P.G. Shriver's Blog, page 16
August 29, 2012
Ready for Another Giveaway???
My next giveaway starts Saturday, so rev up your clickers! Like my Facebook author page for a chance to enter. Let me know if you're the first one Saturday and it doesn't take you to the entry. I linked Rafflecopter to Facebook, but not sure until someone enters whether it works...
Good luck to all and spread the word! Back to my writing. :)
P. G. Shriver on Facebook
Good luck to all and spread the word! Back to my writing. :)
P. G. Shriver on Facebook
August 25, 2012
Book Winner and "Like to Enter" Contest!
Congratulations to Dana C. of New York for winning an autographed copy of Dead Perfect in my giveaway. It's on the way, Dana! Watch for more giveaways to enter. There's another one starting in 7 days! Like my Facebook Author page for a chance to win a free autographed book!
September is looking promising for book sales! I have two festivals to attend, and I started a marketing campaign--other than blogging-- that will begin in September. I'm really getting psyched about it! I'll let you know how it turns out.
I've been thinking a great deal about Smashwords lately. I didn't know you could have your ebooks done on both Kindle and Smashwords. If you publish on Smashwords, don't you have to withdraw from KDP Select? I would appreciate any comments or information about that.
I also completed the transfer of my first book under my imprint this week. Now I am fully a self pub author! What a great feeling! No more Publishing house to worry about "not marketing" my book! And I can finally take copies with me to festivals instead of telling people that I don't have any of my first book! Plus, it's in color, as it should be!
Now back to work on those books. NaNoMo is around the corner and I will be busy working on that other novel! Which one? Whichever one grabs on and won't let me go!
September is looking promising for book sales! I have two festivals to attend, and I started a marketing campaign--other than blogging-- that will begin in September. I'm really getting psyched about it! I'll let you know how it turns out.
I've been thinking a great deal about Smashwords lately. I didn't know you could have your ebooks done on both Kindle and Smashwords. If you publish on Smashwords, don't you have to withdraw from KDP Select? I would appreciate any comments or information about that.
I also completed the transfer of my first book under my imprint this week. Now I am fully a self pub author! What a great feeling! No more Publishing house to worry about "not marketing" my book! And I can finally take copies with me to festivals instead of telling people that I don't have any of my first book! Plus, it's in color, as it should be!
Now back to work on those books. NaNoMo is around the corner and I will be busy working on that other novel! Which one? Whichever one grabs on and won't let me go!
August 20, 2012
Dead Perfect Review
I just wanted to share a review of Dead Perfect. This book will be going on a month long blog tour in October. You can check out the review here http://battyforbooksandlovingit.blogspot.com/2012/08/dead-perfect-review.html
I have since made the necessary changes to the POV switching and updated the copyright. That's the great thing about being an indie author. You don't have to wait for six months or so for a new edition to come out from your publisher. You are in charge of change! It's an awesome feeling!
I have since made the necessary changes to the POV switching and updated the copyright. That's the great thing about being an indie author. You don't have to wait for six months or so for a new edition to come out from your publisher. You are in charge of change! It's an awesome feeling!
August 19, 2012
Inspiration
So, I guess my inspiration is back now. I dreamed of great starting lines for new books, and books I am already working on right now. Plus, I dreamed of getting a UK movie deal for one of my books, which I thought odd, as I don't live in the UK, but hey, wherever... whenever. It really inspired me to work hard this week on my writing. It's the semester break, and I had planned to work on class videos and such, but now, I'm thinking vacation time and no work except on my writing. I have two festivals to prepare for-- posters, banners, promotional items-- in September, two new book tours coming up in October and November, one for Dead Perfect, the other for The Gifted Ones The Fairytale, and I have mucho grande writing to complete. The rains here yesterday caused me to think of a wonderful direction for one of my books, and my mind is reeling with creativity for watercolors and words! It won't slow down, so I will be working on getting it all out this next week! Wow! I love being inspired!
August 16, 2012
Uninspired
My internet is still not working right. Every time I call they tell me by the end of the week. It's been four or five weeks now. I can't get on several sites: twitter, rafflecopter, blogs, etc. The internet is up for two or three minutes, then goes down again. It's really making me mad!
