Jason Zandri's Blog: The GUNDERSTONE GOODREADS Review, page 8
January 18, 2016
Good Morning, Nonnie Jules! It’s Your Day!
Hi friends and fellow Rave Reviewers! Thank you so much for this day of wonderful surprise(Jan. 18th 2016)! All this fuss is making me a little self-conscious and I just have to ‘Pay It Forward’. So, if you will indulge me, I’d like to send it back to Ms. Nonnie Jules! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING RAVE REVIEWS!!!
Reprinted from BOOMACIOUS June, 2015
How do you say “good morning” to a woman who single-handedly lassoed together a group of vigilante writers who were already bold enough and obstinate enough to say to the establishment, “Hell no, we won’t go”? Nonnie Jules coaxed them into a force to be reckoned with all in one place called Rave Reviews Book Club (RRBC)!
As the President of RRBC, Nonnie has made it her mission to get her club members the attention, the reviews, and the respect they deserve. She guides the membership to tweet…
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January 17, 2016
LAST DAY – RaffleCopter Giveaway from Author Jason Zandri
We are coming up on the last few hours of this Rafflecopter giveaway; it ends on Monday January 18, 2016
This time I am upping the ante on the grand prize over my last giveaway with a
FIVE DAY / FOUR NIGHT stay over Valentine’s Day weekend.
Here is the summary information on the prize (and the full details are at the end of the blog post).
Wyndham Ocean Boulevard
410 South Ocean Boulevard
North Myrtle Beach SC 29582
843-281-3300
CHECK IN – Feb 11, 2016 after 4PM
CHECK OUT – Feb 15, 2016 before 10AM
FIVE DAY / FOUR NIGHT stay over Valentine’s Day weekend.
Room Type: 3 Bedroom Deluxe with 2 Bathrooms
Unit sleeps 8 in the rooms with 10 total within the unit (based on the unit).
Beds are – KING, Two doubles, KING, and Queen Sleeper Sofa
Units are between 1,200 and 1,400 SF in size (based on the unit).
There is no cost for the stay – the prize is the unit on the given days; you simply have to arrange to get yourself there.
In addition to this grand prize, I am also offering the following prizes:
ALL 6 KINDLE EDITIONS OF MY BOOKS (one winner will get all six)
KINDLE VERSION OF Before Another Sunset – Second Edition
KINDLE VERSION OF Another Sunset
KINDLE VERSION OF I, Hero: The Beginning
KINDLE VERSION OF I, Hero: Nathan Returns
KINDLE VERSION OF As Life Goes: Elementary
KINDLE VERSION OF As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence
All you have to do is enter the giveaway at Rafflecopter.
Some of the entry choices are worth more than others AND you can return each day to TWEET the giveaway for additional entries.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!
(Here are all the extended details on the stay at my timeshare Wyndham Ocean Boulevard)
Here are the details on the unit and the resort:
Highlights:
Beachside Paradise with Award-Winning Flair. Wyndham Ocean Boulevard, located in North Myrtle Beach, blends stylish retro art deco design with modern beachside amenities and activities. This award-winning resort is close to many of Myrtle Beach’s most popular attractions, and has a big variety of on-site pleasures to make your beach side vacation complete.
Helpful Hints:
— Tower IV is across the street from the beach; all other towers are ocean side
— Vehicle recommended to fully enjoy area; parking is limited to one vehicle per unit
— This resort offers 24-hour secured and covered parking for motorcycles; however we are unable to provide parking for trailers. There are a number of locations nearby that offer trailer parking (fee).
— This resort is smoke free. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas. Not complying with these policy may result in the assessment of a fee.
— Wireless Internet is free for up to 4 devices, ideal for emails and basic web browsing. For more streaming and surfing options on unlimited devices, Enhanced High-Speed Wireless Internet is available for $9.95 per day, $49.95 for 6-10 days, and $59.95 for 11-30 days.
Information:
— Check-in time is after 4:00 p.m. The front desk is open 24 hours per day.
— Check-out time is 10:00 a.m.
— This resort offers 24-hour secured and covered parking for motorcycles; however we are unable to provide parking for trailers. There are a number of locations nearby that offer trailer parking for a nominal fee. Please call the resort for more information.
— As a courtesy to our non-smoking guests, smoking is not permitted at the resort. Thank you for your consideration.
