Harmony Kent's Blog, page 146
December 13, 2014
Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author …
Welcome, Rochelle Carter!
3 Steps to Market Your Book 10 Times Better Than Before
Today, there are authors of every stripe, from those in time-honored fiction and non-fiction categories to business people and professionals who’ve learned that writing a quality book is essential to building their brand.
In 2012, Americans self-published more than 391,000 books, according to market research giant Bowker. That’s a 400 percent increase since 2007. Also in 2012, traditional publishers released nearly 302,000 titles for a whopping total of nearly 700,000 new books. In one year! With the glut of new books being released each year, promoting just one can feel like a mission impossible.
But just as publishing has democratized, so has getting publicity. Yes, we still have gatekeepers – editors, producers, etc. – guarding access to traditional media, and yes, it’s still important to get their attention. But now we have social media to help us do that. With hard work, the right message and some marketing savvy, anyone can potentially build a following large enough for those gatekeepers and their audiences to take notice.
Looking for media attention for your book? Here are three steps to market your book better than before:
Establish an online presence and following – ideally long before you’ve written your book. In the old days, authors crisscrossed the country, their car trunks weighed down with books. They arranged book signings at shops and events in an exhausting effort to get in front of as many potential readers as possible. While some authors still do this, it’s a big investment that doesn’t offer much in return unless you have a recognizable name. Establishing an online presence with a high-quality website and regular postings on social media is a much more efficient and effective way of connecting with potential readers/buyers.
Build a platform that will create a built-in audience for your book. Whether you’re a business leader with a book or a fiction author, it’s essential that you regularly provide fresh, engaging content to an audience. This is how you build a platform which, as the name suggests, puts you on a stage so others – including the media – can see you. Many writers do this by penning a blog on their website. Some writers host an Internet radio show; professionals using their book as a marketing tool may pay a radio station for a weekly time slot. If you live in a community with public access television, you can even host your own TV show.
Form strategic alliances with other authors. Don’t think of all of those other authors as the competition; rather, look at them as potential allies. Find authors who appeal to much the same audience as you and who have large followings, and join forces. Just as social media users help one another gain visibility by “liking” posts or “retweeting” tweets, you and your fellow authors can increase exposure for one another. Promote each other on social networks; guest-post on one another’s blogs, or participate on their radio and TV shows. One group that has mastered this collaborative approach is the Rave Reviews Book Club. Founded by Nonnie Jules, this is one group that truly creates a sustainable community for authors of all genres.
On the one hand, it’s wonderful that anyone with a message to share in the form of a book can now do so. Gone are the days of pinning all your dreams on some faceless editor in a New York high-rise.
But as with anything, greater accessibility leads to bigger crowds. If you want to stand out, you’ll have to plan a sustained marketing campaign. If your book is a tool to build your business brand, don’t worry so much about sales; it will pay for itself in establishing you as an authoritative expert in your industry.
If you hope to establish yourself as a fiction or non-fiction author, plan for long-term marketing even as you get to work on your next book.
Do you have any savvy marketing tips? Share them in the comments below!
Follow Rochelle online!
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Website
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December 7, 2014
Supporting Authors: The Religion, Rage & w(R)iting Blog Tour
I awoke as usual this morning, grabbed a cup of coffee, checked my emails, and then headed on over to twitter. What a surprise waited for me! 4Wills Publishing, who have helped to promote my last two books–Elemental Earth and Polish Your Prose–have arranged a surprise 7 Day/40 Stop blog tour for me and a couple of other authors. I was stunned when I saw this!
I have to give a HUGE thank you to Nonnie Jules and the team at 4Wills Publishing for arranging this wonderful and totally unexpected event.
Not only that, but they have also made a great author/book blitz trailer:
How cool is that? 
The line up of all the blog stops can be found on the events page of 4Wills Publishing.
Please help to support Yours Truly, as well as 4Wills Publishing, Nonnie Jules, Rhani D’Chae, and Shirley Slaughter by re-blogging, tweeting, and spreading around all the social media you can find.
Visit the 4Wills Publishing events page, and stop by the blogs, to learn more about these awesome authors and their equally awesome books! Not to mention tidbits and giveaways.
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November 12, 2014
Everyone Burns
♥♥♥♥
Everyone Burns
by John Dolan
This is a crime novel with a difference. It is set on the Thai island of Sammui in early 2005, and is peppered with red-herrings, wrong turns, humour, buddhist wisdom, and a highly flawed good guy. Braddock, an unregistered private investigator, is doing a good job of staying under the wire, until the local police chief pulls him in to assist in the investigation of the murder of two Europeans. And then it gets worse–the police chief asks Braddock to tail his wife, to see if she is having an affair, and–of course–she is … with Braddock! The plot thickens.
