M.A. Comley's Blog, page 15

My experience: Someone will always try to shoot you down!

Here's a story that will curl your toes!Once upon a time, there were two reasonably successful Indieauthors (I was one of the authors) who met on a writer's site, Authonomy. Theysupported each other for quite a few months on the site and eventually bothended up on the Ed's desk where a Harper Collins editor reviewed both books.The thing is that after I reached the Ed's desk I wentthrough the other author's book to ensure that it was the best it could bebefore it was thrust in front of the HC editor the following month. His MS was full of passive sentences and adverbs. When thesewere highlighted he sent me an email that said, "Mel, I'll be forever indebtedfor your advice, I had no idea about overusing 'ly' words or eradicatingpassive sentences." He even went as far as to name me as editor on his book.In October 2010, I was the one who told him about uploadinghis MS as an ebook, again he was very grateful for the advice. I sat back andwatched his book shoot out of the starting blocks and rise up the chart to justoutside the top 100 in the UK. No one could've been more delighted to see hissuccess.We were both busy promoting our own books and the dailyemails to each other dwindled. Then in May 2011 my thriller Impeding Justicetook off in both the UK and the US. My rank in the UK reached as high as #37and in the US #234. Then a funny thing started to happen, suspect one starreviews started to appear on my book. I was beside myself and contacted Amazonwho agreed they were false and had no hesitation in taking them down. I contacted this other writer and told him that I thoughtanother author 'had it in for me', his response was "Don't be ridiculous why onearth would they effing do that?" I then told him that Amazon was monitoring myaccount. To my amazement the one stars miraculously dried up.So everything went along hunky dory until I received a devastatingmessage on Facebook this week.

Here it is:Mel, I've just read Impeding Justice and thought it was afantastic read. I went to the tags on your page and wanted to tick all therelevant ones. What I found there both appalled and shocked me. I'm justletting you know that I've reported someone for leaving derogatory tags on yourbook. I'm amazed that this person, who has always come across as agenuine and charming gentleman on the forums would stoop so low. I'm one of hisbiggest fans and am flabbergasted he would treat a fellow author, someone whohas invested their valuable time to make him a better author, in such adisgusting manner.If I recall rightly, didn't you used to be named as hiseditor at one time?

End of message.The lady in question sent me a link and there was theevidence for all to see.

Impeding Justice (Revised version) (DI Lorne Simpkinsthriller (Book Two)) by Mel ComleyAvg. customer review:   (51)Download: £0.724 used & new from £0.72Tagged on May 2, 2011(Name of person here) Tags: pedestrian crap, anotherspammer, spammer, rape He added these tags after giving my book a five star review,I hasten to add. Here's the review.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff! Horrific, taut and powerful!, 11Oct 2010 By (Name ofperson)Cheshire,England) - This review is from: ImpedingJustice (Revised version) (DI Lorne Simpkins thriller (Book Two)) (KindleEdition) A fantastic novel, full of surprises and tension that grips from thefirst page. This could be a huge hit. I am a friend of the writer, I want tomake that clear, but I did read the book before we became friends and genuinelyfeel it is great thriller writing that is engaging and accessible. I loved it.

End of review.As you can imagine this little stunt and vindictive behaviour hasabsolutely floored me this week. So much so that I almost pulled my books fromAmazon. But then in the end, who would be the winner if I did that?Along with his fan writing and complaining to Amazon, I also wrote andthis was part of Amazon's response. The rest of the email is personal andinvolves what further action they're considering.


Dear Melanie,Thank you for letting us know about the Tags that do notfollow our guidelines. I've removed the Pedestrian Crap and Another Spammer,because these were from another author and they should disappear from thewebsite soon.
However, the Tags rape and spammer were tag by several people and the Tagsthemselves are within guidelines and will not be removed. I apologise if thiscauses you any frustration.

End of email.

I have since noticed that my other thrillers have had tags attached thatare also derogatory and if Amazon don't remove these I will have no hesitationin taking the matter further. To do something so public is a very foolish deed.This whole episode has left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and whereasin the past I've bent over backwards to help other Indies out with advice orpromo ideas, I will not be doing it in the future.Sorry guys, but through one person's mindless and vindictive actions I'mwary about helping anyone in the future.Just as a word of warning to other Indies out there be careful of other'senvy!

Today is my pleasure to feature Donna Fasano!

 

Here's Donna's impressive Bio.
Donna Fasano is the author of over 30 romance and women'sfiction novels. Her books have won awards and appeared on the Kindle Top 100and other best-seller lists. Published in nearly two dozen languages, her bookshave sold more then 3.5 million copies worldwide. Reviewers from romancemagazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur have complimented Donna onher "smooth, polished" writing style and for creating "strong,complex" characters in stories described as "poignant,""richly textured," "enticing," and "absorbing".If you're a fan of strong, emotional romance novels, be sure to check outDonna's books.