What upsets me even more is now is a good time for me to spend more time writing... and I seem to be uninspired right now! OBSummer book tour is going on and I can't participate to my fullest there, either, because of my internet! I have to tweet from work, and can barely spare the time for that while I'm there. I'm hoping when I click publish for this post, that it will go through. If it does, at least some will know why I've been scarce online.
Now, if I can just get past this uninspired period and get inspired again. I have so much going on with the OBS tour, two book festivals in September, and working on the second book in my series that I can't afford a wasted minute. How can I get inspired again? I need help. HELP!!!!
What upsets me even more is now is a good time for me to spend more time writing... and I seem to be uninspired right now! OBSummer book tour is going on and I can't participate to my fullest there, either, because of my internet! I have to tweet from work, and can barely spare the time for that while I'm there. I'm hoping when I click publish for this post, that it will go through. If it does, at least some will know why I've been scarce online.
Now, if I can just get past this uninspired period and get inspired again. I have so much going on with the OBS tour, two book festivals in September, and working on the second book in my series that I can't afford a wasted minute. How can I get inspired again? I need help. HELP!!!!
August 12, 2012
Pandora Poikilos - Peace from Pieces: Orangeberry Summer Splash - Day 1 #OBSummer #Books...
Pandora Poikilos - Peace from Pieces: Orangeberry Summer Splash - Day 1 #OBSummer #Books...: 1st August to 31st August 2012 Updated on 27th July 2012 106 books from 100 authors What is the Orangeberry Summer Splash? Pa...
August 7, 2012
Blog Overhaul?
I'm thinking my blog needs an overhaul... I think, being a novice blogger, that I made a common mistake and did not develop it well. I have a theme in mind now, and as soon as I get time, I'm going to overhaul it.
August 5, 2012
Twenty Questions Anyone?
Recently, Pandora Poikilos interviewed me for the Orangeberry Summer Splash book tour, which I am very excited about! I answered twenty questions for her interview posts and thought it would be interesting to see what other bloggers answers would be...
So, here are the questions with my answers. Choose one question from the twenty and reply with your answer. This should be really fun, as there are so many interesting and humorous people who blog!
1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My absolute favorite ice cream is Rocky Road. I never get tired of Rocky Road ice cream because it has the three ingredients I love best: chocolate, almonds and marshmallows.
2. If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Ernest Hemmingway would be the one person who has died that I would want to meet. I really connected with his writing and style.
3. Night owl, or early bird?
I am an early bird. I love to get up before the sunrise while the world is quiet and that is when I do my writing.
4. One food you would never eat?
Although I love to try different foods, the one food that I would never eat is chocolate covered grasshoppers, or any other insect for that matter.
5. Pet Peeves?
One of my pet peeves is people talking negatively about others.
6. Skittles or M&Ms?
I will take M&Ms over Skittles any day! I love chocolate!
7. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I have several books in the works. I am continuing the Bobby Jay series with the fourth book Bobby Jay, Brother Stealer, as well as three Young Adult novels, Snow Globe Girl, The Gifted Ones: The Dream, and I Don't Live in a Box, Isiah and two adult novels, Hog Island Love and Death Will Follow. I also have started about sixty books of varying genres. I see signs, or people, or hear noises, and suddenly my imagination goes into warp speed. I have an app on my phone for writing down ideas while we travel. That is how Hog Island Love found its way to my mind!
8. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience since being published took place at the Texas Reds Festival. A young couple of mixed ethnicity with a sixteen-month-old boy stopped to look at my Children's Books. While the mother wandered to a jewelry booth, the father and son stayed at my booth to peruse the books. After picking up a copy of Master Stinky Dances and reading a few pages, the father asked to borrow it, took it his wife and proceeded to tell her why they needed to buy this book for their son. Words like diversity, multiculturalism, special talents flowed from his lips to my booth. Once they purchased it, and I autographed it, the little boy held his hands up for the book and his father passed it to him. The youngster plopped his diapered bottom on the concrete floor and proceeded to flip through the pages. His college student parents could not get him to leave without picking him up and there was no taking the book from him! That will always be my most rewarding experience.
9. What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
My favorite books to read when I was a young person were the Nancy Drew series and The Hardy Boys series. I loved mysteries.
10. What is your favorite Quote?
The Beatles', "Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, there will be an answer, let it be."
11. When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
When I was little, I always wanted to be a writer. Though a few of my friends guided me to teaching, and I have held so many other positions in my life, I knew that I would ultimately end up in the world of writing and books.
