Lloyd A. Green's Blog, page 6

LIBRARY EVENTS - WRITING URBAN HISTORY & GETTING PUBLISHED

"Everyone has a story to tell. When will you begin yours?" Speaker: Author Lloyd A. Green
Every Tuesday at 5:00 pm:
April 10
​April 17 Program Location:
West Farms Library
2085 Honeywell Avenue
Bronx, N. Y. 10460
718-367-5376
www.nypl.org

Library Event - Writing About Urban History

"Everyone has a story to tell. When will you begin yours?" Speaker: Author Lloyd A. Green
Every Tuesday at 5:00 pm:
​March 27
April 3
April 10
​April 17 Program Location:
West Farms Library
2085 Honeywell Avenue
Bronx, N. Y. 10460
718-367-5376
www.nypl.org

Writing About Urban History

Speaker: Author Lloyd A. Green
Date: Tuesday, March 27, 2018, 5:00 pm
​Program Location: West Farms Library During the program, you will learn how to combine urban history with an entertaining story, in order to write an autobiographical short or a novel. The session will review general writing techniques, how to collect and sort needed information and finally, how to combine information into an interesting short story and/or a book.
​Lloyd A. Green, published author, will utilize his book, Reflections of EL: In Search of Self, as an example of how to complete the process. This fictionalized autobiography depicts the tribulations of a young Black man who grew up in Harlem, N.Y., from the 1950’s through the 1970’s. West Farms Library
2085 Honeywell Avenue
Bronx, N. Y. 10460
718-367-5376
www.nypl.org

FREE KINDLE BOOK - REFLECTIONS OF EL

"Wicked Sins Follow As Dyllon Evades His True Feelings"
​5 STAR Rated Fictionalized Autobiography
Reflections of EL: In Search of Self
Get your free Kindle copy 1/31/18 - 2/4/18 MORE INFORMATION Available at Amazon.com

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK (OR EBOOK) - Part 2

You’ve finished writing your book ( see part 1 ) but what good is it if it sits in your computer? The next logical step is to put it out there in eBook form (or as a paperback) so that others can appreciate your work. There are a few different ways to do this. Reason for a website - Let’s say that your friends and/or relatives are interested in reading your book. You could send the file containing your manuscript to these individuals separately or you could do a mass emailing to all concerned. Unfortunately, this means that every time there is an interested reader, you must plop yourself in front of your computer so that you can send them your book. Its much more convenient and less time consuming to set up a place where everyone can easily locate your work. Others can then simply type in an address and they instantly have your manuscript. The first step towards this is to set up a website or a blog. Website 101 - There are many sites on the Internet that can assist you in facilitating this. Some are free while others charge a fee for their services. It might seem strange that a site would allow you to set up your book or other ideas on their site for free but, of course, nothing in life is truly free. Once your eBook is up and running, you would probably see advertisements along side. Advertisers are always looking for ways to increase their sales. The more your story draws interest, the more likely others are likely to see the ads attached to the website. In other words, the website owners use your eBook to draw attention to their ads. In contrast, when you yourself pay for a website, you have more control over others attaching distractions to your work. By paying a fee, you can also put together a more attractive looking package to showcase your work. Like the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Free Sites
Wix.com
Wordpress.com
​Blogger.com Paid Sites
IPage.com
GoDaddy.com
Squarespace.com Self-Publishing - You also have the option of sending your manuscript to a self-publishing company. They in turn would not only set up a website (or webpage) for your eBooks but also produce a final copy of your work, which looks a lot more professional. This will undoubtedly incur a fee so understand that the expense depends on your need. Depending on the package that you choose, the amount you spend could run from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. Those interested in reading your book would have to pay (at retail) in order to download this version of the eBook or purchase a paperback or hardcover copy. Self-Publishing Companies
Outskirtspress.com
​Lulu.com
Authorhouse.com Independent Publishing - There are also companies that allow you to use their platform to literally create your book from scratch. For some, this can be a Herculean task. In contrast to self-publishing, where they will build the book that that you want (usually at a great cost), independent publishing means you must:
​Set the margins.Learn to properly format your work so that it will properly fit on the page.Pick out the cover art (or photo) and ensure that it has a high enough resolution to clearly be presentable. Once the book is completed, the independent publishing company will make as many copies as you need for your use (at wholesale cost) and they will also sell your book directly to your adoring fans. Independent Publishing Companies
Createspace.com
KDPAmazon.com
Lightningsource.com
Dealing With Traditional Publishing Companies - In general, what we all want is to be published by a company that will place our work on a bookshelf and circulate our precious work throughout the world. This endeavor takes the most work but is also the most fulfilling. Every editor has his or her preferences for guideline submissions. You might have written War and Peace but if you submit your masterpiece improperly, it will instantly be rejected. Even when you do follow all guidelines, you might get that disappointing rejection email.  Don’t look at it as a bad thing. Anything that you thoroughly love, takes time. Work hard, have patience and you will succeed. And that’s about it. To all those that love the written word, please remember: Words enable you to take flight. The skies may only reach a certain height but the regions that can be attained by your imagination are limitless. 
 
