Toi Thomas's Blog, page 73

Character Files from the ToiBox 52: Sheldon-Preferences

 

Preferences: Subject EC:B 2-Sheldon

 

Favorite Color: black

 

Favorite Food: pizza

 

Favorite Book or Movie: X-men

 

Favorite Music: alternative

 

Favorite Pastime: physical fitness and survival training

 

Other: Likes to keep to himself, but sometimes wishes he wasn’t so alone.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

 

 

 

Filed under: Character Files, EC: Battleground Tagged: #thetoiboxofwords, angels, blogging, character, demons, Eternal Curse, fiction, Giovanni's Angel, meme, preferences, profile, reading, Sheldon, Toi Thomas, wip, writing

Mira’s Closet Update, Ooops ;)

I’ve updated my post now to show what I really meant to share. I set my clock too late to post the update, but I always have a buffer in my blog schedule. I’ve learned from this mistake.

Go check it again, you’ll be glad you did.

Have a great day.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Purple Snowflake Marketing by Lillian Brummet

Book Title: Purple Snowflake Marketing – How To Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd

Author Name: Lillian and Dave Brummet

Publisher: Independent

Reading Level: Adult

Genre: how-to, self-help, book promotion, etc…

Content Rating: G

Available Formats:  e-book and print

Number of Pages: 378

Purchase Links: Available at most online bookstores as well as:

Smashwords.com (e-book) | Createspace.com (print)

See reviews of this book here:  http://www.brummet.ca/purplereviews.html

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Book Description

Make your book stand out in the crowd! Getting your book into the hands of paying readers is the most important goal of a writer and with the tools offered in this book the sales of your book will increase dramatically!

For the average author the marketing and promotion of their own book is a mystery in itself, and outsourcing these activities can quickly erode their budget. This book has all the tools and tips for developing that marketing plan, and turn your writing into a professional career.

Purple Snowflake Marketing offers a realistic guide to what authors can expect to face and how to employ research and preparation to make a memorable first impression. As you put together a marketing plan, you will be able to proceed with the confidence of a seasoned writer. This book is packed with value, with over 1000 resources along with stats and inspiring quotes to assist you in developing that unique marketing plan for each book you write.

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Book Excerpt:

“The first year after a book is released is often termed as the “one-year honeymoon period” by those in the industry. This is because many authors run out of contacts (friends, family, local media, colleagues, etc.) their budget has run dry, and initial marketing tactics are completed around the one-year mark. If the author has some name recognition, a basic marketing plan in place that goes beyond the Honeymoon Period, and shows an understanding of the promotional work required, than the author has a greater chance of being accepted by publishers.

Now, one of the reasons publishers must be choosy is simply related to budget. They are working with, like everyone else, a limited budget. So as book proposals come in they are looking for the ones that will be the least likely to drain their budget and the most likely to bring in revenue. Therefore a proactive author will have a greater chance of getting approval and considerations for any other programs they might have in place.

Sure, we can see e-book authors, for instance, who are making a living from just one or a few e-books. We also see authors in print format reaching out to the Internet audience, and succeeding. The reason? That is where people are. They are not attending events in the numbers they used to, they are not going into bookstores and libraries in the numbers they used to – and so we have to go where they are. What do your readers want? What formats do they like? It really boils down to knowing the audience for each book that is about to be released.

The success of your book depends on many factors starting with genre, release date, the publisher’s policies, the size of book, the quality of the printing, the format you choose, printer and publisher schedules, staffing, suppliers and the original condition of the manuscript. The ingenuity, preparedness and experience of the author, personal finances and resources, and location can also determine the success of a book. All of this will influence how a book is marketed and reinforces the need for every book’s marketing plan to be unique.”

Lillian Brummet Links:

http://Brummet.ca

http://www.twitter.com/brummet

http://www.facebook.com/lillian.brummet

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ldbrummet

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Guest Posts, Samples Tagged: books, excerpt, how-to, Lillian Brummet, marketing, promotion, Purple Snowflake Marketing, sample

Mira’s Closet: 3/24/14

Mira’s no fashionista, but she definitely has her own sense of style…

And now here’s an update on just that.

First an observation:

Now here are some style tips/clips from

my own personal fashion guru, trainer, and my physical inspiration for Mira.

images go here

I hope you enjoyed this. Also check out Tori’s new EBoutique: December 10.

