Jeff Carson's Blog, page 3

Foreign Deceit Promotion Underway - And The Silversmith

It's been a while since I've updated the blog here. There was a family of raccoons living in the wp dashboard when I logged in, so I kicked them out, did a little updating, and, well, here we are!

What's new? A lot.
The Silversmith -- David Wolf's Second Adventure

I've just finished my second book and released it on Amazon. It's called The Silversmith , and you can find it at the link. I'm excited about this one, as I've brought the main character, David Wolf, home to Rocky Points, Colorado. I like the cover. There is an old mystery that gets unraveled in the book, and the cover kind of portrays that with the "retro" look of it.

As for the story, I found it very satisfying to write about the smell of pine trees, and sage, and the look of a Colorado mountain sunset -- to write about home -- as I've been pretty homesick living in Italy at times.

The homesickness comes in small waves, and the the seas are calm today. The weather is very nice in Merate, and after I sucked down a perfectly crafted cappuccino this morning, then walked past a group of loud old men arguing (probably about Berlusconi's hairline) in the piazza, and strolled to the sounds of church bells, I knew I'll miss this place in a few months when I return, and I was very grateful to be here.
Foreign Deceit Promotion -- FREE NOW For the Next Few Days For the next 4 days I'm offering Foreign Deceit for free on Amazon . I've had it set to free for 1 day, and it is going very well so far at over 3,200 downloads. That's nowhere near what I'm hoping for, but then again, this is a learning experience, so I have no idea what to expect.

I'll be spending the entire day (week/month/lifetime) promoting the book, and hopefully those numbers can rise quite a bit in the upcoming week. I'll keep you posted.

If you haven't read the book, and you are into mysteries and thrillers, then I would recommend it. (I WOULD say that wouldn't I!) But seriously, I am very proud of the story, and I would be very grateful if you downloaded and read it, then let me know what you think.

I would also appreciate it if you could share this blog post in order to get the word out.

That's all for now. I have a lot of work to do and I'd better get to it.

Thanks so much to all those who have supported me so far, and to those who will.

My New Book On Amazon

For years, I've had a dream of being a fiction novelist. And for years, I've never even come close to picturing myself actually writing a novel.

It just never crossed my mind that actually writing novels would lead to me being a novelist. I assumed some other step would need to be inserted in there in order to have the "okay" to begin writing novels -- like maybe a million dollars in the bank, or a free couple of years to try it out without any consequences if it just fizzled out as an idea. I don't know.

As I learned more about digital publishing, however, and some of the success stories of people publishing on Kindle, it firstly, gave me a new found respect for the geniuses running Amazon, and secondly, it has morphed into an all encompassing new direction I'm taking my life. Writing fiction.
My First Novel -- Foreign Deceit
Foreign Deceit is now available on Amazon for $.99. For two months I've been laboring hard, nights, days, even sometimes on the weekends, on my first fiction novel, and it's finally published.

After three weeks, sales are under 100 copies, but I also know that, although I am 100% complete with one novel, I'm actually less than 50% done with what needs to be done -- as I'm going to need two novels to actually get any momentum whatsoever within the Kindle marketplace...I think.

Why?

Because Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP, allows you to put a title for free for 5 days every 90 days. During those free days, one can attract thousands of readers of the book -- often upwards of tens of thousands if marketed right. The kicker is, there needs to be a link in the back of that book to the next book if you want to gain any momentum...and of course the book that was just read needs to have delivered.

The idea is, you then repeat the process with the next book (Free - link in back to the others). You can see how momentum could build if one had 5, 6, or 10 good stories in the market.

So, is my book delivering?
Some of My More Notable Reviews So Far...

David Wolf has some serious depth to him and I can't wait to peel back the layers on this well developed character and get to know him, by way of his adventures, better. If you like mystery thrillers with a strong but human hero, I recommend this book to you.
-Amazon Reviewer
I would highly recommend this read. You will not put it down until you finish with the last page. Looking forward to the next story.
-Amazon Reviewer
Huh. It didn't suck as much as I though it would. It was actually good.
-My Brother

Anyway, there's just a few of the reviews. There's a few more positive ones that have been rolling in over the last week or so.

My free time for the next month is going to be hard at work on the next installment in the David Wolf series, and I'll report my experience here on the blog. I assume the process of writing will become faster, as I don't need to learn how to write, plot, elements of fiction, etc...but that could be assuming too much.

You can check out the book by clicking here -- If you read it, review it, recommend it to a friend, press the "like" button on Amazon, or any combination of the aforementioned support, I would be forever grateful.

As for my end of the bargain -- I've poured a lot of hours into creating this story, making sure it provides hours of solid entertainment before unleashing it. (Being extra careful not to use the term "unleashing it" anywhere in the book.)