I loved this book, and it kept me guessing all the way through. There are some nice and unexpected twists, as well as loads of humour. The world building, plot, pacing, and character development are all done very well. On this basis, I would say this is a resounding five star read. However, there are too many spelling errors, missing words, and that kind of thing. So, a proofread is definitely needed. Also, the tense keeps changing from past to present, sometimes in its own section/chapter and sometimes not. I found this disconcerting. No sooner had I gotten used to the one style, when it would change to the other, and then back again. The point of view is written in the First Person and remains delightfully consistent throughout. There are some clumsy and overly long sentence constructions and a distinct lack of comma usage in introductory clauses and in general, which forces the reader to go back and re-read sentences for sense time and again. All of which ruins the flow. Having said that, there are also some brilliant lines, and this writer is a master of description ad expression.
So, despite it’s need for a further edit and proofread, it is a brilliant book and highly entertaining. It gets a strong four stars from me.
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November 6, 2014
Supporting Authors … Two reviews …
First up:
Impervious
by Heather Letto
♥♥♥♥♥
I read this cover to cover in one sitting. I bought it ages and ages ago, and finally got to reading it! I didn’t follow my usual evening routine and switch on the TV, as this book had me hooked. And, I didn’t go to sleep until I’d finished it, LOL.
IMPERVIOUS is a dystopian fictional novel, which would also fit in YA Dystopian. BUT: this is a fantastic read for all dystopian fans, whether they are young or … er … that bit older!
Impervious is an underground city, so named because it was “impervious” to radiation, following the nuclear attack. It’s residents live a decadent life, but one that is overshadowed. An unknown illness has shortened life expectancy drastically … and it is more sinister than anyone really knows. Fran lives off-the-grid: that is, she is not “Accountable”, and hides in the venting ducts so she can avoid detection by the holographs and RITs. Then she makes a life-changing discovery …
I purchased this book after coming across the author in Rave Reviews Book Club, and I am so pleased I have discovered her. I will definitely be reading more of her books. Sure, there are a few typos, but nothing major. Not enough to put me off or drop the rating. This is good writing. It’s not that often anymore that I come across a book that won’t let me close it for the night.
If you enjoy dystopian fiction, you will love this book! A resounding FIVE stars from me.
Next up:
Don’t Water the Marigolds
by James Sinclair
♥♥♥♥♥
This is a lovely little book written by an author new to fiction. We meet Deidre, an authentic British “little-old-lady” and Kevin, a troubled young lad whose life is all over the place. Circumstances thrust the two together, and we find careful order thrown into chaos. Each of them must make big changes in order to adapt and endure.
The pace of this book is steady. At times it is wrenching, at others heartwarming. It will tug on the heart-strings. The setting is believable and the characters well developed. A great first Novel from a promising new author. This is a nice short book that will appeal to readers of general and women’s fiction alike. If you’re in the mood for an easy read, this is the book for you.
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Supporting Authors … Drum Roll Please ….
New Indie Author with her debut novel: The Place We Went to Yesterday.This one will touch the heartstrings, folks.
Which writers inspire you?
I’m a big fan of Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates and Margaret Atwood. I take a lot of inspiration from their strong, female-driven stories. I think Plath’s voice, in particular, is exceptional. I also get inspiration from memoirs and non-fiction. Writers like Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle), Azadeh Moaveni (Lipstick Jihad) and Nancy Venable Raine (After Silence: Rape & My Journey Back) have been influential in my life in both a general way but also as I’ve developed my own writing style.
You truly have developed your own writing style, Lisa. You have a strong voice, which is rare in a brand-new author!
Tell us about your writing – what are you writing, what is your process like?
Writing is my part-time job but my full-time passion. I have a day job in the pharmaceutical industry and I end up having to fit my writing in around the priorities that come up there. I’m an early bird, so I try to get in at least an hour of writing before I have to get ready for work. On weekends, I sit at my dining room table with cups of coffee and write until the rest of the house wakes up. I need as much silence as possible when I write or else I’m distracted so I find those are the best times to get it done.
Definitely the opposite to me, folks! LOL … I’m a night owl. If you come near me in a morning, you’d better be armed with caffeine!
I’ve just completed my first full-length novel, The Place We Went to Yesterday. It’s a story about the transformation of my main character – Ella Santia – from abused teenager to a girl that’s on her way to success.