For more on style and fashion check out:

Celebrity Trends at WhoWhatWear: http://www.whowhatwear.com/

Fashion Medley: http://thefashionmedley.com/ (content advisory)

A Beautiful Mess: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

My Style Pinboard: http://pinterest.com/toinette_thomas/my-style/

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Mira's Closet Tagged: accessorizing, culture, Daily Dish, Eternal Curse, fashion, Fashionplate, life, links, Tori J. Jones, try this

Sample Sunday 38

Here is approximately 100 – 150 words from a randomly selected original piece for your enjoyment. These samples can include excerpts from my all my WIPs and my Eternal Curse Series, but only as works in progress (not the final products). These samples of published and unpublished works are protected under the U.S. Copyright agreement.

Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel chapter 5.3 (wip)

In the roomy bed she’d been provided, Mira quickly became relaxed and was very comfortable. The sheets were soft and cool and the mattress was just the right firmness. After a few hours of blissful rest and sleep, a strange sound, like wings flapping or flags blowing in the wind, woke Mira from her slumber. The sound was coming from outside, so she ran down the hall to the indoor/outdoor room to gain access to the deck. There she saw what looked like an enormous white bird; the most regal she’d ever seen. It looked to be the size of a man with wings white like snow. It flapped its wings over the apple orchard as it ascended up into the sky. It was the most beautiful thing Mira had ever seen, or maybe imagined.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: EC: Giovanni's Angel, Samples Tagged: angels, demons, Eternal Curse, family, fiction, Giovanni's Angel, reading, romance, sample excerpt, shape-shifting, spec-fic, Toi Thomas, war, wip

ToiBox Blog Weekly Recap 03/22/14

Check out my Recent Posts links to see what I was up to this week.

Last Saturday I posted entry 5 of Wormfest- I’Robot Quote, and then…

I posted my Adventures in Blogging: The SheWrites.com Experience.

I started out this week with Sample Sunday 37- It’s Like the Full Moon, chapter 3.3, and then…

I posted Wormfest 2014 Finale! – The Island of Dr. Moreau Quote.

On Monday, I posted my Listography of Toi 09: Hopes.

On Tuesday, I added to my Character files the preferences for Tori.

On Wednesday, I posted “What’s in a Name” from my past post series.

On Thursday, I posted a Count Your Blessings about the senses.

And yesterday, I posted a simple Friday Forecast and then shared my review of Sacrifice, book 3 in the Gryphon series.

-Today I’d like to rest a bit, but household chores are calling.

-No Adventures in Blogging today, but if you’re looking for something to do online,I’d love a few votes for Eternal Curse in the Cover Wars over at the Masquerade Crew (see side panel for image and link). ;)

-I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself this week and enjoy a very pleasant weekend.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, biography, blessings, blogging, books, character, culture, discussion, entertainment, fashion, geek, interviews, journal, life, likes, lists, reading, reviews, sample, wip

Review: Sacrifice

Sacrifice (Gryphon #3) by Stacey Rourke

I give this book a 4.

Okay, so the Conduit of the Gryphon has always been terrified of garden gnomes and now she has a reason for it, but I’m jumping ahead of myself.

Let me go ahead and tell you why I didn’t give this great story a five and then move on. Celeste is great, she really is, but her dim-wittedness is starting to drive me crazy…that’s it. I wish the Gryphon would make her smarter.

There is so much I want to say, but I usually make a point not to give away spoilers, so bear with me. I’m just going to list a few things I wish I could elaborate more on.

1. Love continues to be in the air for the Garret family, but not for too long.

2. The title is soooo fitting, it’s almost sad just how much so.

3. Mom finally shows up for a while.

4. There is another really cool conduit to meet, thus my specification in the first sentence. Go back and take a look and see my subtlety.

5. The mystery, or lack thereof, concerning Alex keeps developing…Again, here’s why I wish Celeste was smarter.

6. Titans in this mythology are very different from others I’ve read, but I’m liking them for what they are.

7. There’s something about blondes in this series.

And lastly, I’m ready for this war to finally start.

On a personal note, I’m sad that the book covers are changing with the release of the fourth book. I liked the old covers.

Now back to those gnomes…no that would give too much away.

See my review of book 2 in The Gryphon Series, Embrace.

This review has been posted to GoodReads.