WFAP 004: Interview With Richard Phillips, Author of Rho Agenda Trilogy- A Meteoric Kindle Success Story

[powerpress url="http://jeff-carson-podcasts.s3.amazon..."]
In this episode of the Work From Anywhere Podcast, I speak to Richard Phillips, author of "The Rho Agenda" trilogy of science-fiction books.

Richard's story is unique (albeit a growing theme among many authors) because his success started by self-publishing his first book on Amazon Kindle after struggling trying to get noticed with the traditional methods of publishing.

His success exploded, which in turn has now landed him a lucrative publishing deal with 47 North (Amazon's Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror publishing imprint). This is leading to a new wave of success with his books and brand, a wave that will undoubtedly break in the larger public consciousness this upcoming few months.

This was one of the more enjoyable conversations I've had with anyone. In our interview he tells his personal story and a little about the books, which is incredibly interesting. Then he gets into the specifics of his success story, which is just as riveting as his books.

I've personally read all the novels, and I highly recommend them to Sci-Fi fans, or even non-sci-fi people. They are thoroughly entertaining reads.

Here are some of the topics we discussed in this episode...

Richard's back ground.
The books themselves.
Richard's less-successful approach to getting published, and success story with Kindle Publishing.
His approach to marketing - what he did and didn't do to have such success.
Some thoughts about his writing process.
Conventions, book sales, movie deal? TV Deal? - The present and future for Richard and his books.
and much more...

PLEASE NOTE: There's a little blip in things when Richard is describing what the books are about. I edited as best I could...just so you know, it's not your computer! Other than that, it's a smooth recording.

Right click HERE to download the MP3
Links for Stuff Mentioned in the Podcast:


The Second Ship : Now out in bookstores.

Immune : Re-release October 30th.

Wormhole : Release on November 20th.

http://rhoagenda.wordpress.com - Richard's blog with personal blog posts talking about his experiences with publishing, etc.

Secondship.com - Richard Phillips' blog with detailed book information.

Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible - The goal setting system I mentioned (Amazon book).

Subscribe Below to get the podcast automatic updates!

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
Click Here to Subscribe via RSS Feed (not iTunes)

Lastly, if you like my Podcast, please take one minute to leave a review HERE on ITunes!

 

Postcard - Chocolate Festival

We had a great time at the Chocolate Festival all weekend in our home town of Merate. People streamed in from near and far...I think...it was pretty full of people. The atmosphere was very jovial, and the weather couldn't have been better.



It was a couple days where I found myself often feeling grateful for what we are doing. Willy even got on the carousel without screaming. It was an excellent weekend!

KPICASA_GALLERY(ChocolateFestival)

WFAP 001: Inaugural Podcast - How to Emulate Others For Success, TheRight Way

 

[powerpress]

This is the very first of what I plan to be many of, "The Work From Anywhere Podcast".

In this episode I lay out what to expect from my podcast now, and in the future, and we'll talk about a topic very relevant to myself at the moment - "How to emulate others for quicker success"...But we'll also talk about the correct way to do it, in a way that empowers us towards action and doesn't cause us to...well, get freaking depressed!

Often times we'll take a look at the success of others, what others have done, and begin thinking that what we do must be modeled exactly around what they did in order to succeed. We will also judge our own standing, or progress by matching against these people.

[powerpress]

This is a very dangerous way of thinking that can foster
Here's an overview of things discussed in this quick first episode...

Introduction, my dead end golf job, and a little of my story
How to emulate others for quicker success
Pitfalls of looking into other peoples' successes
Object Referral vs. Self Referral
Empowering thoughts for success
Outro

I discuss a concept that I find very useful that was introduced to me by Deepak Chopra, and we'll get into the mindset for succeeding from wherever we are with making money online, blogging, or any endeavor for that matter.

Links to places mentioned in the Podcast...

Wordpress Goldmine Forum (Affiliate Link)

Mark Thompson's Blog - http://mjthompson.net

Breaking The Habit Of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

Azon Classroom  (My niche site training course where I teach beginners how to earn income with niche blogs)

Right Click Here to Download This Episode

Thanks for listening to my first podcast!! You'll definitely want to check out Episode 2, where I interview Mark Thompson, a good friend and mentor. We'll talk all about getting rid of dependance on Google, and get an overall insight into the life of Mark and his business process.

Postcard - Market Day!

Tuesdays are very cool here in Merate because it's market day. It's the same thing each week - a convoy of fold out shops on wheels thunders into town before dawn, each setting up shop in their designated spots for the morning.



 

It's an exhilarating feeling to stroll down the street towards the cacophony of smells and sounds
Once you're in, it's all encompassing. The smell of fried seafood dominates the air. Shop owners bark salutations and move in swift action. Patrons are happy and engaged in conversation, especially if it's good weather.

Look out, there's another beggar around the corner shoving his hat towards you. Hey, what do you know, the weird guy covered in paint is standing on the box again. Still making creepy kissing sounds at everyone? Yep. He is. Don't look...Don't look.