Guys, I have to say it, this is one AUTHOR on her way to success too! This is one book you really do want to read
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Ella is just a badass! She starts out as a very quiet and introverted girl that doesn’t really push back on the people around her. She has been manipulated and harassed for so long that she just stopped fighting it. All the while, she realizes that her only way out of this cycle is to get an education, but it isn’t until she learns to stand up for herself that she actually begins to accomplish her dreams.
Mouse turned Lion … we LIKE that!
Where did you come up with Ella? Was she drawn from any real-life inspiration?
I think that no matter how hard we try to create interesting characters, they always end up having some of the traits of the people around us. We find inspiration throughout our lives. Yes, Ella is partially based on the life of a very dear friend of mine who spent several years in a group home. Her character’s arc is similar to the way I’ve watched this friend evolve over the thirteen years of our friendship. I don’t think that anyone that knows her will open the book and immediately realize it’s her because I’ve changed a lot of the scenarios and created an entirely different family for her.
This is so true, Lisa! A writer is always writing, even when they’re just observing. We notice everything, folks! So, if you better watch yourselves around us … you might just end up in one of our books! BE NICE … he he he
The Place We Went to Yesterday
wraps up nicely in the end. I won’t give away any spoilers! But I think there could still be more to Ella’s story. Do you have any plans to expand this into a series?
When I sat down last Thanksgiving holiday and started writing this novel, I had no plans for it at all. I just wanted to get it all out on paper (or screen as the case may be). I intentionally left some loose ends hanging because I felt like if it were a standalone book, then fans had more opportunity to let their imaginations run wild with their vision of her future. I also thought that ending it in the way I did does leave the door open for another book, if that’s a direction I’m later pulled towards.
You got the balance just right. I love the way it ends. Of course, you wrote Ella so well, that I did want to know more of what happened to her. So … sequel please!!
I had the pleasure of seeing several iterations of your book cover. Tell us about the cover, it’s significance, who designed it and how you finally settled on one.
The cover was something I definitely struggled with. As a photographer (and a total Type A personality), I wanted to design it myself. The story takes place in New York City and I wanted the cover to reflect the urban nature of the novel. A central plot point are the walks that Ella and her friend Lara take along The High Line in Manhattan, so ultimately I wanted to use a photo from the park itself. Since I no longer live in New York, a friend of mine – the talented Zsuzsanna Tauber – headed there and took some shots for me. I was fortunate enough to have so many excellent options that I designed several covers and asked fans for feedback on which one they liked best. I also did a book giveaway for those that left feedback.
I LOVE the cover you finally settled on! I must ask though … WHEN do I get my copy!?!?!? -___________- LOL
How are you publishing this book and why?
This was another area in which I struggled as a new author. Initially, I wanted to go the traditional publishing route. The more I read about the industry and the more frustrated I grew with the onslaught of rejection letters from agents, the more I realized that self-publishing was my best option. In seeing what even traditionally published authors go through to promote their own work, I ultimately decided that it would be best for me to publish through my own press. It’s given me more control over the look and feel of the book and you can’t beat the royalty options. In the end, I decided I couldn’t give away the bulk of my potential royalties if I were still doing so much of the work to promote it.
This is sadly true for so many writers. The odds of getting an agent (note, this is just an agent, not a publishing contract) are ONE in a THOUSAND … I know … WOW, right? And yes, the publisher and agent take a good sized chunk of any earnings your book makes. And all but the biggest authors have to self-promote, still. For me, going indie was a no brainer. I never even considered the trad pub route. Having said that, I am always thrilled when an author I’ve worked with comes back and tells me they’ve landed a contract! All kudos to them My motto is: whatever works best for YOU.
So where and when will it be available?
Pre-orders for the Kindle are available now via Amazon. The book is scheduled for release on my birthday – December 3rd.
What a great birthday present! Seeing your book in print!
Five for Fun:
What keeps you energized or motivated? Red Bull. I’m really a brat without it.
What is your favorite movie? Vanilla Sky.
What is your favorite pizza? Extra cheese, but it has to be a Brooklyn pizza. Anything else is just an imitation.
What pet would you like to have some day? A hedgehog.
