Forbes Arnone's Blog, page 23
April 23, 2013
6 Effective Ways to Promote Your Book
Reblogged from C h a z z W r i t e s . c o m:
Today's guest post is from the author of Reunion, Jeff Bennington! I forget how I ran across Jeff, though it could have been a lot of places since Jeff is a powerful experimenter in the realm of book promotion. His site is The Writing Bomb. He's also blogged here before on CreateSpace versus Lightning Source--a very popular post, and for good reason: Jeff's generous with what he learns.
Great book promoting ideas. And it's the second time I've read, from two different people, that a Goodreads giveaway is best done for only 5 days and only 1 book.
Read the rest ...
April 19, 2013
Over 500 Facebook Likes!
Last week I set a goal to expand my Facebook page fan base. I have received more than 100 likes in that short time. I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I’m gathering swag and some things to give away once I get to the 1000 likes realm. 
So, pass my page around to readers of romance so they can stay in touch with the books I have releasing this summer.
Also, I wanted to point out that most of you that have liked my Facebook page may not see my posts in your newsfeed. You need to subscribe to updates in order to see them. In the picture below you can see if you hover your cursor over the Liked button the little menu will pop up. Click Get Notifications and Show in News Feed. And interact with me. Post your favorite books and authors. Let me know what you’re reading now. I’d love to know.
Again, thank you so much for following and I hope you all stick around for the release of my books this summer. In My Mother’s Footsteps is on Goodreads. Go add it to your “to read” list and fan me.
Filed under: Writing
April 17, 2013
Great News and More News
Great News
Well, I’d like to start off by sharing my excitement. I woke up today to find my first book, a short story, posted on Goodreads. Why is that exciting? I poured my time, love, and heart into writing that story that I want to share with everyone. Once I finished writing it, I felt disconnected from it. Like, okay, it’s done now time to move on to something else. Then I went through editing and it still felt unreal–surreal. But when I saw the first real step, proof that it is really happening, When I saw my name on Goodreads with the book title above it, I nearly had an anxiety attack. This is really happening! I think my arms are going to be bruised from pinching myself so much.
Here’s the listing on Goodreads. In My Mother’s Footsteps by Forbes Arnone Please check it out and if it looks like something you’d like to read then put it on your “want to read” list. I’d greatly appreciate it.
More News
Renaissance Romance Publishing has some great things planned for this summer. Besides my short story that will be released in July, I have a novel coming out in August. They also have two Beach Read compilations: Summer Heat and Heat Wave from some incredible authors. Lisa Bilbrey’s third installment of her Journey Series, The Journey to Forever, will be released and Lorenz Font has another book releasing, Invisible Line.
Speaking of all of those releases, we have Open Blog Tours to fill. If you’re an author or blogger that would like to participate in blog tours, please sign up.
Renaissance Romance Publishing also has a Newsletter that we would like you to sign up for, so you can get all of the up to date info as it comes.
For those authors out there, we have two more pending Open Calls for Renaissance Romance Publishing. Submit!! 
And last but not least, if you like free books, you can earn them on this new website I just found. All you have to do is help spread some buzz about the books posted on there. Here’s my profile on Libboo. Go create your own and let’s create some buzz together.
As Indie authors, we need all the buzz we can get. Thank you for stopping by and helping out any way you can!
Filed under: Books, Writing
April 16, 2013
How to Write a Book Review on Amazon
The following post by Gwen Perkins (used with permission) is a perfect follow up to yesterday’s blog on finding book reviewers. It walks you through how to write an Amazon review and the impact reviews have on sales.
As anyone who is or knows an author knows, many of us frequently go around wishing and hoping that our book will receive reviews on that book giant, Amazon. (I also wish and hope for Powell’s and Barnes and Noble’s but as more and more authors publish exclusively through the Big A, that’s what this blog post is about.) I thought that I’d explain my own reasons for wanting reviews and how they work. I’m choosing to address this via questions that I’ve received from friends and family.
1) I’m no good at writing an Amazon review. What do I say?
The beautiful thing about Amazon reviews is that you don’t have to be Roger Ebert. You can click a star rating and then write a couple of sentences about the book. Reviews can be as simple as “This book was really good. I wish there was more romance” or really elaborate.
Here are some things you could put in a review:
Adjectives that describe the book (it was good, it was awful, etc).
Say something you liked about it. Things that you could focus on could include the plot, a particular scene, characters, how things changed during the course of the story, etc.
If there was a moment or character that personally impacted you in some way, don’t be afraid to say so. Put yourself in the review. Authors love to know their readers and I know that I’m always touched when I can tell someone made a personal connection with what I wrote.