— There are a limited amount of oceanfront units and views can not be guaranteed.
— Most resorts enforce a late check-out fee for any guests checking out past the check-out time.
— The resort reserves the right to assign a different unit of the same type and occupancy as confirmed with this confirmation.
— All guests are required to provide a Credit Card authorization for $150.00 or cash is required at time of check-in for a security deposit.
Mileage Between Wyndham Ocean Boulevard and…
— Charleston, S.C.: 112 miles
— Columbia, S.C.: 160 miles
— Edisto Beach, S.C.: 158 miles
— Charlotte, N.C.: 236 miles
Nearest Airport
— Myrtle Beach International Airport: 25 miles
Other Notes:
— Minimum Check-In Age for the CLUB WYNDHAM® Plus Program: The Member or Guest checking in must be at least 21 years of age with a valid ID.
— A credit card pre-authorization or cash deposit will be required upon check-in.
— The resort reserves the right to assign a different unit of the same type and occupancy as confirmed with this confirmation.
— Your safety is very important to us, so we closely follow local regulations for maximum occupancy per unit.
— A fee may be associated with some of the resorts amenities and activities. Please contact the resort for more details.
— Out of respect for all our guests, pets are not permitted. Please feel free to contact the resort prior to your arrival so that we may assist you in locating a local boarding facility.
— Service animals that are trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability are welcome at all affiliated locations.
January 16, 2016
Kindle Unlimited Pages Read & Global Fund Trends from July, 2015 thru December, 2015
KINDLE UNLIMITED FOR DECEMBER, 2015
First, let’s look at the Kindle Unlimited payments for December, 2015. Then we’ll look at trends for the past six months.
What did Kindle Unlimited pay for pages read in December of 2015?
Kindle Unlimited paid $0.00461 per KENP page read in the United States in December, 2015. That’s a 6.3% drop compared to $0.00492 per page in November.
However, this was compensated as…
The KDP Select Global Fund was $13.5M for December, 2015. That’s a 6.3% increase.
The KENP pages read continue to drop somewhat, while the KDP Select Global Fund continues to increase significantly.
This suggests that:
More readers are joining Kindle Unlimited and/or on average they are reading more pages.
More books are having more pages read each month, on average.
Kindle Unlimited is continually increasing its share of the total e-book market.
But while Kindle Unlimited readers and pages read are…
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January 8, 2016
That magical moment when you decide NOT to quit writing #writing #writers
This is such a magical moment in the life of a writer and it warrants a blog post.
Being a writer means that you will probably experience quite a few of these special moments during your career.
Some of us writers are lucky enough to endure what I call the ‘I quit / I’m not quitting’ revolving door which basically means on a regular basis (monthly / weekly / every couple of days) we go through the ‘I’m giving up / no I am not giving up’ motions. This is BAU (business as usual) to some of us.
Events leading up to the magical moment where you decide NOT to quit may include:
Some writer suffering – general insecurities, nagging doubts about whether your writing is any good, asking yourself whether it’s worth it, a lack of confidence and painful bouts of writer’s block.
An emotional outpouring – tears…
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January 6, 2016
THE BLOG TOUR – starring Author D.M. Cain
From an early age I was always more interested when things went wrong in the world. The light, fluffy Disney world of my younger childhood was left behind as I passed into my teenage years and surrounded myself with works of dystopian fiction such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.
This love of a futuristic world gone wrong spilled over into my movie taste as well. So, here is a list of my favourite dystopian movies of all time, appearing in no particular order. What are your favourites?
Dystopian movies list:
12 monkeys – a delightfully creepy and mysterious film with excellent acting and a gripping storyline. The music has an unhinged, fairground ride kind of feel to it as well.
A Clockwork Orange – probably my personal favourite dystopian movie (and book) ever, A Clockwork Orange is unnerving and philosophical, beautifully filmed, and with a huge underground following.
A.I. – I know a lot of people hated this movie, and fair play to them, because the last twenty minutes are terrible. (Why oh why didn’t it end when he was under the water?) But, what comes before that is excellent. The little boy is creepy and yet you feel so sorry for him. He just wants to be loved The ‘flesh fair’ is such a horrifying concept too. I thought those scenes were brilliant.