 [image error]Return of the Runaway BrideFREE Today ...  Amazon US:http://amzn.to/zBx5cg  FREE Today .... Amazon UK:http://bit.ly/skLsix
His Wife for a While:Amazon US:http://amzn.to/wi6NWrAmazon UK:http://amzn.to/yFnk0w
An Accidental Family:Amazon US:http://amzn.to/w7z1GcAmazon UK:http://amzn.to/A8sB8SBarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/zne6f2
The Merry-Go-RoundAmazon US: http://bit.ly/oxaeTVAmazon UK:http://bit.ly/vWZjmbPaperback: http://amzn.to/AqTM2X

Taking Love in Stride:Amazon US:http://amzn.to/w1cTrWAmazon UK:http://amzn.to/yDJjIEBarnes &Noble: http://bit.ly/xwGypeSmashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/57077Paperback: http://amzn.to/wJyO2n
Mountain Laurel:Amazon US:http://amzn.to/yTAefqAmazon UK:http://amzn.to/A1pFDZBarnes &Noble: http://bit.ly/ybf1BRSmashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48052Paperback: http://amzn.to/wuD5x1
Contact information:Blog: http://www.DonnaFasano.comTwitter: http://www.Twitter.com/DonnaFazFacebook: http://www.Facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor

Today's recipient of share the Indie love campaign is Ian Ayris.

Here's Ian's Bio.


I've had almost forty crime/noir short stories published online and in print. My debut novel - ABIDE WITH ME - is due out in March, and I've recently put together a collection of fifteen of my short stories, entitled UNCLE MILDRED AND OTHER STORIES to raise money for two cancer charities.










[image error]
Links:
UNCLE MILDRED AND OTHER STORIES
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Mildred-Ot...

Blog:
http://ianayris.blogspot.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ian.ayris

Publisher's Bio:
http://www.caffeine-nights.com/ian-ayris...

Featured today is the wonderful Lia Fairchild

Here's Lia's bio.

 Born and raised in Southern California, Lia Fairchild holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a multiple subject teaching credential. She is the author of the romantic drama In Search of Lucy and the mystery series A Hint of Murder. Writing is something Fairchild has thought about all her life, and she has found being a new author to be truly rewarding.





[image error]

 http://www.amazon.com/In-Search-of-Lucy-ebook/dp/B004O6MV0S/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328614122&sr=1-3

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/In-Search-of-Lucy-ebook/dp/B004O6MV0S/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328614122&sr=1-3

You can find out more about Lia's books from her Amazon Author page.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Lia%20Fairchild

http://www.liafairchild.com

Today's featured author is Barbara Silkstone.

        Please spread the love and share this post to help get the word out about Indie writers.
  BarbaraSilkstone Bio
Barbara Silkstoneis the best-selling author of
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters    
Wendy and the Lost Boys
London Broil
The Adventures of a Love Investigator, 527 Naked Men and One Woman.

She has attended writing workshops withStephen King, Robert B. Parker, PD James, and James Michener. Silkstone's genreis comedy mysteries. She lives in south Florida where she is in demand as ahumorous public speaker.       [image error]       London Broil  US:         http://www.amazon.com/London-Broil-Fractured-Silkstone-ebook/dp/B006IH6LHA/ UK:          http://www.amazon.co.uk/London-Broil-Fractured-Silkstone-ebook/dp/B006IH6LHA/ref  You can find out about Barbara's other books from her Amazon Author page. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=barbara%20silkstone
Follow her interesting blogposts here:
http://barbswire-ebooksandmore.blogspot.... also: http://wendythelostboys.blogspot.com  

Today's featured author is Jen Wylie.

Here's Jen's bio and where you can find her books.

Jennifer Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her two boys, Australian shepherd a flock of birds and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don't. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.

 [image error]




http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Rising-Tales-Ever-ebook/dp/B006ZYH1DO/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328441229&sr=1-5

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Rising-Tales-Ever-ebook/dp/B006ZYH1DO/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328441229&sr=1-5


You can find Jen's other books on her Amazon Author page.

http://www.amazon.com/Jen-Wylie/e/B004HQ9XD8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Inspirational story from Dani Amore.

Indie Chicks Anthology Here's another inspirational story form one of our Indie Chicks.

WRITING FROM A FLOUR SACKbyDani Amore
Fact:  I was born on a bathroom floor.  Literally.  My arrival into this world was followed seconds later by an unceremonious drop onto the cold tile of St. John's Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
You see, I was the fifth out of six children.  My mother knew my delivery would be fast, but the nurse at the hospital insisted she go to the bathroom before the doctor arrived.
Later, after the drama and I was pronounced healthy, my mother told the doctor that the nurse should have listened to her, that she had warned the nurse that the baby (me) was going to arrive any second.  That, having already delivered four children, she knew her body pretty well.
The doctor said, "Five kids, huh?  Maybe you should tell your husband to keep it in his pants."
True story.
***
Both of my parents were born in Italy.  They emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s.  My father always said the biggest difference between Italy and America at that time was that you could work your ass off in Italy and have nothing to show for it.  If you worked hard in America, you could eventually become wealthy.  He started a construction company and worked 6 days a week, from dawn to dusk.  Eventually, he was successful.
My mother raised six children. 
She is a strong woman.
Both she and my father share a love of aphorisms.
The one I remember most?  "A well-made flour sack stands on its own."
It was almost like a mantra with her.
At a key point in my writing life, that phrase came in handy.

