Stuart Aken's Blog, page 214

Here is my interview with Stuart Aken

stuartaken:

I’ve been interviewed by Fiona McVie on ‘authorsinterviews’. Here’s her post.

Originally posted on authorsinterviews:

Name: Stuart Aken

Age: 67 outside, about 23 within.

Where are you from?

My mother was warned I’d be born dead, due to her shock at my father’s death three weeks earlier. But, stubborn from the start, I landed very much alive. That was in a neighbour’s bed as we’d been evicted from the home that was tied to my father’s job. This all happened in Hull, a city port in...

Running and Writing for ME/CFS no. 37

The paperback version.

Writing:

Those of you who follow the blog will know that the book was launched yesterday, 14 June, in digital and print forms. For those who missed the announcement, please follow this link to the post, where you’ll get the details.

This part of this series of blog posts has now come to a natural conclusion, so future posts will concentrate on the running aspect, where I’m training for a half marathon, The Great North Run, to be completed on 13 September this year.

Othe...

Today’s the Day!

The back cover of the paperback version.

From today, you can read my latest book. M.E. and me: Chronic Fatigue, My Recovery After 10 Years is now available as an eBook through Smashwords by clicking here, or in digital and print forms through Amazon by clicking here.

ME/CFS is a debilitating condition that’s still not properly understood. It deprives victims of their normal lives, generally attacks only those who’ve led active lives, and causes great distress for families and friends as well...

Call to Arms – Book Marketing Results

stuartaken:

Some interesting findings on book sales from advertising.

Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:

Following my Call to Arms, a number of you responded by sharing with me your book marketing experience. I now have about a hundred responses by some fifty authors. Although some of the responses were expected, there were quite a few surprises in there for me.

Methodology

For anyone wishing to take a look at the raw data, you can download this Excel spreadsheet.I groupedthe results acc...

In the Nick of Time!

The paperback version.

The paperback proof copy arrived today and it looks good. I was hoping to get this in time for the print version to be available at the same time as the ebook, which has been on pre-order for a couple of weeks. The launch date for that is 14th June.

The process with Amazon and Createspace means that the print book should be available at once through the Createspace estore by clicking here. Because of delays that exist in the system, it will be available on Amazon.com in...

Like Being on TV; only Different.

Yesterday, 10th June, I spent an hour in live conversation online with Sally Ember. Sally is a writer and writing tutor who has ventured into the world of Google+ Hangouts in a way beneficial to readers and writers. She invites writers to share their thoughts with readers in her weekly show, Changes.

I choose to write because I’m not a comfortable public speaker. That’s a common enough position for authors, I think. But I do actually have experience in public speaking, since I was a staff tr...

Live Online, Talking Books, Fiction, and Much More

Tomorrow, Wednesday 10th June, I’ll be live online in conversation with author Sally Ember, Ed.D on her talk show at *Changes*. It’s not so much an interview as a chat between authors and bloggers, covering topics of mutual interest. We’re both interested in writing in different genres, especially science fiction and speculative fiction, as well as the nuts of bolts of the craft, and the art of blogging.

For a flavour of her show, click on this link. And, if you’re an author interested in ap...

Lucky Always, by E.D. Lappin, Reviewed.

This is a singular novel from an author who really knows how to tell a story.

Set in the murky world of ‘black ops’ during the troubles of Northern Ireland, this book gives insights into a world that many readers will suspect, but could never be sure, existed. The depth of research is extraordinary, with details of places, the nature of operations, techniques, and equipment all adding veracity to the plot.

The characters are all believable people; people leading double lives in perilous situ...

Running and Writing for ME/CFS no. 36

One of the tracks I run on.

Writing:

Regular visitors will know the book is now published and can be pre-ordered in digital form from Amazon, here, and from Smashwords, here. The paperback has been accepted and I’m awaiting the physical review copy to make sure all is as it should be. It’s due tomorrow. That, too, should be available to buy on release date, 14th June.

Thanks to all who have ordered a copy. Both I and the charity Action For ME are very grateful for your support.

Running:

This...

The Evolution of a Book Cover.

M.E. and me. The book is published!

Book covers, we all need them, and most indie authors try to design these themselves. Sometimes, though not often, it works. Many of the results are pretty grotty.

I have some small experience of illustration and graphics, fonts and typography, from a spell working at a local art college as a graphics technician. I also occasionally slipped into lectures and learned some things. On top of this, I spent part of my life as a professional photographer, working...