Talk about what you wanted to see more of or what needs improvement. Do you wish another character was in the book more? Say so. Did bad spelling distract you? Tell us that too.
Tips to remember:
Don’t be afraid to be honest. Do, however, remember to be helpful. Don’t just say “it sucks” but tell everyone why it sucked.
Don’t give away the ending of the book. You can allude to it very vaguely (“the ending surprised me”) but don’t say specific plot details.
You’re not being graded. Write a review as long or short as you want. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece of art—think of it more as a conversation or what you might tell people you know about this book.
Make sure that you read the book before you review. This seems like it should be obvious but… it’s not.
2) Do Amazon reviews actually affect a book’s sales?
I have to be honest with you and tell you that I don’t yet know for sure as I don’t have the “magic number” yet. This is what I understand to be true from conversations with my publisher and other authors:
Around 20-25 reviews, Amazon starts including the book in “also bought” and “you might like” lists. This increases your chances of someone finding your title.
Around 50-70 reviews, Amazon looks at your book for spotlight positions and the newsletter. This is HUGE. This is my personal goal although I use Amazon reviews for other reasons (more later on in this post).
Number of reviews may affect Amazon sales ranking. (Again, this is anecdotal–I have no actual proof of it.)
Some websites will not consider or promote your book unless you have a number of reviews on the page (this is very true of those sites that highlight free promos—I can attest to this).
And, of course, readers may read through your reviews and decide to purchase or not purchase the book based on this.
3) Whatever. I don’t care if you sell this wonderful/awful book. Why should I write a review if it doesn’t change how you write the next one?
Oh, but it does.
When I read my Amazon reviews, they tell me things that my editor might not. Let’s face it, an editor is only one person and even with beta readers, you’re working in a group of people who are familiar with the craft of writing. What an author also needs is the opinion of the average reader, that person who just picked up their book and doesn’t have an English degree.
While you have to have a tough skin about reviews, as an author, they’re very helpful. They can reaffirm something that you were already working on. For instance, I’d already decided to make one of my minor characters in my first book a point-of-view character for the second—my reviews have told me that people wouldn’t be uninterested in him. They can also point out things that you need to work on. In my case, exposition!
Likewise, positive reviews tell you what you’re doing right. If people rave about your characters, then that’s likely a good place to keep going. If reviews talk about the fighting scenes in a positive light, then you know you’re making a difference.
So, in short, yes, what you write in that review is fairly likely to change something about the book I’m working on now. Writing is a process.
4) But I really hated the book! Should I still review it?
Here is where I probably differ from some other authors so I’m going to speak only for myself here.
Yes. Absolutely. How will I know where to improve unless I get reviews that tell me so? Yes, it can be painful to read some reviews but am I ever going to say that there isn’t truth in them? No. After the initial sting, I’ll read it again and take something home from that. I’ll be a better writer for it. To be honest, not everyone likes every book. There are people out there who hate Harry Potter. It would be a little presumptuous to think that all of my reviews would be golden for any book (they’re not now and I don’t expect that to change. Especially not if anyone reads this post.).
The only thing that I ask is to please make sure you have something to say about why it is bad. The only review that I’ve ever been really irritable about was a one-star on an old short horror story I posted for fun where the reader said they were underage and hadn’t read it.
Having said all of that, it is really tough to be a small press or self-published author (I am the former). Bad reviews can kill a novel if they’re the first ones a book receives or if they’re all that the book has. Please hold this in mind if you decide to go forth. This post by Anne R, Allen does a good job of explaining the impact in more detail than I’ll get into here.
(Feel free to share this post or copy it for your own blog. All I ask is that if you do, please keep my author note.)
Gwen Perkins is a fantasy novelist who is always on the hunt for Amazon reviews for her first novel, The Universal Mirror (Hydra Publications, 2012). She can be contacted through email at gwen@ironangel.net .
Kathy here: If you read my book, The Ruby Brooch, I hope you’ll write a review on Amazon. Matter of fact, I hope you write reviews for all the books you read! I know I will for now on.
Filed under: Books, Writing
April 15, 2013
Open Blog Tours
Blog tour sign ups opened yesterday and they include my new short story, which is part of the Summer Heat tour. I am so excited. So, my publishing company has four tours open for sign ups. If you’re a blogger and are interested in participating, please click on the links below.
And I’d like to request you all to sign up for my tour. Click my book title to sign up and please make sure you check my name. In My Mother’s Footsteps by Forbes Arnone (that’s me) is part of the Summer Heat tour along with two other lovely ladies. And if you can sign up for other authors and tours as well, please do. We’re Indie authors and need all the help and exposure we can get.
