Mike Martin's Blog, page 35
November 17, 2012
November 16, 2012
American Bookstore Links for The Walker on the Cape
How to buy The Walker on the Cape in the United States:
Booklocker
Print and pdf E-Book
http://booklocker.com/books/6497.html
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-walker-on-the-cape-mike-martin/1113728332?ean=9781621418498
Books a Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Walker-Cape/Mike-Martin/9781621418498?id=5530048476032
And Don’t Forget:
Ottawa Authors and Artisans Fair
Sunday Dec 2, 2012 10-4
Jack Purcell Centre, Ottawa
November 15, 2012
Getting It Out of Your Head and Into a Book
Getting Your Book out of Your Head and onto the Bookshelves
Step One: Write
It sounds very simple but the first step in getting a book published is to start writing it. Just about everyone who I meet that knows I have published a book tell me some variation of the story about their book; the one that hasn’t been written yet. Their questions include is it hard? Yes, but it’s much harder if you don’t start. Or, how did you find a publisher or do you have an agent? Those are the wrong questions.
It is hard to write a book but the only way to make it any easier is to start writing. You can start with an outline, you can start with identifying your themes or main characters, or you can start by writing a short story instead of a book. If you want to write a book then pick up your pen or turn on your computer and get started. Once you get started there a billion suggestions about to make it a good, even great book, online or from successful authors. But you have to start. Forget about getting a publisher or an agent or what you will say to people at your book launch and just write.
Step Two: Share
Once you have written the first chunk of your book then you have to share what you’ve written with people that will give you feedback. Your friends and family are the best choice for your first round. They love you, I hope, and like you as well so they are likely going to be kind in their critique of your initial work of genius. Ask them to tell you not just whether or not they liked it, even though your ego really, really wants them to, but the parts they liked and even more importantly what they didn’t like about your creation.
If you have not learned this lesson already, now is the time to learn to graciously accept feedback. All of it. The only way your writing and your book will improve is if you can hear criticism and not take it personally. Remember that these are the people who like you. When you get out in the real world, publishers, agents, book reviewers and critics are mean and will not care one whit about your feelings. So share your writing early and often
Step Three: Talk to the Pros
After you have completed what you think is a decent draft of your book you will need some professional advice. You need to find someone who has published a book to talk to. Ask them what they did and thank them. Ask them to have a look at your book and make suggestions. Find a (cheap) editor who will have a look at your book and offer their guidance. The reason that you want a cheap editor at this point is that your work is probably not worth a full editing treatment yet. It may be someday but not yet.
You can usually find local published authors on a general Google search but you can also look up local author organizations. Or check out the national groups and associations of authors and writers. If you are writing in a particular genre like mystery for example there are tons of mystery and crime contacts online. Writing magazines also have listing at the back of their mags of fairly cheap editing services that you can try out.
Step Four Decide on Your Route
If you want to go the traditional publishing route, good luck. It really is like trying to find a way to squeeze through the eye of a needle. All of you and your book too! To get a major publisher to take on your book you have to be famous already or have an agent. To get an agent you have to get thorough their maze of assistants and gatekeepers just to get them to have a look at a sample of your work. If you can’t get an agent then it’s very difficult to get a traditional publishing contract. You can try, but prepare to spend at least a year and a whole lot of rejection trying.
There are however many other options today courtesy of self-publishing and e-books. E-books are an option because for about $100.00 you can get your manuscript formatted to fit all the major e-book types and also get it up on sale on Amazon and all other major e-book retailers. Self-publishing is also effective and fairly inexpensive, especially POD (Print on Demand) models that only print books when they are published. For less than $1,000.00 you can get your name up in lights. Well not really but you can have a professionally produced book and e-book that is ready for the bookshelves.
Mike Martin’s latest book is The Walker on the Cape, an East Coast mystery book and the first in the Windflower mystery series.
November 13, 2012
New Locations to Buy The Walker on the Cape
New locations in Ontario, Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick. More locations being added every day.
