Ronda J. Del Boccio's Blog: Writing is pure Bliss, page 32

Best Book Marketing Advice Ever

Send to KindleWrite the next book! #writing #bpokmarketingtips

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"Our best marketing tool is sitting down and writing the next book."

This quote from CJ Lyons was one of the many bits of gold she shared in this interview: http://TheAuthorHangout.com/009

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MindShift: Temporarily Disconnected

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One of my favorite movies when I need a laugh is What About Bob. It’s hilarious. A psychiatric patient unravels his new shrink. You watch the patient get well and the doctor sink into madness.

The past couple weeks have bene a wild ride for me, and I keep thinking of a line the patient Bob Wiley makes:

“If I find someone who I don’t think likes me, I just treat them like they are a telephone, and i say, ‘This one’s just temporarily disconnected.'”

Employ this mindshift next time you’re besieged!

Follow your BLISS,

Ronda Del Boccio

best selling author, speaker and mentor

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Book Review of Psychological Thriller In Her Shadow by August McLaughlin

Send to KindleBook Review: In Her Shadow , a Psychological Thriller by August McLaughlin

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. Each week, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers.

This week, it’s a chilling and suspenseful tale of secrets, pain and torment. In Her Shadow  is August McLaughlin‘s debut novel.

Read my 5-star review.

 

Here is the book description from Amazopn:

One woman locked in a basement, nearing death and longing for escape. Another baffled by the inexplicable symptoms wreaking havoc on her life. Both are lost and alone, yet somehow connected. And time is running out…

Near the tenth anniversary of her parents’ unexpected death, Claire Fiksen, a lovely young Harvard-grad and gifted psychologist in Minnesota, develops bizarre symptoms of an eating disorder that threaten her fledgling career, her relationship with a handsome young medical student, her grasp on reality and, soon, her life.

When her beloved grandfather reveals that there may be more to her parents’ death than she’s realized, Claire’s pursuit of healing becomes a desperate search for answers as she delves into her family’s sordid past. Meanwhile, someone is watching her every move, plotting to draw her into her own twisted web of misery.

Claire has something he needs, and he’ll stop at nothing to obtain it. Every step Claire takes brings her closer to the truth and danger. And her life, she discovers, isn’t the only one at stake.

This book began its journey as a memoir but became a thriller, one of Ms. McLaughlin’s favorite genres. Now, time for my review:

In Her Shadow : A  Chilling Mix of Psychology, Drama, Secrets and Torment

I love thrillers. I love suspense, so this is the type of book I would likely read whether or not I was reviewing books n Amazon or my site. Some thrillers focus more on action. Think Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code. Others center around interaction, such as this story. I wasn’t surprised when I read (in the author bio on Amazon) that this book began as a memoir. A deft writer can make even the wild tale feel true, yet given the author’s history,

Present Tense Potency

This book has the additional tension and immediacy of present tense. While most books are written in past tense, using present tense adds a deeper shiver to a suspenseful tale.

Powerful Beginning

The start of a book needs to grab the reader’s attention. In Her Shadow does this right fro the first sentence:

She gulps the swig of poison like an eight year-old inhaling cough syrup,– nose plugged, eyes squeezed shut, her face pulled into a tight round ball.  Toxic, metallic tasting vapors trail the down her throat, filling her with venomous stench and nausea. Swallow, she instructs. Gulp. Breathe. There, that’s it. She did it.

That first sentence grabbed me. You have no idea yet what’s going on in specific, yet curiosity rises.

Poetic phrasing

The arrangement of words either adds or detracts from a story. Notice the impact of “tight round ball.” OK, you may argue that balls are round, but “tight round ball” and “tight ball” have a different feel.

Salacious Secrets

Psychological thrillers thrive on secrets, hidden motives, and dramatic tension. That first paragraph pulls you into the first of many secrets.

Chapter two introduces you to Claire and the first of the secrets surrounding her: a birthday cake at work that none of her co-workers bought.

Throughour the book, the lives of these two women, Claire and “italics girl” weave together. I called her that because until later in the book, you don’t know her name. So I won’t reveal it here.

Deep POV

For anyone who doesn’t know, point of view if the character’s head in which you as the reader “reside” during a scene, story, or book. Some follow one person throughout. Here you get two women, Claire and italics girl.

You’ll notice that you are so deep in the narrator’s thoughts that you experience the world through her perceptions. You are one with her worldview as you read, as there is no separation between narrator and setting.