In My Mother’s Footsteps by Forbes Arnone
Summary:
Anela Alborn’s life is a lie. After growing up without the love of a father, her mother reveals his identity. Tragedy strikes and she sets off on an adventure that leads to more than she could ever imagine. Bumping into Christian Sivers distracts her from the real man of her dreams, her father. Will he live up to her dreams? And does she follow in her mother’s footsteps?
Open Blog Tours Seeking Bloggers
Renaissance Romance Publishing is seeking bloggers for several tours to be hosted over the summer months. Please click on the links below to find out more information, or feel free to email us at renrompub@renaissanceromancepublishing.com
Filed under: Books, Writing
April 8, 2013
What Have I Been Up To?
Well, that’s a loaded question. Besides the unavoidable and reoccurring responsibilities that I have to do daily, like: work, school, family, and household duties. I have finished a novel and sent it in for the first round of editing. I also finished a short story and finished the first round of editing. But anticipating my schedule during April, I had signed up for Camp NaNo, which is a much more relaxed version of NaNoWriMo. Thank, God!
So, here I am day eight and I have written almost 5k words and done that first round of editing for my short story. But I have the novel I started to write last year during NaNoWriMo that I did not finish. I am desperately dying to dig into that story. It is so different than anything I have ever tried to write and I need the time to be able to work through scenes and take my time with it. I tried to rush through it during NaNo last year and felt like a complete failure, because the story is a fantasy and I needed time to work through things. Trying to just throw out 50k words is easy when you write something familiar and have the time, but I just couldn’t do it and didn’t get past 25k words.
Now, some of the plans I have for this novel are to take it from 1st person to 3rd person. Work in more detail, backstory, characters, and scenes. Translation from my head to paper doesn’t always happen, but that’s what takes time for me. I need time to work it out and in between editing my two books I’ll have plenty of it.
So, stay tuned for more info on my books: My Mr. Manny and In My Mother’s Footsteps coming out this summer.
Filed under: Writing
March 14, 2013
A Beatrice of My Own by Jennifer Garcia
Rich images often create inspiration and imagination. The purpose of this assignment is to spark creativity and begin the creative writing process. Select a visual art piece—painting, drawing, or photograph—from a gallery, online gallery, or museum. The idea is an “art” piece—not a photo someone took on vacation. In a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper, write a creative piece—poem, dialogue, essay, or short story—on your reaction to the visual art. Let your imagination run. Consider the following questions to help spark (do not make this a Q and A response) your imagination to create a creative piece:
· What story comes to mind; what images come to mind?
· What dialogue is taking place in the story among the character(s)?
· Consider what might have happened before or what might happen after.
· Describe the culture of the image.
· What is the main object or image in the artwork? What is its purpose? What is the person thinking?
· Consider why this piece was created, or the perspective of the artist.
· What do you think about when viewing this piece? Any particular memories, emotions, or reactions?
A Beatrice of My Own
“Whoa, excuse me,” I said. I looked up to see who bumped into me. A beautiful girl, maybe right out of high school, stood there flustered and apologetic.
“No, it was my fault. I’m so sorry,” she said with such an angelic voice.
“No, I should have been watching where I was going instead of watching my feet,” I said.
Just as she was most likely going to say it was her fault again, a man called her.
“Sorry, again, gotta go.”
She ran off with the older man who was most likely her father. As I watched them until they were lost in the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel a loss at her walking away from me. We were in the Victoria train station in London. I was on my way to the airport, but it looked like she was going somewhere else.
I graduated college a few weeks ago and wanted to backpack through Europe before I had to act like a real adult and get a job. I wasn’t sure how long it would take since I was playing it all by ear. My plan was to start in England and travel from Venice, Italy all the way down the country as I could.
Surprisingly, I made it to Florence in great time. In less than two weeks, I had managed to see many cities on my way down, but I had a feeling that I would be staying in Florence for a while. The city was beautiful and full with so much history. From what I’ve read so many famous people were born there.
I found myself in Florence’s Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The church was magnificent and so grand with a huge dome and a tall tower. It looked very Gothic. As I strolled through looking at every piece of art and admiring all the statues, I found one painting that called to me. I had no idea what it was about or who it was in the picture, so I began to read the information plaque.
It said, “Domenico di Michelino, Dante and His Poem, 1465.” The painting was so strange but interesting. In the middle stood a man holding a book and around him were different buildings. I wasn’t quite sure what one of them was as it had what looked like a bunch of dead bodies piled on top of each other. The guy in the middle looked as if he was floating, almost orchestrating the scenes surrounding him. He exuded dominance and surety, and he looked like someone of high status. I stood there for what felt like hours staring at it until a familiar voice from behind me grabbed my attention.