I find it interesting the niches people have chosen for themselves. Some tents are traveling drug stores. The prices are cheap and they do well it seems. Then there's the guy with wicker baskets and other woven-ware. "He's been in the same position for over 20 years," Cristina reminisces to me. He's not exactly hopping with customers.

There's a tent full of shining cookware focusing hot beams of light on passersby - Two trucks bursting with hardware and power tools of all kinds.

Swords - like, limb chopping swords are displayed for children of all ages to see and touch.

Then there's the section of the market that is all food. They set up shop in the local grocery store parking lot. It's all hopping here. Here the smells are strong and it bustles with activity. Three fruit stands seem to be doing well, despite close proximity to each other. Why does that one sell birds as well?  Huge chunks of cheese are cut with wire. Salami. Prosciutto. Calamari. Fish. Shellfish.

Market Day!

KPICASA_GALLERY(MarketDayMerateItaly)

Postcard - 50 cc's

"Oh, you don't know about the 50 cc's thing?" asked my brother-in-law.

No. I didn't.



What I DID know was there were gangs of teenagers who rode around on dirt bikes with street tires and scooters by the dozens. What I
"Yeah, in Italy, when you are 14, you can drive a scooter or motorcycle that is 50 cc's. Once you turn 16 you can use up to a 125 cc. At 18 years old you can take the driving test that gives you your drivers license to drive a car, or higher cc's at that point."

Aha. Okay.

I thought, that's pretty cool for kids, and it's definitely a different direction they went to teach them how to navigate the streets - kind of like how they went a completely different direction with the doors and locks with old timey cartoony looking keys...and the toilets designed in a way that necessitates the use of a toilet brush...but that's another story, probably one I'll hold off on telling any time soon.

Is this law to help breed more Moto GP champions like Valentino Rossi from a young age? I wonder. It seems to me that the average Italian teen, boy or girl, has much more first hand experience on a two wheeled motorized vehicle than American kids of similar age.

However, there are a few things that have come to my attention with the whole "50 cc thing"...
The "Brap"
This is a simple notion for citizens of countries that have large numbers of Harley Davidson riders in them.

You know those situations where you'll be having a pleasant, normal volumed conversation along side a street with a friend or family member, then some guy drives by on his Harley Davidson at a slow pace, but nonetheless throttling the crap out of his bike?

There's no reason for the throttle twist, or BRAP, other than to say, "Hey! Check it! I'm on a Harley! It's LOUD! Hey! Check it! I'm on a Harley! It's LOUD! Hey!"

I must admit I've done this a few times with my brother when we used to have Harley's. The rider knows full well what they are doing. It's a mischievous thing that's difficult to resist for many a grown men.

Now that I think about it, it really doesn't matter the bike. The "brap" is used by many men to startle the opposite sex into submission, or let other dudes know they are there and mean business. Again, it's tough to resist. If the bike sounds cool to the rider, no one is above the brap.

My point?

Now, give fifty percent of the population of fourteen year old boys un-mufflered 50 cc 5-speed dirt bikes and set them loose in a small town atmosphere and just listen to the God-forsaken brap-fest that ensues.

There's nothing like hanging in the piazza and being interrupted by a pile of fourteen year old's rolling in on a brap offensive.
0 to 60 in Just Under 4 Minutes
The other problem with a 50 cc is, they don't leave the scene very fast. A teen can rip through all 5 gears at 125 decibels (according to my quick research, the loudness at which pain begins in the ears) and still be close enough to hit with a thrown rock.

Many conversations are forced into silent submission, or diverted to a screaming Je-sus-CHRIST! (or, more Italy accurate, Ma-do-NNA!) in the direction of the passing maelstrom.

Then there's the specific problem of the two hundred pound man that lives across the street with the seriously flawed muffler, gas intake, carburetor, and...something else that doubly raises the noise level of his terrible, terrible engined scooter, who leaves every morning at 6:30 am - He proves the 50 cc is not just for kids, and with enough determination, and enough patience, and enough gas, and enough throttle, a 50 cc can move any man a distance of ten feet.
The Straightaway
Perhaps my slight animosity towards the 50 cc's stems from the fact that we've found ourselves living in an apartment along a rare straightaway - The kind of straightaway where a 50 cc can really let it all out - Can really red line the RPMs through all five gears without any real danger of anything.

In Merate, Italy, there are very few straightaways. Some roads here were originally built long before Christopher Columbus, in winding directions of design that made sense to a different people of a different time.

Therefore, you really have to be on your guard when driving. You can't just cruise. There is a twist over every hill, blind turns navigated with mounted convex mirrors, and two-way roads barely wide enough for one car width...Italian car width.

Not our street, however...It has a gentle turn and a few hundred yards of visible acceleration fun for all speed demons.

Just like anything, though, we've gotten used to it. It was a new thing, and now it's not. It's great to get to know the subtle, or not so subtle in this case, differences between life here and life there.

Plus...I'm pretty jealous of these little twerps! ...Back to the Panda with a car seat.