Casshern – Unknown to many, this Japanese classic really does deserve to get more credit. Casshern has literally everything you could ever want from a sci-fi film – unhinged scientists playing God, divine intervention, humans killing what they don’t understand, the underdogs rising in their masses. Plus, of course, epic and beautiful fight scenes, a deep and morally taxing storyline and the potential for great debate and discussion afterwards. Just thinking about it makes me yearn to go and watch it right now…
Children of Men – one of the bleakest and most depressing films I’ve ever seen. I love the way this film pulls no punches. Nobody is safe from the death and desolation in this film. A true, gritty dystopian.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – another fine example of what happens when humans step beyond their place (I do very much enjoy films where humans are the bad guys!)
District 9 – some awesome fight scenes, especially with the alien weapons which are so cool! But this film is not just about the aliens. Yet again, it’s about the humans abusing them, treating them as scum and stripping them of all rights. It’s no coincidence the film was shot in Johannesburg…
The Hunger Games – everybody loves The Hunger Games. Katniss is amazing, of course, strong and independent. She fights the system and refuses to conform to their brutality.
Looper – A really clever storyline (though it definitely had me scratching my head at times. Hang on – is he in the future or…?) I also enjoyed that sword of Damocles feeling – that his choices in life were definitely going to catch up with him, no matter what he did.
V for Vendetta – This isn’t just a film. It’s art. That scene where Natalie Portman cried in the rain – so beautiful. You can’t help but feel yourself wanting to rise up with V and fight the power
Watchmen – Not your average superhero story, every one of these antiheroes has some sort of dark, unhinged past. I loved Rorschach so much… And The Tales of the Black Freighter side story was one of the darkest, most horrific things I’ve ever read, and I flipping well loved it!
My latest novel, The Phoenix Project, features a man struggling to stay alive in a prison where inmates are forced to fight each other to the death. It isn’t just his physical circumstances that threaten his life; it’s also the demons within in his own mind. I drew upon my love of dystopia to write this novel and I can definitely see influences from these movies within my writing. So, if you’re a fan of dystopia too, why not check it out?
Don’t miss my Author Party Event (http://4Wills-DMCain.chatovod.com/) on Friday, January 15th at 1pm CST!!
The Phoenix Project
Nook: http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/the-phoenix-project-by-dm-cain/2940157645656
Amazon:
US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195A6AYK
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0195A6AYK
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-project-dm-cain/1123117161
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1066900946
GIVEAWAYS ON THE TOUR: (2) book bundles – (1) paperback of THE PHOENIX PROJECT along with (1) paperback of her children’s book, SOREN!
To be eligible to win one of these sets, merely leave a comment on any stop along the tour, including this one and you could be one of our two lucky winners!!!
Biography
D.M. Cain is a dystopian and fantasy author working for US publisher Booktrope. She has released three novels: The Phoenix Project – a psychological thriller set in a dystopian future, Soren – a middle-grade fantasy, and A Chronicle of Chaos – the first in a dark fantasy series. She is currently working on the next novel in the series, ‘The Shield of Soren’, and a novella to accompany it.
D.M. Cain is also a member of the International Thriller Writers and is one of the creators and administrators of the online author group #Awethors. Her short story ‘The End’ was published in Awethology Dark – an anthology by the #Awethors.
Cain lives in Leicestershire, UK, with her husband and young son, and spends her time reading, writing and reviewing books, playing RPGs and listening to symphonic metal.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMCainauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCain84
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/XevZH
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dmcain84/
Website: http://www.dmcain84.com/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DMCain/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7888430.D_M_Cain
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzt_E8st1pyfkoTiA4E5jNg
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/
January 5, 2016
A Post About Reblogging
Posting other writers’ works, reblogging, press this toolbar, sharing etiquette, D.G. Kaye
Source: A Post About Reblogging
Did you know? A beginners guide to reblogging on #WordPress
I’m no technical genius and when I first started blogging, I needed to learn my way around the WordPress system. It is pretty much common sense and easy enough to set up. If you get stuck, there are plenty of helpful articles and forums that show you how to do pretty much anything. Just type the question into your search engine.