I wanted to check and see if it was who I thought it was because, in all honesty, it would have been too much of a coincidence. I pretended to look around at the room as I stretched. Yeah, lame move, but it was all I could come up with. There she was speaking quietly with her hands to the same man she was with before. She was still as beautiful as the last time I saw her. Her long brown curly hair, her supple bronzed skin, and her big brown eyes were captivating.
Without an ounce of shame, I eavesdropped on the conversation. I focused my vision back on the painting, trying to keep up with her description of it.
“Dad, look. This is my favorite painting. That is Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy. I’m sorta obsessed with this man,” she said and giggled.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of him. So, what’s this painting about?” asked her father.
“Well, let’s see, where to start … Okay, it all started when he met a girl named Beatrice when he was about eighteen years old. He fell in love with her right in that moment and had an unrequited love with her. There was no real love affair or anything and they actually ended up marrying other people. I guess they may have seen each other a few times in between.
“Then he got caught up in some type of political trouble and was exiled from the city he was born in that he loved so much. It was the worst punishment anyone could have ever given him. Sometime after that he found out Beatrice died and he was heartbroken. So, he wrote this love poem to her and to his beloved city,” she said. I was in complete awe at her knowledge of this Dante she speaks of.
“But what does that have to do with this painting?” asked her father.
“Oh, well, the poem he wrote is about Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. See in the painting … that right there to his right is Hell. Behind him is Purgatory and to his left is Heaven or as he called it, Paradise.
“In his hand, he’s holding a book of the opening lines of his poem. Dante said, ‘In the middle of the journey of our life/I found myself in a dark wood, for the straight path was lost’ (“The Divine Comedy”, 2005).”
I had questions to ask her but I didn’t want to interrupt or come off as rude. Instead, I pictured this Dante and what he must have felt when he wrote that poem.
“This painting is a representation of his poem. The artist took some liberties, because the dome was not there when Dante was in Florence. But it doesn’t matter, the point of his poem and what the painting is showing is the redemption Dante went through to cleanse his soul of all of his sins. He wanted to be good enough for Beatrice so he could meet her in heaven.
“He also wanted to be good enough to be invited back to his city. He came up with the nine circles of Hell and the journey he goes through to get to Heaven. It was amazing what he went through to be good enough for a woman he never really knew. I hope one day I find someone who loves me as much as he loved her,” she said with a sigh.
I had to speak to her as her view of the painting made me feel even more of an attachment to it than I already did.
“Excuse me. I don’t mean to interrupt, but I couldn’t help overhearing your description of this painting. I have to tell you it has interested me greatly. Can you tell me more?” I asked.
Her father looked at me skeptically, and it reminded me of my manners.
“I apologize. Let me introduce myself. I’m Nick Collins,” I said.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Gina and this is my father, Greg,” she said holding out her hand. When my hand met hers, I felt a jolt shoot up my arm. My body flinched in reaction and the way Gina’s eyes bulged out led me to believe she felt it too. I did jump back, however; when her father cleared his throat.
“Um, yeah, it’s nice to meet you, Sir,” I said as I held out my hand. He looked at me, then at my hand, and finally took it.
“You, too,” he said.
I looked back at Gina and asked her to tell me more about the painting. The passion that exuded from Gina as she described poured out of her with every expression and every word. She truly loved the poem and admired the man the painting was inspired by. Her excitement was contagious and I found myself under its spell. I had never felt such a love for anything such as the love Gina described Dante felt for his city and Beatrice.
“The way you describe the painting makes me believe the artist was paying homage to Dante. And to think that it was all to get back to this city right here and be with the love of his life. Look at his stance; he’s presenting the pieces of his poem to all who look at this painting,” I said.
“Will you tell me more about Beatrice and their love story?” I asked.
As I strolled around the basilica with Gina and her father, speaking of great loves, I realized I might have found my very own Beatrice. What were the chances that I’d ever see a girl I bumped into in London all the way over in Italy, if it wasn’t meant to be?
References
di Michelino, D. (1465). Dante and His Poem. [Painting] Retrieved from http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/1125154
The Divine Comedy. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.nvcc.edu/home/vpoulakis/translation/dantetr1.htm
Filed under: Writing
March 2, 2013
My Poems
I thought I’d share the poems I wrote to enter an Acrostic Poetry Contest put on by Free Writers and Readers.
