Sara B. Gauldin's Blog, page 2

Read Chapter 1 of my paranormal series starter, Alive for free!

Prologue

Dear Halle,

If you are reading this letter, then I am gone. I will not send Liam to his destruction alone. If he is meant to be destroyed in his mortal journey, then I will not continue in this realm without him. I am sorry that I wasn’t strong enough to stay. I regret the charges I will have to abandon the most, but I know that there are other guides with a newer and more adaptable temperament who will be better able to guide them once I have gone. I know I will leave you with more questions than answers, but please allow me to try to explain my decision.

There are times in a mortal life when the idea of continuing seems like more than one can bear. Every lifetime comes equipped with challenges that batter the corporeal soul from unpredictable angles and vantage points. At some point, the age-old question “Why me?” begins to seep into to each consciousness. It’s a valid question that begs for clarification; why should we suffer through the hardships life throws at us? Why is one individual plagued by illness or poverty or loss, while another who is no more or less deserving can carry on with not as many of life’s burdens to carry?

I constantly see the hardship and pain that mortal lives bring to those who are meant for the journey. Ironically, I am privileged enough to know the answer to the hardest question: why. The why is simple; everyone who is born to a mortal life has a specific purpose in the grand churning of matter, energy and biologic functionality that is the experience of life. Keeping people on the path to their own success is sometimes the reason for the hardships and lessons they must learn.

I suppose I must sound like a bit of a sadist. I’m not in the business of torturing mortals for my own entertainment. After all, I wasn’t The One who chose their purpose. It is not my ultimate plan. So when a corporeal is pushed to their breaking point, I have to accept that was part of the person they were meant to be. Worst-case scenario, they succumb to their terminal existence and are given a more enlightened perspective before being reissued for another try.

Where does that leave me? If my existence has become both unbearable and impossible, then what is there left for me in this plane? I will never perish. I will never be given a second chance. My mistakes are mine to bear for eternity. And some mistakes are not forgivable. Sending your soul mate to be destroyed in that baser temporal realm is not a reasonable behavior to expect from anyone. So here I am. I have reached the end of my existence as a guide. Today Liam will begin his mortal journey, and the road that will lead to his destruction. He has no idea what he will be asked to sacrifice. I have failed him even in that. My one source of comfort is that he will not grieve for me. His mortal mind will shield him from the memory of our love. When Liam transitions to his birth, it is my intention to follow him into the portal. If the legends are true, my link to The One’s immortal spark will be severed, and I will meet the fate that I send him to. It seems only fair.

Please know that your friendship has meant more to me than you realize.

 