12. If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Sally Fields would be the perfect me. She can portray such a wide range of emotions and characters. Her roles in "Sybil", "Forest Gump", "Eye for an Eye", and "Steel Magnolias" really touched me and made me realize what an incredible actress she is. Each of these movies came at important times in my life in which her roles meant more because of what my family and I were going through.
13. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
All of them, every one of my characters takes a piece from me with them, whether they are male or female, some part of them is part of me, whether it is in their attitudes, the events in their lives, or the way they look. Most of the connections I share with my characters deal with nature, heart and compassion.
14. How do you react to a bad review?
The first bad review I received upset me somewhat. I tried to think what it was that made the person not like my book. Then I realized that not everyone is going to like my writing style or my books. When I get a bad review, I look for constructive criticism and ignore the the negativity surrounding it. If it is not constructive, then I just ignore it. Reviews are meant for other readers anyway. I do not let bad reviews bother me.
15. If you were a bird, which one would you be?
If I were a bird, I would be a hummingbird. In spite of their size, they are the most interesting birds I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Besides that, they get to eat all the sugar they want, still stay trim and they are super fast!
16. If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?
I would like a first print, hard cover, signed copy of Watchers by Dean Koontz. That is my favorite book of all time, even above Harry Potter. I love dogs, big dogs, and Einstein is the most incredible animal character I have ever encountered in the world of literature. Throughout my young life, my dogs were my heroes, my best friends, and sometimes my saviors. I really connected with the characters in Watchers.
17. You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I would not "buy" anything. First, I would donate to some very worthy charities like the Family Abuse Center and the Humane Society. Then, I would buy a Macbook, Ipad, a nice camera and wireless printer, so I could write and take pictures everywhere I go.
18. What's your favorite season/weather?
I love winter! I love to play in the snow, build snowmen, throw snowballs, and make snow angels. After a full day of playing in the snow, I love to come in, make hot chocolate, popcorn, and watch a good movie while I dry out. Unfortunately, we do not get many snow days in Texas.
19. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
When I was in the second grade, we had a poetry assignment for our local newspaper. I wrote a poem about a clown. Our teacher sent the poems to the newspaper, and the editor selected my poem for publication. Seeing my words in print was the most amazing feeling. Aside from that, all of the wonderful books I read when I was young made me want to be an author even more.
20. In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
I would love to work with Dean Koontz on a novel because his ideas are so twisted. It would be wonderful to work with someone who writes such fantastic books with challenging vocabulary, suspenseful events and well-developed characters. I could learn a great deal from co-authoring with him.
So, here are the questions with my answers. Choose one question from the twenty and reply with your answer. This should be really fun, as there are so many interesting and humorous people who blog!
1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My absolute favorite ice cream is Rocky Road. I never get tired of Rocky Road ice cream because it has the three ingredients I love best: chocolate, almonds and marshmallows.
2. If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Ernest Hemmingway would be the one person who has died that I would want to meet. I really connected with his writing and style.
3. Night owl, or early bird?
I am an early bird. I love to get up before the sunrise while the world is quiet and that is when I do my writing.
4. One food you would never eat?
Although I love to try different foods, the one food that I would never eat is chocolate covered grasshoppers, or any other insect for that matter.
5. Pet Peeves?
One of my pet peeves is people talking negatively about others.
6. Skittles or M&Ms?
I will take M&Ms over Skittles any day! I love chocolate!
7. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I have several books in the works. I am continuing the Bobby Jay series with the fourth book Bobby Jay, Brother Stealer, as well as three Young Adult novels, Snow Globe Girl, The Gifted Ones: The Dream, and I Don't Live in a Box, Isiah and two adult novels, Hog Island Love and Death Will Follow. I also have started about sixty books of varying genres. I see signs, or people, or hear noises, and suddenly my imagination goes into warp speed. I have an app on my phone for writing down ideas while we travel. That is how Hog Island Love found its way to my mind!
8. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience since being published took place at the Texas Reds Festival. A young couple of mixed ethnicity with a sixteen-month-old boy stopped to look at my Children's Books. While the mother wandered to a jewelry booth, the father and son stayed at my booth to peruse the books. After picking up a copy of Master Stinky Dances and reading a few pages, the father asked to borrow it, took it his wife and proceeded to tell her why they needed to buy this book for their son. Words like diversity, multiculturalism, special talents flowed from his lips to my booth. Once they purchased it, and I autographed it, the little boy held his hands up for the book and his father passed it to him. The youngster plopped his diapered bottom on the concrete floor and proceeded to flip through the pages. His college student parents could not get him to leave without picking him up and there was no taking the book from him! That will always be my most rewarding experience.