Ottawa , Ontario
Coles Place d’Orleans, Place d’Orleans, Ottawa
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Toronto , Ontario
Indigospirit Royal Bank Plaza, Toronto
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Brockville , Ontario
Coles Brockville, Ontario
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Kingston , Ontario
Indigo Kingston 259 Princess St, Kingston
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Nova Scotia
Indigospirit Bedford, Nova Scotia
Coles Amherst,Nova Scotia
Coles Bedford Place, Nova Scotia
Coles New Glasgow,Nova Scotia
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Prince Edward Island
Indigo Charlottetown, PEI
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New Brunswick
Coles McAllister Place, St. John,New Brunswick
November 8, 2012
Book Signing Saturday Nov 10
You are invited to come meet Mike Martin, the author of The Walker on the Cape at:
Collected Works Bookstore and Coffee Bar
1242 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Saturday, Nov 10, 2012
1-3 pm
November 7, 2012
New Locations to Buy The Walker on the Cape
New Locations to Buy The Walker on the Cape
Nova Scotia
Bedford , Nova Scotia
Indigospirit Sunnyside Mall
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indigospirit-Sunnyside-Mall/149786481742628?fref=ts
Amherst Nova, Scotia
Coles Amherst
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/cole.amherst
New Brunswick
St. John , New Brunswick
Coles McAllister Place
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ColesSaintJohn
Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown , Prince Edward Island
Indigo Charlottetown
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indigo-Charlottetown/160918547256276?fref=ts
Pennsylvania, USA
Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop
And Don’t Forget…..
Book Signing at Collected Works in Ottawa Saturday Nov. 10 from 1-3 pm
November 5, 2012
Now Available in E-Book
The Walker on the Cape is now available in E-book format from all major online book retailers and from my American publisher Booklocker.com.
Here is the direct link for ordering the E-book:
http://booklocker.com/books/6497.html
For people in Ottawa, don’t forget about the Book Signing on Saturday November 10 from 1-3pm at Collected Works Bookstore on Wellington St.
November 1, 2012
South of the Border
Windflower and the gang are headed south of the border. And the first bookstore in the United States to stock The Walker on the Cape is:
Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop
Corner of Trindle & Clouser Roads
Mechanicsburg PA 17055
Email: mysterybooks@comcast.net
Website: www.MysteryBooksOnline.com
http://www.mysterybooksonline.com/
October 31, 2012
American Release of The Walker on the Cape
News Release
Bradenton, Florida
November1, 2012
American Book Launch: The Walker on the Cape
Mike Martin and Booklocker.com Inc. are pleased to announce the American publication and distribution of The Walker on the Cape, the first in a series of mystery books featuring Sergeant Winston Windflower of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Here is a short book synopsis:
A man’s body is found on a hiking trail in a small fishing community on the East Coast of Canada. At first everyone thinks it’s a heart attack or stroke. But then it is discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Sergeant Winston Windflower of the RCMP along with his trusted side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way they discover that there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.
Windflower also discovers two more things; a love of living in a small community that is completely different from his up-bringing in a remote Indian reserve and maybe the love of his life. He gets a taste of East Coast food and hospitality as well as a sense of how crime and corruption can linger beneath the surface or hide in the thick blanket of fog that sometimes creeps in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
The Walker on the Cape is available for bulk order through Ingram, the largest book wholesale distributor in the world, and directly from Booklocker.com. It will also be available in select U.S. bookstores and as an E-book through Amazon. Com, Barnes and Noble and other major E-book retailers.
For more information and interviews please contact:
Mike Martin
613-290-5836
October 29, 2012
Review by Robert C. Arnold
The Walker on the Cape captured my attention immediately taking me to Grand Bank Newfoundland, a place I’ve only ever seen in my imagination when mulling the roots of my family in that part of the world. The Mounties, Windflower, and his eager assistant Tizzard are presented with a death, which although it seems normal at first turns out to be murder. The conscientious police work turns up some unexpected and illegal doings, and shows up the incompetence of a senior member of the RCMP.
I believe this story could not have been written by anyone, who was not from Newfoundland and shared the warmth and humour of the people. This is brought out in the book by the developing relationship between Windflower and the owner/operator of the coffee shop, Sheila. The food and the rhythm of the dialogue is, I imagine, faithfully reflective of the realities of small town Newfoundland.
I loved this book. It is interesting, easily readable and helped me spend a couple of afternoons on “The Rock”. I am looking forward to reading more novels set in Newfoundland by Mike Martin. Get it! Read it! You will enjoy it!
Robert C. Arnold is a blogger and social activist from Victoria, British Columbia
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