For any writer wrestling with deep point of view (aka deep pov)or simply with how to go deeper into your characters’ thoughts, read this book and take note of the character development. That paragraph I shared above is an excellent example of deep pov.

Unraveling

Throughout the book you watch the two pov characters unravel bit by bit. This makes for a great psychological thriller. You won’t know until far into the book who is behind it all. No spoilers here!

Claire is pretty sure she’s being watched and thinks she has seen a car following her, yet her best friend thinks she’s imagining it, and her confidence is thrown. The other woman fights illness and fear in an effort to maybe someday achieve her goal.

The two sink deeper and deeper into their traps. Exciting throughout the story.

Amazon Reviews Rave and Rotten

In Her Shadow has 174 reviews as of this article.

143 are 4 or 5 star, which is 84.5%
17 are 3 star, which is 9.77%
14 are 1 or 2 star, which is 8.05%

This brought up an interesting discussion among some members of Ozarks Writers League, where both August McLaughlin and I are speaking soon.

One author said she would feel awful if she got any 1 or 2 star reviews. Another said “they happen, get used to it.”

Yes, sometimes they happen. Consider that 4 out of 5 people LOVE this book. Less than 1 in 10 hates it. Not bad odds! Who can expect better, honestly? Among people who read your book and don’t review it, chances are that 1 in 10 or even a little more won’t like it.

Irritating Italics

I do have to say one thing that drove me nuts. I hate italics. It’s hard to read, and having to read it page after page is truly taxing. IT adds only confusion and eyestrain to the book.

An alternative that might also allay some of the issues reviewers have with the book would have been to label the chapters by name until the point where they are in the same place. Or just take out the italics and let it all be in normal font.

This did not stop me giving In Her Shadow a heartfelt 5 star review..

Author Platform

In Her Shadow fits perfectly with August McLaughlin‘s author platform.

Body image is a key theme in the book and in all of the author’s work. This is her first novel, hopefully with more to come. Additionally, her popular Girl Boner Podcast and numerous articles on women’s health and sensuality fill her portfolio.

Here are just a few of her articles:

3 Myths About Female Sexuality — And Why We Keep Believing Them
Toxic Cleanse: Debunking Detox Diet Myths
Infused Water Recipes to Improve Your Health
Love the Skin You’re In: Putting the Order Back in Disordered Eating
Nourish Your Body, Nurture Yourself

As you can see, all her work harmonizes with her mission. This is a beautiful example of a well established author platform.

A strong author platform makes it easier for a writer to speak, promote  and market.

About August McLaughlin







 

August McLaughlin is an award-winning health and sexuality writer, radio personality and creator of the empowering female sexuality brand Girl Boner. Her work has been featured by LIVESTRONG.com, Sexual Wellness News, DAME Magazine, Healthy Aging Magazine and more. Her first novel, In Her Shadow, a thriller loosely based on her battle with anorexia while working as an international model, was an 2013 Indies for Excellence finalist, and in 2014 she was named one of BlogHer’s Voices of the Year. Known for melding personal passion with activism, she uses her skills as a public speaker and journalist to inspire other women to embrace their bodies and sexuality, making way for fuller, more authentic lives.

August is represented by Jill Marr of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and loves connecting with readers and listeners throughout social media.

Connect with August McLaughlin

Website
blog
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook
Amazon author page

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In Her Shadow  on Amazon

Read More Book Reviews by Ronda Del Boccio

Looking for more book reviews? I share insights on books in most genres. See them all in the Book Review Category

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon.

Join Ronda’s readers for free stories, sneak peeks at her next books and more at WriteOnPUrpose.com/read

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Ronda Del Boccio

#1 best selling author, speaker, and Amazon Top Reviewer

PS Want to republish this review?

I am delighted for you to repost this review on your blog or website. You are most welcome to republish this review following standards established by best practice and copyright law. This is true of any blog post, by the way.

Here are the guidelines that help you play nicely and give credit where it is due.

You must use the permalink for the specific post, which is the direct article link, also called the original article source.
You must include my byline and author information, or I shall come after you
Following these guidelines helps my website traffic as well as yours. Thank you for playing nicely.

If you are an author
Want your book reviewed?

If you are an author or publisher desiring a review, here is everything you need to know:

Each Tuesday, read a book review on WriteOnPUrpose.com. I delve deeper in these than I do for what I post on Amazon

Focusing on what makes a good read, these reviews benefit authors and readers alike. Each contains helpful hints to help authors make their books more compelling.