The one thing they cannot do, though, is answer questions you didn’t know you should ask. Over the past few days I have become aware of how many of those little tweaks and tricks we learn about, then just take for granted. Reblogging was one area I found frustrating for a good while. It is a simple process, the press of a button, until the button is not there…
1. Can’t see the reblog button?
This took me ages to work out! Many blogs, including this one, have their…
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January 4, 2016
Why Your Book Isn’t Selling
Dear Dan,
You post every day for weeks and weeks and then suddenly nothing. You’re the hardest working guy I know. What happened?
A visual representation of how I felt the last two days.
Answer: I got sick as hell, that’s what. Man, it was brutal. IS brutal. Basically I have the flu, and when you live in Florida and it’s 95 degrees out NOBODY gives you any sympathy for that. Meanwhile, I thought I was better after 2 days so I got up and started doing stuff, and crashed like a ton of bricks. Then my daughter got it. Now my wife. The cat is always puking so she doesn’t count, and the dog is absolutely terrified.
The house is trashed, because the one person who picks up around here got sick first. Turns out the other two can do a lot of damage in just two days. Oh…
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January 3, 2016
ONE YEAR Anniversary with Rave Reviews Book Club
It seems like just yesterday I had published my first work of fiction, “Another Sunset” (released in November of 2014) and a month or so afterwards I had joined the Rave Reviews Book Club.
Getting into the world of writing and becoming a published author was no small task for me with everything else going on in my life over the past few years:
I am a father of four children, all under the age of 11.
I work in information technology in New York City.
I live in Wallingford, Connecticut; 90 miles away.
I commute 2.5 hours each day – one way.
I served one term on the Wallingford Town Council.
I ran for Mayor of Wallingford (I lost).
I ran to get back on Town Council (I won).
I administer a number of Wallingford based Facebook groups dealing with news, information, what is going on with the Town of Wallingford, and the Wallingford school system (combined memberships equal over 10,000 members).
I am President of the Wallingford Fireworks Fund; we have successfully fundraised to restore our Independence Day celebration for six consecutive years, raising more than $25,000 a year on average to do so. (We’ve raised over $150,000 in total over six years).
With all that, I added “author” to my resume and then came the really hard part; how do I get my title “out there”? That question was what led me, in part, to join Rave Reviews Book Club.
One year later, on my anniversary in the club, I look back from that start and where I have gone, propelled by my own will, but with a lot of peer support from the club, the members, and beyond.
I have sold over 500 copies of “Another Sunset”
I released my second book, “I, Hero: The Beginning” in May of 2015
In half the time of release of “Another Sunset”, I sold over 500 copies of that title.
I released four more books through the end of 2015, for a total of six published works.
I have eight more planned for 2016; two novels and six novellas.
I created an author page on Facebook and I now have 1,393 followers
I had a Twitter account with less than 2,000 followers (at the time mostly Wallingford based folks that followed my civic activity); I now have 6,566 followers
I received a #PUSHTUESDAY award
I was the #RRBC MEMBER OF THE MONTH! in March 2015
“I, Hero: The Beginning” was chosen as a #RRBC Book of the Month
“I, Hero: The Beginning” was chosen as “The President’s Pick”.
I won the LETTER TO MY FUTURE SELF Writing Contest for my “LOOKING FORWARD BY REFLECTION” entry.
My submitted entries to the RAVE SOUP FOR THE WRITER’S SOUL Anthology, 2nd Edition publication, have been selected and will be included in that upcoming release.
“Gee – you’re awfully lucky.”
Nah – I get out of life what I put into it. That and I get by with a little help from my friends.
So to all those new friends and the RRBC, thank you for making 2015 and my first year in the club so very special to me.
What to Do about Reviews Disappearing from Amazon (Proactive Solutions)
REVIEWS REMOVED FROM AMAZON
It’s a well-known fact: Amazon blocks and removes numerous four- and five-star reviews, but almost never removes a one- or two-star review.
You have two choices:
Get upset about it.
Find a proactive way to make the most of it.
I have proactive suggestions for:
Customers who have had their reviews removed.
Authors who have seen reviews vanish without even so much as a puff of smoke.
Suggestions for customers are first. If you’re an author, just scroll down to your section.
If you’re concerned about the WHY, I’ll address this at the end of my post.
SUGGESTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS WHOSE REVIEWS DISAPPEARED FROM AMAZON
(A few customers think that when they click the star rating at the end of a Kindle book that they are reviewing it on Amazon, when instead they are rating the book on Goodreads. A few customers think they’ve submitted a…
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