mind is in the right place to do so. NOT MUCH! ha!

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Don't forget you can listen to Amy's playlist on Spotify by clicking the image below.

Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I used to play this on my phone and lay it on my stomach, and she used to kick like crazy when it was playing so that made me smile, always reminds me of that moment.

Dear God by Avenged Sevenfold

I suffered with mental health, depression and anxiety for a long time when I was in my late teens, this song always got me through it, I don't know why, but it did.

Paradise By The Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf

This was the first song me and my father used to play together on the guitar, so it holds some great memories for me.

Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA

I CANNOT listen to this without crying. Me and my mother are massive ABBA fans, and as I was growing up she used to cry to this song, I never understood why until I had children myself, now I blub like a baby. 

Put A Donk On It by The Blackout Crew

This is a silly song, and it's the worst song ever, but me and my brother used to bounce around to this as kids and it always makes me laugh to this day with the amount of silly stuff we used to get up to!

You're Still The One by Shania Twain

The lyrics in this song makes my heart go all funny, reminds me of my partner. My safe place.

A Little Bit Of Soap by Showaddywaddy

Showaddywaddy have always been a massive part of my life, seeing them five times, going with my mother and also my daughter's have known the full lyrics to this song since they were toddlers!

Indestructible by Disturbed

Makes me feel like I can take on the entire world hahaha!

Smile by Nat King Cole

This reminds me of my Grandad on my fathers side, he sang it to me whilst on holiday to Spain because he thought I looked sad, it's on a video that my father took, and it stayed with me for the rest of my life, he's sadly passed away but when I'm feeling down I always listen to that song. 

You're The Voice by John Farnham

The first song I heard on my dad's surround sound headphones he had. I was only a kid so I was amazed! Children of this generation will never experience that for the first ever time. 

Thank you so much to Amy. Don't forget to visit her website and follow her on social media.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - Tolga Altintas

We're really happy to have our first Turkish author giving us the soundtrack of my life this week.

Tolga is the author of 3 novels and 2 short stories all in the fantasy genre. We're also lucky he speaks English.

How difficult is it writing in English when it isn’t your first language?

It’s hard to describe it as better or worse but rather different than what I would think to describe things in my own language. Obviously, there are certain barriers like sayings and words with different meanings that I struggle to contemplate the right form. But most of these things can be eased by ai tools that I use for writing. Briefly, it’s like looking through a new pair of glasses, a new experience that is both challenging and fun for me.

What made you change your career when you’d finished your medical degree to become a full-time writer?

There are many reasons ranging from bad conditions given to doctors or medical staff in general to the urge to find my true self and decide what to do with my limited life. It was a really tough decision that included months of tears being shed and crisis in the family but ultimately, I followed my passion of writing and sharing my stories.

What’s the inspiration behind your books? Where do the ideas come from?

I’m very lucky with this one as imagining things has always been my secret sauce to keep myself happy. In my childhood I loved creating monsters and giving them traits, at the same time keeping myself busy with different science fiction vehicles and tools. As I grew up, my stories became more robust and unique as I digested books, movies and games like a starving soul. Even my first attempt at creating a book came from the urge to change the fantasy novel series. In time, I subconsciously studied people, their stories, ways of thinking and reactions to different subjects which all created a pool of characters to be used. I have no trouble of creating stories but rather deciding which one is the best for my books and readers.

You split your time between the big city and a seaside village. Which gives an easier environment in which to write? Is it tempting to sneak off to the beach instead?

Luckily, my house in the city is in a less populated area that is mostly peaceful and quiet. For me, I could only wish for silence when I’m writing and traveling to my worlds to create new stories. Being in the village also provides me with similar conditions, however I go there in summertime where the air gets really hot and disturbing. So, it is indeed tempting to spend my time inside water rather than sitting at home and keeping myself behind the screen for a long day writing. I definitely find being in my city house more efficient as I’m left with lesser things to do or worry about, though swimming and feeling the sun and sand on a much needed vacation is something I would not change for anything.

Don't forget you can find Tolga's playlist on Spotify by clicking the link below.

Almost Like The Blues by Leonard Cohen

There is no God in heaven There is no hell below

So says the great professor of all there is to know

But I've had the invitation that a sinner can't refuse

To me, it’s all the right elements coming together with Cohen’s voice and the words resonance of logic and spiritualism. I feel uplifted, satisfied, and understood, because as he says, I also believe that the afterlife and forgiveness is possible with a supreme being present. It gives me freedom to think about the goodness I will receive if I live this life as a good person. Not the best, perhaps, but the spiritual connection really gives me a sense of relief and that’s why I like his words in this beautifully crafted song.

Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım by Aşık Veysel

(tr)

Dünyaya geldiğim anda

Yürüdüm aynı zamanda

İki kapılı bir handa

Gidiyorum gündüz gece, gündüz gece

(eng)

The moment I came into the world

That moment I began walking

In a tavern with two doors

I go day and night, day and night

Aşık Veysel is a Turkish poet who had earned his life by singing traditional songs in villages. He had an illness which caused him to become blind at a young age and in this song, he created, he says that life is just a two doored inn where people just pass by. His acceptance of death and the temporariness of our time strikes me deep with this one. I had no horrors of death but since I have already lived so little, I envy his words, carry them by my side like lucky coins. If it finds me sooner, I shall be ready.

Minnet Eylemem by Ahmet Aslan

(tr)

zerrece tamahım yoktur şu dünyanın varına

rızkımı veren hüdadır kula minnet eylemem

(eng)

I don't have any greed for the wealth of this world

The One who gives my bread is eternal, I don’t show gratitude towards the human giver.