Before posting here, I first write a review on Amazon, and I am an Amazon Top Reviewer; read my reviews at WriteOnPurpose.com/reviews.

If you are an author or publisher wanting a book review, go to my Review Request Page at WriteOnPurpose.com/reviewrequest and complete the form.

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What will you do to keep your thoughts, words and deeds positive? #mindset #positivethoughts…

Send to KindleWhat will you do to keep your thoughts, words and deeds positive? #mindset   #positivethoughts  

Reshared post from +Sylvia Burleigh

So much depends upon your attitude…

from suzyspeaks.com

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Looking for Blog Post Title Templates?

Send to KindleNeed Blog Post Title Templates?

Templates are like stencils or recipes. Just fill in the blank and adapt these templates to write great blog post titles.

It’s like that game Mad Libs. Remember that? Look no further. than this infographic for 74 terrific blog post title templates.

You could even use some of these for

book titles
article titles
video titles

Just sayin… be creative with a little help from templates.

Follow your BLISS,

Ronda Del Boccio,

best selling author and inspirational speaker, this time helping you with blog post title templates.

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Video Book Excerpt: One Story Unites Us All from The Peace Seed by Ronda Del Boccio

Send to KindleVideo Book Excerpt fro the #1 Best Selling Book The Peace Seed: Personal and Global Transformation through Storytelling by Ronda Del Boccio

One story unites us all. See and hear what that is as you watch and read this video book ecerpt. No captions needed, because you will be able to read the sample even if you are deaf.

One story indeed exists in all human cultures, even the most remote. This means we are more similar than not. Build a bridge of peace and be a peace seed.

So much of peace comes through sharing stories and generous listening. I hope you enjoy this book excerpt.

Get your copy of The Peace Seed now from Amazon.com and start reading in under a minute with  free Kindle apps or your Kindle Reader.

Follow your BLISS,

Ronda Del Boccio

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon.

Join Ronda’s readers for free stories, sneak peeks at her next books and more at WriteOnPUrpose.com/read

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Book Excerpt Paranormal Humor Novella A Tasty Morsel by Ronda Del Boccio

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Writing a story is fun – and it’s a craft that takes practice, like any other. I also love reading 5-star reiews from readers who took the time and trouble to write a review.

This humorous paranormal tale includes a vampires, ghouls, and even a ban-shee with a personality disorder.

What People are Saying about A Tasty Morsel

I am so excited about my latest review of A Tasty Morsel!

“More than everything, it’s a memorable piece that stands out in a sea of common, overused themes.”

from a review by Tom Jones

“I loved the book because it took me on a journey from unexpected to almost-expected. Then again to unexpected. ”

from a review by Michael Craig

What Inspired the Story?

I live in the Ozarks, which is a beautiful area populated with fun hillbilly/redneck characters, tourists from all over, and, in my imagination at least, a host of undead, immortal, mystical and mythical beings. Oh who am I kidding? They’re real!

I set this story at one of my very favorite places, Dogwood Canyon. When I was taking a tour, our guide said someone had just discovered a cave hidden in the rocky hillside. My storyteller’s brain went into hyperdrive immediately. I thought, what if someone discovered a vampire in that cave? This story was born. It is the first of a collection of connected tales you will see from me.

Excerpt from  A Tasty Morsel

Ellie caressed the damp, rough wall of the cave. Her climb up the vertical hillside had invigorated her, and now she relished the coolness of the cave she had discovered nestled in Dogwood Canyon. How long has it been since anyone found the well-concealed opening and explored its secrets? She smelled and tasted the damp darkness as she carefully investigated the rocky landscape. At her chest level was a smooth area the size of her palm. When she touched the cool imprint, a deep groan echoed. The wall jerked inwards, revealing a musty room.

Her heart pounding, she picked up her small lantern and stood at the stony doorway. A new layer of dampness from inside the chamber assaulted her nose. This place had been sealed off for a very long time, judging by the dank odor. Ellie pointed the light inside. It cast oddly shaped shadows around the room. She felt like a detective on a tough case as she noted each nuance of rock.

One cave she had found last year had ancient paintings of successful hunts on the wall. She always thought that perhaps such drawings were mental visioning and preparation rather than a prehistoric newspaper of past events, as she had been told in school. Would there be paintings here? Or maybe ancient tools left behind?