If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try these links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

 
Filed under: Reviews Tagged: books, character, contemporary fiction, demons, drama, ebook, family, fantasy, fiction, friends, humor, reading, reviews, romance, sacrifice, Stacey Rourke, The Gryphon Series, Toi's comments, try this, war, YA

Friday Forecast : 03/21/14

Highlighting interviewees, guest posters, my standard weekly posts, and whatever else I can think of, going into the next week.

So, here what’s happening next week:

Sample Sunday

Mira’s Closet, plus…

Another visit from Lillian Brummet

Character Files

Blogdom

A Day in My Life

Friday Forecast possibly followed by an author interview with, Debbi Wilson

Weekly Recap and possibly another Adventures in Blogging Post

–

Today I’ll share my review of the 3rd book in the Gryphon series as I make my way through the fourth one…Oh and I break all my rules for reviews with this one.

I plan to rest a bit this weekend, but we’ll see what happens.

No Adventures in Blogging tomorrow.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, blogging, interviews, life, reviews, sneak peak, try this, writing

Count Your Blessings 10

Senses

I’m thankful for my senses. There are people in this world who don’t have good use, and in some cases no use, of their five senses and thus must perceive the world a little differently. This is one of those things that people often take for granted because it’s just the way we are. While the five senses aren’t needed to have a full life and capture memories, it’s a blessing to have them.

When I remember the past, when I experience my most vivid memories, everything is vibrant. I can feel the silky fabric of my mother’s skirt as I grab onto her, making our way through the department store. I giggle because I like the funny sound my shoes make on the linoleum floor. I twitch my nose and squint my eyes walking through an invisible cloud of perfume. Finally, my eyes sparkle as I rush to swim on a river of colorful drapes and curtains. My mother was always buying or making curtains and I’ll never forget that fact or the experience of it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Blessings Tagged: blessings, gratitude, life, senses

Posts from the Past: EC:GA What’s in a Name?

These are previous posts that have been dusted off, updated, and freshly presented to an audience that’s never seen them. These limited posts originate from the companion blogs I’ve written for the first two installments of the Eternal Curse Series (40 Days and Nights of Eternal Curse & EC: Battleground a Survival Guide).

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The characters in this book are very different from each other and uniquely special; it makes sense that their names would also be uniquely special.

Giovanni- In the story the reader learns that Giovanni is given a used name; it is not the name he was meant to have. With his mother gone, Giovanni remains nameless until a grieving Italian nurse, names him after her dead son. The name means ‘God is gracious’.

Mira- Mira never learns why or how she was named, because she was adopted by a man who never took the time to tell her. She never even knew there was any significance to her name, until Giovanni told her. Mira (pronounced My-ra (traditionally) or Mir-a) is derived from the word ‘miracle’ or ‘miraculous’ and is the name given to the first discovered variant star.

Abraham- The meaning of Abraham’s name is never mentioned in the story, but it is a truly fitting name for the character he personifies. Abraham means ‘exalted father’.

Sarah- Sarah is indirectly compared to the legendary Grace Kelley in one small passage of the book. Kelly is most famous for leaving behind the fame of Hollywood to become a real life princess. It is only fitting that the root meaning of Sarah be ‘princess’.

Seth- Seth is a complicated character, so it makes sense that his name be complicated also. His name means both ‘appointed’ and ‘substitute’. Biblically speaking, Seth was the replacement child born after Cain killed Abel. In this story, you’ll read how Seth is appointed one duty, but opts to substitute for another, causing a ripple effect of misfortune.

Marcos- Well this guy isn’t a nice guy, so of course his name reflects that. Marcos is derived from Marcus, which is the proper Latin name for Mars. Mars, depending on which mythology you choose to follow, was either the god of war or fertility. They are basically the same person, but at different times. Either way, he is a very mischievous character.

Bletsian- Out of all the characters in my book, Bletsian has the name that truly suits him. I could not have named him anything else. In fact, I settled on his name by researching character traits I wanted him to have, and by thinking of what I ultimately wanted him to represent. His name means ‘blessing or to make holy’ because the Greek origin of the word blessing is ‘bletsian’. Once you read the book, you’ll understand why this had to be his name.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: EC: Giovanni's Angel, Post of Past Tagged: angels, author, blogging, book, break down, character, demons, dreams, ebook, Eternal Curse, fantasy, fiction, good vs evil, journal, life, process, profile, purpose, shape-shifting, stories, try this, writing