9. What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
My favorite books to read when I was a young person were the Nancy Drew series and The Hardy Boys series. I loved mysteries.
10. What is your favorite Quote?
The Beatles', "Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, there will be an answer, let it be."
11. When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
When I was little, I always wanted to be a writer. Though a few of my friends guided me to teaching, and I have held so many other positions in my life, I knew that I would ultimately end up in the world of writing and books.
12. If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Sally Fields would be the perfect me. She can portray such a wide range of emotions and characters. Her roles in "Sybil", "Forest Gump", "Eye for an Eye", and "Steel Magnolias" really touched me and made me realize what an incredible actress she is. Each of these movies came at important times in my life in which her roles meant more because of what my family and I were going through.
13. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
All of them, every one of my characters takes a piece from me with them, whether they are male or female, some part of them is part of me, whether it is in their attitudes, the events in their lives, or the way they look. Most of the connections I share with my characters deal with nature, heart and compassion.
14. How do you react to a bad review?
The first bad review I received upset me somewhat. I tried to think what it was that made the person not like my book. Then I realized that not everyone is going to like my writing style or my books. When I get a bad review, I look for constructive criticism and ignore the the negativity surrounding it. If it is not constructive, then I just ignore it. Reviews are meant for other readers anyway. I do not let bad reviews bother me.
15. If you were a bird, which one would you be?
If I were a bird, I would be a hummingbird. In spite of their size, they are the most interesting birds I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Besides that, they get to eat all the sugar they want, still stay trim and they are super fast!
16. If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?
I would like a first print, hard cover, signed copy of Watchers by Dean Koontz. That is my favorite book of all time, even above Harry Potter. I love dogs, big dogs, and Einstein is the most incredible animal character I have ever encountered in the world of literature. Throughout my young life, my dogs were my heroes, my best friends, and sometimes my saviors. I really connected with the characters in Watchers.
17. You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I would not "buy" anything. First, I would donate to some very worthy charities like the Family Abuse Center and the Humane Society. Then, I would buy a Macbook, Ipad, a nice camera and wireless printer, so I could write and take pictures everywhere I go.
18. What's your favorite season/weather?
I love winter! I love to play in the snow, build snowmen, throw snowballs, and make snow angels. After a full day of playing in the snow, I love to come in, make hot chocolate, popcorn, and watch a good movie while I dry out. Unfortunately, we do not get many snow days in Texas.
19. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
When I was in the second grade, we had a poetry assignment for our local newspaper. I wrote a poem about a clown. Our teacher sent the poems to the newspaper, and the editor selected my poem for publication. Seeing my words in print was the most amazing feeling. Aside from that, all of the wonderful books I read when I was young made me want to be an author even more.
20. In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
I would love to work with Dean Koontz on a novel because his ideas are so twisted. It would be wonderful to work with someone who writes such fantastic books with challenging vocabulary, suspenseful events and well-developed characters. I could learn a great deal from co-authoring with him.
August 2, 2012
99 Cent Ebook Sale! Whooo! Scary!
I'm having a 99 cent Back to School Ebook sale on most of my Kindle books for children and young adults! I've never lowered my books to that low of a price before! I feel like I'm cheating myself, but it's only for a month, and it's better than giving them away, I guess. It would be nice for them to sell dramatically this month. I wonder if people review 99 cent books? I know I've given away several Ebooks on Amazon, but it seems nobody has the time to review them. Maybe this will give me more reviews and get my books up the ladder. I did sell a paperback copy of Bobby Jay Gets an Ug the other day. That's a great feeling! Well, back to work on The Dream. Only 60-75 thousand more words to go! Haha! Time to get serious.
August 1, 2012
Orangeberry Summer Splash Book Tour
The OSS Book Tour started today! I'm so excited! I've never done anything like this before, and I'm barely catching on to the whole blogging scene, but this is really exciting for me. Two of my books are on the tour. 100 books, 500 blog stops, tweets, etc.... WOW! A person would have to be very organized to pull that off. I am not one of those people. I am completely lost looking at the calendar list! I think I'll just stick to my writing! LOL!
