Sean C. Sousa's Blog, page 9
January 23, 2013
“Flash” Featured On Kindle Nation Daily
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Sean here – wow, yesterday was a milestone day for The Forever Saga: Flash – thanks to Kindle Nation Daily (KND).
Last November, I targeted several Kindle/e-reader websites to promote Flash through, and KND’s Kindle Daily Shorts feature was by far the most successful of the promotions I tried. The KND feature more than doubled January’s sales of Flash thus far.
Included on the Kindle Daily Short is a great intro by KND, top quotes from an Amazon review, an author bio of myself, the synopsis of...
January 22, 2013
How A Writer’s Imagination Works
It takes a special kind of crazy to be a writer.
This notion first occurred to me when I recently read a piece about how many writers simply go nuts. I won’t share it here because it kind of glorified the “crazy” part, but there’s a shred of truth to it: writers need to look at the world and provide a unique take on it. That perspective is what gives them a voice that an audience wants to hear. And while some writers have indeed gone over the deep end with their perspective, the vast majority...
January 17, 2013
The Attitude of Gratitude
Quick – think of a time when someone gave you something that meant the world to you. Maybe it was the perfect job. A gift you’ve always wanted. Or grace/forgiveness for a mistake you made. What did you feel in that moment? Most likely, you were grateful, and probably wanted to return the favor.
The Attitude of Gratitude. It’s a commitment to enjoy what you already have – and it’s a powerful, essential part of the creative person’s life.
One day, when thousands visit this site daily and every tw...
January 15, 2013
Jan. ’13 Monthly: Final Fantasy 7
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Books offer us detailed, immersive worlds that fuel our imagination. Movies and TV offer visual entertainment with living, breathing characters. Music puts emotion and thought to melody and often moves us on a personal level.
But only one medium in entertainment combines the above elements with an experience you shape, control, and interact with: video games. And perhaps no other game has better accomplished this than my all-time favorite, Final Fantasy 7 for the original Playstation.
When Fina...
January 10, 2013
How Stories Can Change The World
“Every child is born an artist. The trick is to remain an artist.” – Pablo Picasso
I read the above quote yesterday on Twitter from @PaulSchwend, and it immediately struck a chord with me: an artist must both be inspired, and inspire others. Take a moment to recall the sense of wonder you had as a child. From storybooks to cartoons to the world around you, every minute of our young lives offered adventure, and a chance to express ourselves.
Getting older usually adds a heavy dose of realism, ho...
January 8, 2013
The One Doubt All Writers Face
Am I any good at this?
We often ask ourselves that question whenever we try to achieve something important. As we work toward that goal, there are moments where we stop and wonder whether we’re on the right track or just wasting our time.
Why do we write? To tell stories. To share information. To entertain and inspire. To make a living. The list of reasons is probably as numerous as there are working writers out there. Writing also gives the writer a satisfying form of expression that, when don...
December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas!
Once a year, billions of people around this planet stop to bless one another. The birth of Jesus Christ altered our calendar and our purpose. Once a year we do our best to slow down a bit and wish goodwill to others.
Christmas is my favorite holiday because it appeals to the best in all of us. It gives us reason to honor the relationships in our lives, whether effortless or strained. But it’s worth it, because we all have a reason to care for one another. It feels good to drop coins in the Sal...
December 20, 2012
Monthlies – December 2012 – The Killers
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Picture this: you’re surrounded by friends at a party you’re hosting. Several of them pick up instruments to jam and suggest you take the microphone. You’ve never really sung seriously in front of others, and the idea of it churns in your stomach like fast food that didn’t quite settle. What’s the harm in it, you ask yourself. It’s only Rock Band on your XBox; not like you’re performing at Wembley or anything.
You stop hesitating, pick up the mic, and proceed to belt out one of your favorite s...
December 19, 2012
Sean Reenacts “Flash” Cover
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Stanley Lau, the cover illustrator for The Forever Saga: Flash, did a wonderful job with the cover. So wonderful, in fact, that Sean attempted an artsy “life imitates art” moment and reenacted the cover – using his knack for facial expressions and a Joseph figurine from a nearby nativity scene. Does this capture the mood Stan was going for, or does this threaten the very fabric of artistic integrity? What do you think?
December 18, 2012
Responding to the Newtown Tragedy
Today’s post deals with last Friday’s Newtown, Connecticut shooting. Whether you’re just now absorbing the details of what happened, or wishing to move on, what follows may impact how you respond in the wake of such tragic news.
Where to begin? Let’s start with the basics. 20-year old Adam Lanza shot and killed his mother at home in Sandy Hook, CT, before driving to the elementary school where she worked and opened fire – ultimately killing 28 students and faculty. As first responders arrived...