It’s a bit tough to translate such old Turkish words into English. However, the reason that I took it is that it’s actually written by a poet who lived in 15th century. He says that he had given up earthly delights in exchange to find himself and he had no intention of being a puppet of the sultan. These lines encourage me to chase freedom whenever it’s possible instead of being under someone else’s control. If there is a thanks to be given, the real provider is indeed the earth and the creator. I think in today’s world his words are still relevant and needed to be heard by the crowds that think the companies provide them with everything.

Ayrılık by Cem Adrian

(tr)

Unutmak o kadar kolay mı sandın?

Ayrılık bana aşktır artık

(eng)

Did you think it’s that easy to forget?

The break up is love for me now

In a heartbeat, his voice keeps a calm and steady water in one’s mind and so these lines protrude to my own in the best form of love. I relish the idea that love doesn’t need to be responded to as it is such a unique feeling that we must admire it with all power we can gather when it happens.

Sigara by Müslüm Gürses

(tr)

Ben sigara dumanının altında, yana yana en sonunda kül oldum

Sen kibritin hiç yanmayan ucunda, birinin hayatından geçmiş oldun

(eng)

Under the smoke of a cigarette, I've burned down to ashes

 At the end of the match which never burns, you've just passed through someone's life

On the other end of love stays a pain that is hurtful yet pleasing. In his words, Gürses shows how things appear very different on two sides of a simple fate. I envy how he is in an acceptance and feel the same suffering he conveys in tearless lines. Even though I haven’t smoked a single cigarette, my lungs always fill with the heaviness of his dread when I hear this song. It hurts, but at the same time I feel pleasure. The pleasure of a strong and heartfelt emotion.

Oyunbozan by Mor ve Ötesi

(tr)

Geçer, geçer, zaman şu an yalan

Nedir ki bak, silindi hafızam

Hayat kadar yalanmış ayrılık!

(eng)

It'll pass, it'll pass, time is a lie right now

It's nothing, look, my memory has been wiped

Breaking up turned out to be as much of a lie as life itself

For a softer song, I chose to include one that I always sing along with. In these lines, it’s me who forgives and forgets all the things that happened in the past. Despite its about a breakup, I feel elevated by the lines, so much so that I listen to it not when I’m depressed, but when I see life filled with new opportunities.

Antidepresan Gülümsemesi by Model

(tr)

Kafamda durmadan bağırıp çağıran bir yabancının sesi

Yüzümde kocaman, yalandan bir antidepresan gülümsemesi

(eng)

I have the voice of a stranger who keeps screaming

I have a huge fake antidepressant smile on my face

That is me. Even though I feel well most of the time, there are moments where I, like everyone else, hide behind a smile that is fake and wrong, but at the same time necessary to pause and resettle the issues. I see it as a response to the life hitting me and convey my undisturbed thoughts while keeping people around me unchallenged. Luckily, I don’t use any antidepressants, but I still have their masking smile.

Running With the Wolves by Aurora

Where hope is left so incomplete

I'm running with the wolves tonight

Entangling, vicious, and vigorous. I truly believe that we have a connection with the animals and our inner selves feel the satisfaction of being in nature. As a person who went horse riding in a forest, I just love nature. If I had the chance, I would have run with the wolves, becoming one of them to understand what lies beyond our everyday struggles.

Tamirci Çırağı by Cem Karaca

(tr)

Çekti gitti arabayla egzozuna boğuldum

Gözümde tomurcuk yaşlar ağır ağır doğruldum

Ustam geldi, sırtıma vurdu, unut dedi romanları

İşçisin sen işçi kal giy dedi tulumları

(eng)

She drove away and I was engulfed in the exhaust fumes

With heavy teardrops in my eyes, I slowly straightened up

My boss patted me on the back and said: “Forget about the novels”

“You’re a worker, stay a worker. Wear your overalls.”

To keep the meaning intact, I had to write four lines. It’s about a boy who works in a car mechanic and reads a novel about a rich girl getting in love with a poor man. He thinks the same for the person who visits the shop to get her car repaired. But when he opens the door, she just embarrasses him and leaves thus his boss tells him to stay with reality.

It’s actually cruel and heartbreaking to hear and to understand that these things happened as long as the time goes by. People with dreams and good intentions left with only tears and pain. And in such a developing nation, this imbalance hurt most Turkish citizens coming from villages to the cities for the first time. I feel their pain, their loneliness, and broken dreams. It’s a moment of anger, understanding the injustice, yet when we turn back to our lives, we see that our prejudices are only natural.

Sev Kardeşim by Şenay

(tr)

Dünya'ya geldik bir kere

Kavgayı bırak hergün bu şarkımı söyle

Sevdikçe güler her çehre

Amaçlar hep bir olsun

Kalpler birlikte

(eng)

We came to the world for once

Leave fighting, sing my song everyday

When loves, every face smiles

The aims may be all together

Hearts all together

For the last one, I chose a happy ending which gives me cheers despite its age. A song from 1980, maybe the most brutal years in near Turkish history. Still, she is ever cheerful, ever reaching with her happiness and whenever I listen to this song, I smile and laugh for real this time. There is not much to say as she says it all at once. We came to this world once, love and smile, for the other things, life is too short to care about them.

A huge thanks to Tolga. we hope it's interesting for everyone to see how different it is writing whilst having to translate what you are doing. A very special talent.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army