What do you think Victoria’s Secret really is? That their staff intentionally measures incorrectly so women are spilling out of their cups.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: http://www/lisa-mauro.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/abnormalapathy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sw33tvoodoo
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Lisa Mauro&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank
Book Links: http://www.amazon.com/Place-We-Went-Yesterday-ebook/dp/B00P55K7U8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1415189293&sr=1-1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9824406.Lisa_Mauro
My Review:
♥♥♥♥♥
Ella Santia is a mid-teen girl who has lived her whole life in poverty and hardship. The underdog of the family. One day, the abuse reaches crisis point and Ella finds herself … eventually … in a Group Home. Her passive-aggressive response to life is no longer enough. She has to grow and develop if she is to survive, and she has to toughen up. Ella desperately wants to get an education, so she can better her social circumstances, but life seems determined to thwart her.
This is an excellent debut novel from author Lisa Mauro. Indeed, with such a strong voice and ability to portray her characters, you would easily believe you were reading an established writer. The world building, plot, pacing, and character development are all there, and the writing is nice and tight.
Because of the age of the main character, it would be easy to pigeon-hole this book into the YA category, but it is so much more than that. This is a must-read for lovers of both YA and Women’s Fiction. If you like a strong female character, you will love this book.
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November 1, 2014
A Warm Welcome to Aoife Sheridan!
Question: What have you published recently?
Recently I have published Hunters. Demon Series Part one. It will be released on the 1st of October.
Question: What is a typical day like for you as a writer?
Well I work so I don’t have a lot of time to write. My writing goes something like this. If I have a spare moment – grab a pen, the house is empty – type. Quiet at work – get a notepad, ect. Just any moment I can find to write, I will. But I never suffer with writer’s block, when I finally get to write I know exactly what I want to say.
Question: What types of writing do you do?
Mostly Paranormal/Fantasy but I would love to do a contemporary romance, maybe one day.
Question: What are your favorite characters that you have created? Tell us about them …
I just love Cathy. She is part of Abigail’s group. Her story and background are very sad but it gives her a flair. Cathy can be nasty or overly self-confident but she does all this to hide her insecurities her full story comes to light in Book Two (Hunted). But she was fun to write.
Secondly of course is Abigail. She was a very complex character to write. She’s an alcoholic so I had to do a bit of research on this. Also her trauma of seeing her family die has damaged her. She’s fuelled with anger, guilt and self-doubt constantly. We don’t see Abigail in a happy light until we reach Book two (Hunted). We see a more mellow side to her. Over all it was a challenge to write her, but I enjoyed it.
Question: What music do you listen to, while writing?
I have a playlist for hunters. I listened to all these songs on repeat.
1. Another Love By Tom Odell
2. Seven Nation Army By White Stripes
3. Swedish House Mafia (Club scene)
4.Watchtower Delvin Feat – Ed Sheeran
5. Clown by Emeli Sande
6.Runaway By Linkin Park
7. In the End By Linkin Park
8. Talk By Kodaline
Question: What do you eat while writing?
I am not as bad as I use to be, so I don’t really eat, (THAT IS WHILE WRITING) normally my downfall is caffeine.
Five for Fun:
What is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? Coffee.
What is your favourite cartoon character? I love the little girl from Despicable me.
What is your favourite movie of all time? War of the Worlds.
What TV shows do you like to watch? Games of Thrones.
What do you like to do for fun or just to relax? Read, Watch movies or go out for meals.
Question: Where can we find you on the web?
Website: www.aoifemariesheridan.com
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October 30, 2014
Don’t Water the Marigolds!
Don’t Water the Marigolds is here!James Sinclair’s awesome second book, and his debut novel!
Childless widow Deirdre is living a quiet and uncomplicated life. That is, until she makes the fateful decision to take in lodgers. Flighty Sharon and her young son Kevin, soon turn her careful order into chaos.
This is a story about a quintessentially British little-old-lady, and a neglected boy. Deirdre is a woman who avoids confrontation and conflict at all costs. Kevin is a boy whom trouble finds all too easily. Thrust together by circumstances, they both have to adjust and find a way forward.
This is an amusing, at times wrenching, and heart-warming tale of two unlikely companions, who have to find a way to unite in order to face what life throws at them.
Pre-Order now at Amazon US and Amazon UK
About James:I was born in Darjeeling, India in 1939 in the last decade of the British Raj. I attended Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling, where the celebrated playwright, Sir Tom Stoppard also once studied. I worked in Calcutta before migrating to England in 1969 where I worked in the PYE group of Industries in Cambridge, then joined the Civil Service and worked in Chessington, Surrey. I had to retire early due to heart problems but I found that retirement gave me more time to pursue my many hobbies, one of which was astronomy and the other writing, so I decided to put these two together and write my first book, “Over Our Heads”. I’ve always had a passion for writing ever since I was a child, and won several prizes in writing competitions during my childhood and youth. My second book, “Don’t Water the Marigolds” is my first attempt at writing a novel, and I am grateful to Harmony Kent for all the help, encouragement and support she has given me in completing this project.