Before stepping inside, Ellie illuminated the floor. She felt her lips curve into a smile. This would be a new adventure, and she always felt her breath quicken in anticipation whenever a new adventure presented itself. As she cast the yellow orb before her, a shape she did not wish to see made her hold her breath. Was that a human foot?

Her heart quickened. She inched forward. A foot, a leg, a hand – a man? Yes A pale and emaciated man lay with a pole through his heart.

“Oh, fantastic.” Her voice sounded strange in her ears. She would have to report this discovery to the Morris Foundation. “I would be the one to find this.” Frowning down at the body, she decided maybe if she could close the wall again, nobody would ever know about the burial chamber. If that’s what it was.

But this couldn’t be a burial chamber. Could it?

Tempting as it might be to close the wall and say nothing about the hidden chamber, curiosity gnawed at her. There was something very strange about this body. Part of her wanted to get out of there; she told that part to shut up as she knelt beside the man.

Calling on her science training, she mentally catalogued the specimen: Male, about five feet, eight inches tall, long brown hair, small frame, no sign of decay, no dried blood, odd clothes giving a feeling that he dropped in from the past. Cause of death: starvation.

Start Reading A Tasty Morsel in Under a Minute

Buy A Tasty Morsel.

Download this Kindle exclusive now to your Kindle Reader or free Kindle Reading App.

 

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Book Review of Romance Thursdays at Coconuts by Beth Carter

Send to KindleBook Review of Thursdays at Coconuts by Beth Carter

Welcome back to another Write On Purpose book review. Each week, I review a well-written book, highlighting what makes it good from the reader’s perspective and what writing skills and techniques make it an irresistible read. Thus, each review serves both writers and readers. This week’s good read is Thursdays at Coconuts by Beth Carter. It’s a light read with interesting characters. It reminds me of a “typical” woman’s Sex in the City, because the key characters are interesting women who have more common lives and jobs than the glitzy shopaholic movie/TV series.

Here is the description of Thursdays at Coconuts from Amazon

As the go-to wedding planner, Suzy can’t find her own wedded bliss and has one shocker of a wedding day. It doesn’t help that she’s still pining for her high school sweetheart, the one who got away. Handling neurotic brides is the best part of Suzy’s day until her son brings home a bombshell from Europe. Alexandra, a beautiful marketer with a “touch” of OCD, falls for a bad-boy cop who’s married and possibly stalking her. But he sure is sexy. Alex tries to stay at arm’s length after she puts her job—and life—on the line for the officer who isn’t always a gentleman. Hope hates her name, looks, and frizzy hair. As a high school counselor, she dishes out sage advice to students, yet can’t see she’s enabling her deadbeat, stuck-in-the-seventies hippie parents. After tragedy strikes, she reexamines their relationship and discovers a secret that almost went to the grave.

Read my 4-star review on Amazon.   Buy Thursdays at Coconuts

Contemporary Romance

Beth Carter calls the book “women’s fiction with romantic elements.” I’d call it a contemporary romance. The vast majority of romances are women’s fiction. How many guys do you know who read them, after all?

Now, my disclaimer is that I’m not typically a reader of this genre. I like paranormal tales, suspense, psychological thrillers, fantasy – that sort of thing. Yet I enjoyed this book

Writing Skills – Multiple Points of View

Three women each have a chance to tell their part of the story. As you read, you’ll probably think of women you know who  Beth carter does an excellent job making each woman unique and interesting.

What makes t his work from a writing skills perspective is staying in one character’s head at a time and knowing your “cast” well enough.

When the writer knows her characters, she can convey them as individuals to the reader.This makes for an enjoyable read.

Happy Ending

All the threads will be woen together in a neat package at the end. This is not a spoiler alert, because right on the Amazon page the author promises a happy ending. That is what most romance readers expect.

I think a couple of the threads were rushed and too neat and “pat.” But this will no doubt please the typical romance novel enthusiast.u

Engaging Readers – Book Marketing tips

Carter did an online book launch party when the book first arrived into the world. This is a great way to connect with readers right fro home. No driving, airplanes, or lugging boxes of books around.

During her online book launch, Carter asked the audience to say which woman she (or he) was most like. Perhaps not the best thing for launch day when the book was so new you probably hadn’t read it yet, but now, some months later, that is an excellent way to engage readers and keep the book fresh in their minds.