Congratulations and good luck

How To Write A Book (or Ebook) - Part 1

​Getting Started -  The experience of creating an eBook should be fun but like all worthwhile endeavors, a special part of you must be devoted to the task. In other words, take your writing seriously. Set aside some time, which is exclusive to this mission you have of telling your story. It doesn’t have to require a strict 7pm – 10pm schedule, but you should be willing to dedicate a healthy amount of time to the job of fulfilling this dream of yours. Write down ALL of your ideas - The many thoughts that you have are building blocks towards the final product. Do not sort these things out in your head. Put them down on paper (or the computer). After writing this out, you can now go about sorting out what it is that you are really trying to say.
 
Central Theme - Make a decision about the subject that you wish to write about. What you are sharing with others might cover many different ideas, but there should always be one central theme, which ties them together. You can't take a real first step unless you have a direction. Outline - You should then draw up an outline. This will make it clearer to view the overall picture, which will eventually become your book. The rule should be the following:

Focus on a main character (or event) and build on who or what they are about (goals).Name what the problem or obstruction is that prevents the main character from accomplishing these goals.Explain how the main character attempts to work through these issues.And finally, explain if the main character resolves the situation and how the story ends.  
There is no expectation that you should have all the finished components when you begin. Being able to clearly complete the above chart will eventually make it easier for you expand on your story.  Building on characters & plots - You can have subplots and extra characters but just don’t get lost by following too many roads. The reader will eventually want to know what happens to the main character that you stated was so important in the beginning of your tale and the important decisions that they are making, so don’t begin a premise that you cannot finish.
 
Tying loose ends - Be careful to tie up all loose ends and unresolved issues. There is nothing more confusing to the reader than to really be interested in your journey and then find that you have left them with many unanswered questions. Grammatical errors - When you have completed your masterpiece, go through it for grammatical errors and content at least twice. Use the grammar and spellcheck on your computer. Have a few other people read your book in order to get their opinions and yes, their criticisms. Make whatever adjustments you deem necessary and then read your book one more time. After all of this, you will be more prepared for the really fun part, which is putting your story out there so the world can appreciate it. Next week - How To Write A Book (or eBook) - Part 2
​(Websites, Self-Publishing, Independent Publishing, Traditional Publishing)

GOODREADS BOOK GIVEAWAY - CASTLE ON THE HILL : SECRETS

Chapter 3
​ Dora gathered up what little her courage she had left. She had no other choice. As her chilled knuckles slowly pulled the blanket down across her forehead, she could see wisps of her own breath escaping through the breech. As the covering passed her eyelashes, Dora was confronted with another set of eyes close enough to her face that they almost touched her own. Despite the panic that gripped her, Dora’s first reaction was to focus on the images that appeared within the thing’s dark colored iris. From deep within its eye, the shadowy face of a teenage girl slowly became more and more clear, moving nearer and nearer to Dora. Enter for a chance to win a free signed copy of Castle on the Hill: Secrets GoodREADS Book GIVEAWAY

MOM ME : E-MAIL 2 HEAVEN BY VALERIE AUGUSTE'-PARTIN

Book Review - 4 out of 5 stars
​
​To Valerie. I applaud you on another warm and heart-felt book. You not only delivered on your promise to continue your journey towards understanding this difficult part of your life but you have given a positive direction on how others who have a similar need might begin to heal.

I would have preferred that the book was longer but I was happy to find that you included the letters from those that love you and your mother. Without love and support, none of us can make it through the day-to-day craziness that the world throws at us.

I agree that a person cannot properly understand your plight unless they have gone through that kind of loss. My mother passed of complications from diabetes back in 1993. What she and I went through together still seems like yesterday but sharing my pain with others and the passage of time has helped to ease the pain. Continue to help others with what you have learned and you will receive blessing and understanding back ten-fold. Just as you show in your book, it all comes from love. Thank you for the experience.
Mom Me : E-mail 2 Heaven

MOM ME . . . SOARING THROUGH THE PAIN BY VALERIE AUGUSTE'-PARTIN

Book Review - 4 out of 5 stars

​Dear Valerie. Your struggle through this difficult time of your life grabbed me from the very beginning. I moved painfully with you through your need to understand why innocence is never enough. Our only hope is to become creatures who give love and are loved. Take solace in the knowledge that you have been successful in this. As you remember the painful times, just imagine a world without the opportunity to possess so many beautiful memories. Those good times shine brightly between the lines of your wonderful work. Writing these pages release some of the sorry but they also prove that you were deeply loved.

Thank you for the simplicity of your tears. Thank you so much for sharing this. Life and death are such selfish readers. I was disappointed that there was not more to read but we can only give what we can (and then a bit more). I'm looking forward to your next book.
​
Mom Me... Soaring Through The Pain - Cancer and Diabetes: The 10-Year Journey Mom Me...

Anna Saves Them All?

I've just finished reading a short story by Seth Dickinson called Anna Saves Them All and I was totally blown away. What would you do if you found yourself trapped by an alien being that was hell-bend on destroying all of humanity? Could you find the right words to save everyone on Earth, including yourself? 

Anna has thrown herself into this situation with only a short time to find the shocking solution.

Seth Dickinson's entertaining short story pulls you into Anna's sense of dread as her uncomfortable past and our uncertain future hangs in the balance. This great tale is storytelling at it's best.

​Anna Saves Them All is published through Shimmer Magazine Anna Saves Them All