I won 2nd place for my entry, PTSD …
Nano Nostrovia! Poetry has also posted this poem to their site
This is the picture prompt used to inspire the poem. As soon as I saw it, I was reminded of my nephew that bravely served our country for two tours in Afghanistan. Love you, buddy.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
by: Jennifer Garcia
Panic, taken over my life
Overwhelming, feelings of strife
Stress, consumed my mind
Trust, cannot find
Triggers, uncalming
Roadside bombings
Around, explosions, gunfire
Unsettled, dire
Mortar guns, my specialty
Acknowledgment, Sergeant that’s me
The soldier, the proud, the few
Impaired, askew
Change, my life anew
Sleepless, nightmares haunt
Taliban, taunt
Resentment, piety
Eating disorders, anxiety
Sensitive, my soul
Savages, they stole
Detached, I’ve become
Irritable, numb
Shocked, anger
Onset, feelings of danger
Return, structure and teams
Damaged, no more dreams
Envious, of the old me
Return, to who I used to be
The next picture prompt inspired some fun.
TEMPTATION
by: Jennifer Garcia
Teasing, I know your fate
Every day, I watch and wait
My turn will come, little one
Promises, you will become my chum
Tangy or sweet?
Angel’s little treat
Taunting, you always are
Indeed you’re a star
One day, you’ll be mine
Now, I’ll just bide my time.
And this last one just made me think of repairing a broken heart.
TRUST ME ALWAYS
by: Jennifer Garcia
Trust me with your heart
Repair and mend, I will from the start
Understanding and trust in me you place
Supporting your heart with my tiny hands
To love you forever so your heart will expand
Mending, the pain you will forget
Entrusted to protect you from any further threat
Always you will be my man
Loving you with everything I am
Wedding bells, will I see
After you said, you loved me
Yearning no more, we are together
Sighing hearts and romance forever
Filed under: Writing
February 20, 2013
The Next Big Thing ~ Blog Hop
THE NEXT BIG THING – BLOG HOP
What’s a blog hop? It’s a great way readers can discover new authors! Here, I tell you all about upcoming novel due to come out this August. You’ll also get links below to other authors I’d like you to check out.
I’d like to thank fellow author Suzy Duffy for inviting me to participate. Click the link below to find out about her latest story Wellesley Wives.
In this particular hop, I’ve answered 10 questions, giving you a few exclusives and sneak peeks …
I hope you enjoy!
1. What’s the title of your book?
Tentatively it’s … My Mr. Manny
2. Where did the idea come from?
It was actually a prompt given to me and I ran with it. A lot of my stories come from prompts either wording or pictures.
3. What genre does your book come under?
Contemporary Romance
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I have a Pinterest page, with some unknown people that I picture as my characters. Check it out My Mr. Manny Pinterest! Other than those pictures I can’t really picture actual actors as my characters. They are pretty unique in my mind. However, when readers get a hold of the book they may be able to come up with actors.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
With Mia’s trust in Fate and Destiny, her dreams of love and a big family of her own come true.
6. Is your book published by an independent publisher?
Yes! Renaissance Romance Publishing is owned and run by three very lovely women. They are very knowledgable and hands on. At least one of them is available anytime of day or night. They have great staff and some incredible authors signed on as well. All around, I feel at home with them and very honored to be a part of their company.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft was written in less than a month, but it was just a short story then. It’s in the process of becoming a novel and I am actually almost finished.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I haven’t read anything like this so far. I mean it’s romance, perhaps almost even chick-lit but I can’t compare it to anything I have read.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The prompt I received helped a lot as it gave somewhere to start, but the actual idea of family and moving away from home is based roughly on my life. Leaving home, all of my family, and moving to a place where I knew no one when I was 16 left me longing. I missed the family gatherings, get-togethers, the latest gossip, and just being a part of it all.
Being away for a long time you’re no longer part of that pulse–connection–and life goes on for everyone. It’s difficult and even though you move on and gain your own life, part of you is still yearning for what you’re missing back in your home town.
So, it’s inspired by my longing for the closeness I used to share with my extended family back home in Boston.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Besides being about family, it’s also about finding one’s true love not just someone that feels right. It’s about Fate and Destiny. Sometimes we have to make mistakes to realize what we really need and want. And in the end it brings family together old and new.
Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you go on to read the authors listed below next Wednesday for their post.
Please like my Facebook page to get some sneak peaks from My Mr. Manny and follow my blog. I also have a book review blog that I use to share books I’ve read and love and Blog Tours for other authors. Check it out … Italian Brat’s Obsessions.
Below are the authors joining me in the Blog Hop, next Wednesday.
Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!
1. S.A. Jones
3. KQ Salsbury
4. Lisa Bilbrey
5. Jane Risdon
Happy Wednesday, all!!
Filed under: Books, Writing
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