I live out my retirement in my South London maisonette busily and contentedly with my two cats.
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October 29, 2014
Continuous Drips
Authors: The Collective (composed of Da’Kharta Rising, Synful Desire, and Queen of Spades)
A Short Story Anthology, Multi-Genre Anthology
28,990 Words
Blurb:
Different colors of ink collide in this short story anthology Continuous Drips:
Take a trip into darkness with Da’Kharta Rising with “Unrest”, “Omitted” and “The Kutters”.
Love, loss, and erotic heat hypnotically swirl in the mind of Synful Desire when reading “Derailed Endurance”, “Final Prep to Happiness” and “FAN-tasy Island”.
Episodes of human interaction displacement are given in doses when Queen of Spades presents “Misfortune”, “Afro Shock”, and “Útil.”
Amazon Pre-Order
The official launch date for Continuous Drips is November 12th but pre-order is available:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OTQVO9C
My Review:
♥♥♥♥
I received an Advanced Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a collection of short stories (Nine in total) from three personalities; Da’Kharta Rising (Unrest, Omitted, The Kutters), Synful Desire (Derailed Endurance, Final Prep to Happiness, FAN-tasy Island), and Queen of Spades (Misfortune, Afro Shock, Util).
Each collection of three is different. The reader will find darker tales that make them think, those with slightly more heat under the collar, and others with a twist. Each tale is short and easy to read, and folds seamlessly into the whole. I like the alternative offerings found here, which are a bit like eating an up-market three-course meal, rather than a single TV dinner where all the flavours are the same. Chances are, this little book has something for everyone.
An easy book to dip into when you don’t have the time to sit down and read a full novel.
Networking links:
Da’Kharta Rising
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/dakhartarising)
Amazon Author Page (https://amazon.com/author/dakhartarising)
Blog: Thoughts of a Slightly Social Anti-Socialite (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8183620.Da_Kharta_Rising/blog)
Koobug: (http://www.koobug.com/dakhartarising)
Synful Desire
Facebook Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/synfuldesireauthor)
Amazon Author Page (https://amazon.com/author/synfuldesire)
Blog: Synful Interludes (https://www.synfuldesire.blogspot.com)
Twitter @synful_desire (https://twitter.com/synful_desire)
Queen of Spades
Facebook Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/authorqueenofspades)
Amazon Author Page (https://amazon.com/author/queenspades)
Blog: A Queen’s Ramblings (https://www.aqueensramblings.blogspot.com)
Website (http://www.authorqueenofspades.com)
Twitter @authorqspades (https://twitter.com/authorqspades)
Excerpts:
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October 28, 2014
Supporting Authors …
October 29th … Cover Reveal and guest post for CONTINUOUSDRIPS … by Da’Kharta Rising/Synful Desire/Queen of Spades
October 30th … Cover Reveal and author info for DON’T WATER
THE MARIGOLDS … by James Sinclair.
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October 26, 2014
Bring Me Sunshine
Five out of Five Stars!♥♥♥♥♥
Bring Me Sunshine
Wendy Storer
I started this book on Saturday evening, and finished it in the early hours of Sunday morning … it completely blew me away.
Thirteen-year-old Daisy has to grow up fast after her Mum dies, and she is left to bring up her little brother and care for her increasingly forgetful dad. She struggles to juggle all of this with school, the fact she no longer has any friends (because she can’t have them round home) and that she can’t find solace in her lifelong passion of playing drums (the noise is too much for dad these days).
This is a well written and emotive book, and it moved me to tears on a couple of occasions–as well as making me laugh out loud. It highlights the plight of young carers, and does this with sensitivity and humour. The setting is Kendal, in the UK, and has an authentic feel to it. The character development and world building are done excellently, as is the plot and pacing. The ebook has some formatting issues with misplaced paragraphs and odd spacing, as well as backwards quote marks. There are a few missing words and typos, but nothing major, and certainly not enough to disturb the read.
I can highly recommend this book to both young adult readers and adults alike, and will be looking out for more from this author. I give this book a resounding FIVE STARS.
Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US (Please note, I am not an Amazon Affiliate, and DO NOT derive any benefit from this recommendation.)
I haven’t posted a book review in a long time, but I had to make an exception for this one … it is the best book I’ve read in a while
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