Imran Siddiq's Blog, page 21

Review of Tortured Souls

This is my first read as part of the Jake Helman Series, and although Tortured Spirits is #4, the method of delivery gives enough for a newbie not to feel out of their depths or lost within the detail.  The author, Gregory Lamberson, guides the reader around what Jake already knows teases us with glimpses of the past. Sufficient backstory at relevant stages never feels like an infer dump and made reading this rather comfortable.

Jake Helman is a maverick of a one-man-band whose style is admirable when being considerate, but highly expressive when he needs to deliver the smack on goons and zombies. Heck – did i just mention zombies? Indeed; Tortured Spirits is a Supernatural Crime novel, but don’t let the …

 

See more of the Review of Tortured Souls by Gregory Lamberson on Crime Thriller Girl’s awesome Crime/Triller Book Reviewing site:

http://crimethrillergirl.com/2013/03/24/review-tortured-spirits-by-gregory-lamberson/

 

Quick Review of the Self Publishing Conference

After braving the onslaught of snow, I made it to the Self-Publishing Conference held at the University of Leicester on Sunday. As expected, I wasn’t the only one there. I’ve been to many writing festivals, but never one dedicated to self-publishing, and I was glad that I did. Self-publishing has had some stigma attached to it, but since the advancements of e-readers and the opportunities that can open with self-publishing, it isn’t a case of promoting one-stop vanity. I’m a serious writer, and am pursuing the traditional route of publishing, but if I can get a novel out there for readers, then why shouldn’t I have a go?

The organising of the conference was exquisite down to the detail of helpers always present to help guide you, a goody-bag filled with leaflets galore, and a name-badge. Within ten minutes of arriving, others turned up, reminding me that I wasn’t the only one who wanted to learn a tips and good advice about self-publishing. Sure, you can go online and read countless blogs about doing it, but to have someone present, who you can bat questions off, is a chance not to be missed.

A choice of twelve sessions offered something for everyone. I chose to, Writing a Successful Press Release, Using an Author Website to Market your Work, Designing a Striking Cover, and Marketing Books in a Competitive World. All of the sessions were tabled by experts in the field. In addition, all of them were human, accommodating and willing to listen. There were no egos, no promoting of credentials, and not a hint of slacking. The price of the conference was minimal in comparison to others, but you wouldn’t know that with how the day went.

I’ve come away with tips on how to market myself better, and how to engage my potential audience. It was clear from questions raised by some attendees that there is lack of knowledge regarding research into cover design, how important it is to have a reflective website, the message you must promote as a serious author, and that social media isn’t a time-kidnapping obstacle to other chores. No – grasp everything in portions and social media can help spread your novel to the crowd. The extra icing was the presence of other writers that share the dream of wanting to create a book.

A thoroughly enjoyable day that gave me what I required. Before I arrived, I didn’t know it all; I know a little more now.

Associated Posts (by moi) to come over the next 4 days:

Writing a Successful Press Release
Using an Author Website to Market your Work
Designing a Striking Cover
Marketing Books in a Competitive World

In each Post, I will add details of the speakers and details of how to contact them; most are on Twitter.

Facial Expressions in Writing

Want to mix up the expressions you describe in your novel?

Take your pick: Courtesy of http://karmajello.com/culture/art/illustrated-facial-expressions-gallery.html

Interview with Victoria Shockley

Proud to unleash an interview with Victoria Shockley.

 

She is open to many different types of assignments for writing, editing, and proofreading.  Experience with both nonfiction and fiction, including children’s books, historical fiction, sci-fi, and other genres makes her a great resource.

Read on …

 

How do you handle the challenges of being a writer/editor while still in school?

I’m a naturally organized person, so I make a lot of lists and keep a planner and my phone calendar constantly updated. I know every assignment I have to do for both work and school and what days they’re due on, and I prioritize and schedule my time to make sure everything gets completed. If I know a deadline is flexible, I make sure to find out exactly when the hard due date is, and if I have to get something reviewed before submitting it, I make sure to find out how much time the other person needs so that I still turn it in before the deadline. Currently I’m proud to say I maintain a straight-A average in college, and I have never yet missed a deadline for a client.

What did you enjoy most about writing your novella?

The part I enjoyed the most was writing the dialogue of the main character, a gnome. I feel that I was really able to develop his personality through his interactions with the other characters!

 

What is the strangest thing you have ever had to do to promote a book?

Honestly since I’m a first-time author, promoting my novella at all feels strange! I never imagined I’d be an author at all; submitting my manuscript to a publisher was completely random, and I never expected it would be accepted and then published. Whenever I tell people I’m 19 and an author, they’re always really surprised.

Any advice for new and budding writers?

It sounds incredibly cheesy, but I would say don’t give up on your dreams. It took me lots of long hours sending cold emails and working for free to get experience before I got to where I am today, so just keep trying! You’ll make it one day.

Do you have any other current projects at the moment?

At the moment I work as both a writer and editor, doing freelance work, editing for Wandering in the Words Press, and various marketing/publicity/writing tasks for Stephanie Wolf Public Relations (I work for them virtually, as they are based in New York). For my own work, I do a lot of editing (both fiction and nonfiction) and write blog posts, articles, help guides, etc. as requested. I’ve done these on a variety of topics, from women writers in Congo to Facebook privacy settings!

 

My Links:

Website: http://victoriashockleywrites.wordpress.com/ (has work samples and testimonials)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Victoria_Writes

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/victoriashockley/

Email: vashockl@ncsu.edu (anyone looking for a writer or editor can email her. She  should get back to you within 24 hours)

Video: Festival of Writing York 2012

I just had to share this!