***
So there I am.  I've got a full-time job in advertising.  I'm writing about products that suck, working for people I can't stand, and with two good friends, drinking every night after work.  At a little bar not far from the office.  I'm averaging about five or six drinks a night.  Every weeknight.  More on the weekends.
But on those weekend mornings, I'm writing fiction.  Just short stories that I try to picture in The Paris Review.
Everything gets rejected with remarkable efficiency.
One night, probably half in the bag, I come across THE DAY OF THE JACKAL on television.  The original movie is pretty campy and the remake with Bruce Willis is a pure load of crap.  But the book.  The novel by Frederick Forsyth is one of my all-time favorites. 
The scene on television is the best part of the movie:  It's where the Jackal is sighting in his rifle.  He paints a little face on a small melon, then blows it apart from 500 yards away.
There's no epiphany.  I go to bed.  But as I toss and turn, vodka fumes in a cloud around my pillow, I think about the narrative structure of the story.  I've read the book several times.  Even have a collector's edition.  The chase.  The tension.  The violence.
When I wake up the next morning, I make an especially strong pot of coffee.  I push aside my short literary fiction, and start a new story.
It's about a hitman and a female escort.
Later that day, during some interminable meeting where everyone is throwing out insidious phrases like "let's get on the same page," and "think outside the box," I realized what I was doing.
I was writing to please others, instead of focusing on the kind of stories and books I like.
Crime fiction.  Thrillers.  Suspense.
I had forgotten one of my mother's cardinal rules.
A well-made flour sack stands on its own.

***

I know it sounds melodramatic.  But the truth is, everything changed after that night.  I still despised the advertising industry, but I no longer let it bother me so much.  I begged off going to the bar with my friends, instead choosing to work out and then get some writing done in the evenings.
Eventually, I finished several crime novels.  Even landed a big New York literary agent.
But a funny thing happened.  My agent, and publishers, seemed to have endless debates about how to market me.  Should I be a hardboiled crime novelist?  A thriller writer?  A traditional mystery author?
There were suggestions to change this book and change that one.  Then change it back.  Then change it to something else.
But now I had learned.  I was smarter.
I told them thanks, but no thanks.
It was time to stand up and be the writer I wanted to be.
So I became an indie author.
And when my first book became a Top 10 Mystery on Amazon, I knew I had made the right decision.
Never underestimate the power of an Italian mother armed with an aphorism.

Dani's Books on Amazon:
Death By Sarcasm
Dead Wood
The Killing League
To Find A Mountain

To learn more about Dani, visit her at http://www.daniamore.com

Today it's my pleasure to introduce Indie author Nell Grey

Here' Nell's Bio 

Nell Grey is an artist and writer of eccentric and often witchy fiction. She is fascinated by cusps and borderlines - how does love become obsession, eccentricity madness?

Her poems, short stories, articles and reviews have appeared both online and in magazines such as Smith's Knoll, Iota, Orbis and others.

Three novels - Solitary Pleasures, The Golden Web and Three Magic Women - have been published in print form and three - My Imaginary Life, Memoirs of an Ostrich and Solitary Pleasures - as Kindle e-books.

Solstice, a collection of transformative short stories, is Nell's latest Kindle offering.
[image error]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Imaginary-Lif...


http://www.amazon.com/My-Imaginary-Life-ebook/dp/B0062X2KRU
 
You can find Nell's other books on her Amazon Author page.


http://www.amazon.com/Nell-Grey/e/B0034ONXYE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Today's featured author is Karl Jones.

This is Karl's bio.

Born the year of Grease and Grange Hill Karl took up writing at an early age to stop the voices in his head driving him crazy,filling many a page with his scribblings.
At school his writing landed him in trouble, not least because he was meant to be studying, not creating fantasy worlds.
Two and a half decades after first filling a page with his scribbled ideas Karl is still plagued with voices in his head, and he still writes to try and keep those voices under control. Now though he is offering the world a chance to read what keeps him awake at night.
When he isn't in front of the computer, either writing or editing, he can be found around Dorset, horrifying groundskeepers with his efforts to play golf.

[image error]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shattered-ebook/...

http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-ebook/dp/B006PNXK2G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327484529&sr=8-1

Today's Indie in the spotlight is Andrew Duff

Here's a little about Andrew.


Bio:
Andrew Duff is a thriller author based in beautiful Hampshire, on the UK south coast. His debut novel, The Art of Living Dangerously, is the first in a planned series featuring Lily Thorne, who leads a double life as florist by day and daring art thief by night.


When not writing, Andrew is generally to be found asleep, at a racetrack or up a mountain on skis - in that order.




[image error]




You can purchase his book at the following links.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Living-Dange...



http://www.amazon.com/Art-Living-Dangerously-ebook/dp/B006OP8RE6





Writing blog:
http://thrillerodyssey.blogspot.com/


Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/thrillwriter