Buy Thursdays at Coconuts

Buy from Amazon
Buy from the publisher, Soul Mate Publishing

Connect with Author Beth Carter

Go to Beth Carter’s Amazon Author Page
Follow Beth Carter on Twitter.
Like Beth Carter’s Facebook page.

Read More Book Reviews by Ronda Del Boccio

Looking for more book reviews? I share insights on books in most genres. See them all in the Book Review Category

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon.

Join Ronda’s readers for free stories, sneak peeks at her next books and more at WriteOnPUrpose.com/read

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Please share this review all over the social web!

Follow your B.L.I.S.S.

Ronda Del Boccio

#1 best selling author, speaker, and Amazon Top Reviewer

PS Want to republish this review?

I am delighted for you to repost this review on your blog or website. You are most welcome to republish this review following standards established by best practice and copyright law. This is true of any blog post, by the way.

Here are the guidelines that help you play nicely and give credit where it is due.

You must use the permalink for the specific post, which is the direct article link, also called the original article source.
You must include my byline and author information, or I shall come after you
Following these guidelines helps my website traffic as well as yours. Thank you for playing nicely.

If you are an author
Want your book reviewed?

If you are an author or publisher desiring a review, here is everything you need to know:

Each Tuesday, read a book review on WriteOnPUrpose.com. I delve deeper in these than I do for what I post on Amazon

Focusing on what makes a good read, these reviews benefit authors and readers alike. Each contains helpful hints to help authors make their books more compelling.

Before posting here, I first write a review on Amazon, and I am an Amazon Top Reviewer; read my reviews at WriteOnPurpose.com/reviews.

If you are an author or publisher wanting a book review, go to my Review Request Page at WriteOnPurpose.com/reviewrequest and complete the form.

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Authors: Considering Hosting a Blog Book Tour?

Send to KindleThis video from the Author Hangout series from +Book Marketing Tools  is an excellent primer on doing blog tours for your book launch!

#booklaunch   #booklaunching   #launchparty   #bookmarketing   #bookmarketingtipsReshared post from +Book Marketing Tools

“A success for one indie author, is a success for all of us.” – Alana Terry on The Author Hangout… Listen to the rest of the interview about blog tours and more: TheAuthorHangout.com/015

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Images are the new call to action!

Send to Kindleindeed, +Peg Fitzpatrick . Bad news for blind authors! heehee #artofsocialReshared post from +Omi Sido

SEO Tip of the day

“Images are the new call to action (CTA). If people come to your blog and can’t share it easily, they won’t.” – +Peg Fitzpatrick

A good tip from +Peg Fitzpatrick (Author • speaker • rockin’ a positive attitude • passionate about social media • innovative idea girl • visual marketing maverick • naturally caffeinated • Google+ evangelist • travelista • and so much more.

Co-author of The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users with Guy Kawasaki. ) in this article: http://goo.gl/iUxNTB.

Other tips coming from +Peg Fitzpatrick in the same article (http://pegfitzpatrick.com/quick-tips-for-great-social-media-graphics/):

” Choose the right size

Facebook

Cover photo 851 x 315 pixels

Facebook post 940 x 788 pixels

Facebook ad for a Page 1,200 x 444 pixels

Avatar size upload 180 x 180 pixels, preview 160 x 160 pixels

Google+

Cover photo 2,048 x 1,152

Google + post 800 x 600 pixels

Avatar size 250 x 250 pixels minimum

Instagram

Image 640 x 640 pixels – 1:1 aspect ratio

Profile photo 180 x 180 pixels

Twitter

Header image 1,500 x 500 pixels

Background

Tweet image 1,000 x 500 – 2:1 aspect ratio

Profile photo 400 x 400 pixels

YouTube

Channel art 2,560 x 1,440 pixels

Video thumbnail 1280 x 720 (with minimum width of 640 pixels)

Channel icon  800 x 800 pixels

Pinterest

Pin 735 x 1,100 pixels – ideal size for a long, vertical image

735 x 735 pixels ”

Note: Everything included in the quotation marks above is a direct quotation from the +Peg Fitzpatrick‘ article: Quick Tips for Great Social Media Graphics( http://pegfitzpatrick.com/quick-tips-for-great-social-media-graphics/)

The awesome graphic that you see attached to this post was created following one of the tips in the article (article by +Peg Fitzpatrick) use https://www.canva.com/. And it only took me 5 min

http://pegfitzpatrick.com/quick-tips-for-great-social-media-graphics

PS None of the quotes above should be associated in anyway with Royal Sofia (www.royalsofia.com)

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