At the Festival of Writing – in York September 2012, a video was shot of the happenings during the 3-day event.

I happened to find myself used in the video.

Enjoy

Click – http://vimeo.com/54084473

 

Details for the 2013 Event in York (UK) September will be up soon.

Engaging on Twitter and Facebook

 

There are zillions of posts out there that advocate engaging with your Twitter Followers and putting reasonable updates on your Facebook Page. This is just another, except in my way.

 

Rather than reel off reports, statistics, experience and links, I will keep it simple.

 

But – here is a link to a post I created on Tweeting Responsibly.

 

1)      Don’t Spam with links to your novel – use a scheduler like Bufferapp.

2)      Ensure only 10% of daily tweets are links/adverts

3)      Don’t just talk about your novels. Tell us something about you.

4)      Don’t send the same Tweet to multiple users – people do notice.

5)      Engage with your Followers/Likers, have a conversation.

6)      Careful of losing your temper, it could cost you Followers/Likers.

7)      Don’t come along and disappear for a week – if you can get into a daily habit, it helps.

8)      Don’t expect everyone that you follow to follow you back.

9)      Don’t plead for posts to be RT. (The odd one can be allowed).

10)   Respond to replies, don’t just ignore them, and:

11)   Respond to replies on you FB Posts. It’s all about engagement.

12)   Give your Facebook Likers something to get excited about, like an image/sneak peek of something you’re working on.

13)   Don’t get too political – because your accounts will reflect you.

 

Hey – do add some more in the comments.

 

Okay … Let’s summarise even more:

 

Post Updates
Respond to Replies
Keep it often

 

Can it really be that difficult?

Who doesn’t have a phone/device to stay connected (when not distracted)?

 

Just remember to go to sleep.

Sneak Peek of Disassemble Cover Art

This will be the last sneak that you’ll get now until the Cover Reveal – towards the end of May 2013.

Disassemble:

Background:

And don’t forget to enter the Kindle competition.

Win a Kindle Fire HD or $199

As part of the awesome Blog Tour starting this week for Disconnect, I am proud to announce a hellacious giveaway:

For the price of a few options … (that are all free by the way: you have the chance of winning:

Kindle Fire HD or $199 Amazon Voucher
$50 Amazon Voucher
$25 Amazon Voucher

What do you have to lose – well the above if you don’t enter.

Go on… have a go = a Rafflecopter giveaway

Soul Avenged by Keri Lake

Passion is blind in vengeance and love …

Ayden’s suburban home was invaded by a pack of Lycans. The brutal attack is the only memory she carries of her former life. Now, one motive burns in her soul:

KILL THEM ALL.

The Sons of Wrath—a brood of vengeance-dealing warrior demons—band with Ayden to hunt the Lycans on Detroit’s most deadly feeding grounds. Kane Walker should’ve been her easiest kill. Unfortunately, the newly bitten Lycan has something she wants—clues that may finally lay her past to rest. To reach them, she must be willing to submit to the sensual pleasures awakened by his touch.

Time is running out.

In seven days, Kane will become what Ayden despises most. She can halt his transformation but the antidote requires the ultimate sacrifice. As the beast takes hold, Kane becomes more of a threat. Ayden must choose between her lust for revenge, or surrender to her enemy and discover a horrible truth.

Never gamble with vengeance

Review:

I should have known from the cover that there was going to be sex, violence, kickassing and heroines with greed for taking over and smashing their mark on everything they cross. *deep inhale*

Keri impressed me with the visuals she created and the use of scenes to tell the plot. There isn’t the niceties of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or anything that Edward (from Twilight) would be comfortable with. We have fight scenes that deliver as as you’d expect from the impression the cover makes, and enough sensual scenes to make the leather of anyone’s clothes burn.

If you’re after a sweet walk down the road, then you may be disappointed. If you’re after blood… Ooooh yes…. Read it.

4 out of 5

Goodreads Link: Soul Avenged

Scheduling Tweets

Whenever I create a new blog post, or want to express to the world a new review of Disconnect – I usually Tweet and Facebook instantly.

That’s fine for the particular moment – but what about those that aren’t present to read/share it?

Scheduling Tweets is not a new thing – and there are loads of sites out there that allow you to schedule Tweets to occur during the day for long periods. I do get a little annoyed when I see the same tweet coming from the same person for hours, days, weeks, years on end with no variation.

Of course – some of you will jump up and down and state that you have seen me send the same type of Tweet at least 4 times during the day, and yes – I do.

I use a bit of kit called Bufferapp.

It’s free.
Allows me to schedule Tweets do go out 4 times a day;
They go out at 7:30am GMT, 12:30, 5:30 and 7:30pm
You can schedule links of pages; your own or someone else’s.
Manage multiple Twitter, FB, Linkedin Accounts
Use it on your smartphone
Get stats for which messages got the most clicks, RT, etc

Now then, I do like to tweet as much as possible, so although there will be 4 promoting tweets out there each day, my track record is approx 60 tweets per day.

So … at less than 10% portion of my tweets being promotions, surely that’s not too bad?

There is good practice to Twitter, and although I am not telling everyone to use Bufferapp to schedule, if those promotional tweets happen automatically, I can focus on tweeting in the weird and helpful way that I do.

It’s all part of managing time without seen to be spamming.

Do you use a scheduling tool for your posts?

 

My Debut YA Sci Fi Novel: Disconnect is out now.