Terra

~~~~~~~~~~

Terra folded the letter and looked at it with a grim sense of resolve. Time was running out. Liam would be leaving The Tweens to be born as a mortal in a matter of hours, but she was no closer to finding an alternative. Liam’s creation had set a series of events into motion that were intricately laced into so many other outcomes. His fate would not be rescinded.

A slow shudder went through Terra as she envisioned the course Liam’s life would have to take. Her decision was made. She would leave the letter for Halle in the corner of the frame to the portrait of earth’s sunset that Halle had given her as a gift. That way, when Halle’s art was returned to her, she would understand the decision Terra had to make.

Chapter 1

Several months earlier…

 

Terra gazed into the complacent mob of trainees and braced herself to give a training speech. The strange tension of anxiety gripped her, but she was determined to continue; she would not allow herself to be perceived as weak. The room seemed larger from her vantage point. The faces that should seem young and naïve now appeared expectant and demanding. A soft blue hue emanated from them like the pale glimmer of light passed through water. She clutched the podium for support and willed herself to begin the speech.

”The pitfall of a productive career is the obligation to convey the means of that accomplishment to the less successful or less-experienced masses,” Terra murmured. She was determined to firm up her resolve. Let’s just say that Terra was not by nature a teacher; she was very content in her role as a guide. She cleared her throat and gazed at the silent audience of prospective guides. These individuals were meant to be the essential component of so many mortal lives on Earth; so many choices were in their hands and in their future. The eventual courses of so many lives rested on their effectiveness. They looked to Terra and other experienced guides for an example. They would learn to look to The One for options and absolutes. Success would depend on so much more; only experience could teach them that portion of their duty.

Terra took a deep breath and committed to telling them the most essential truth about mortal life. “The human mind is a tangible thing. Mortal flesh was never made for resilience. It is flawed and imperfect. At best, it is a filter for the soul. At worst, it is more like a stopper. Immortal memories are a different thing; unencumbered by the fleshy constructs of humanity. I can remember every soul I have guided. I can tell you when and where they carried out their human lives and what part they had to play in eternity. I can recall every detail, but I choose to focus more on those individuals who are currently in the mortal form than The Ones who have completed their challenge.”

Terra’s voice wavered as she began to speak; as she continued she steadied herself. Her knowledge, rather than her passion, began to show through her awkwardness. She let herself become encompassed by her speech. The faces among the crowd appeared to grow distant as they merged into a single sea of impersonal color. Terra tucked a wisp of her fine blond hair behind her ear, her piercing blue eyes trained on the general direction of her audience.

“The distinction is what’s important; being able to interpret the degree of filtration a human mind will have on a soul’s achievement is crucial in guiding that soul to a successful result. What could be more important?”

Terra continued, “It is clear that the spirits’ journey into the mortal world varies from individual to individual. Essentially there are two extreme scenarios and many degrees of combinations in the middle. On one end of the spectrum, the soul has complete dominion over the mortal mind and instinctual body. These individuals have a clear perspective on their own purpose and role in life. Often this degree of clarity results in individuals who are highly motivated to move towards the greater good. The down side to this arrangement is that, without the motivation of instinct and worldly concerns, it is more possible for these individuals to neglect their own personal or physical needs in favor of more transcendental pursuits. This tendency can shorten the entities’ stay in the mortal world, which can hurt the chances of completing their spiritual goal despite the clarity of the goal.”

Terra paused to allow those in the audience who were taking notes to catch up. She realized that her knees still trembled slightly as she waited. After an uncomfortable pause she continued.

“Ironically, the situation where an individual is wholly focused on a spiritual purpose and neglectful of the physical led to the very fleshy injuries that caused the second extreme to stand in the way of completion.”

Terra was fully in the moment. She gradually released her vise-like grip on the podium and began to gesture as she spoke. The crucial designation was clear to her.

“The second extreme is the unfortunate circumstance of the trapped soul. The soul finds itself completely subject to the needs, wants, instincts, limitation or physical damages to the mortal body. This can manifest itself in many ways. The least extreme form of physical dominance is the situation where individuals experience some form of conditioning or mental malfunction that causes them to become more focused on themselves than on the larger picture of existence. Hedonism is a dangerous distraction in the mortal world. The more limiting form of physical dominance involves entities who find themselves trapped or disabled by their corporeal body or mind. Some are born with physical or mental limitations; some suffer injuries along the way that inhibit their ability to overrule their physical inclination in favor of their greater purpose.”

She was completely wrapped up in the moment. She could feel the burning importance of truth shining through in the form of her speech, and realized that it was the perfect time to discuss the most important part.

“Most successful individuals find a balance somewhere in the middle. Life is, after all, intended to be a balance between the physical and spiritual beings. A well-balanced life is far more likely to serve the greater purpose well, and to complete the finer tasks set forth for them.”

The remainder of the speech seemed to flow from Terra’s consciousness; the moments blended together. Terra realized that she had imparted the knowledge that she had come to pass along. Her term as a public speaker was at its end, at least for the time being. The crowd clapped politely. None of the faces before Terra reflected the essentially crucial nature of the message she had shared. She felt herself flush slightly. The spell was broken. Her self-consciousness now washed over her like a wave.

As Terra returned to her seat, she found the faces of the masses distinguishable once again. She only recognized a few of the trainees. More guides were created when the number of souls dispersed to Earth increased. Clearly, Earth was becoming more crowded over the eons. She wondered what the ultimate capacity would be as she walked to her seat near to rear of the amphitheater. The next speaker, a guide named Nathaniel, stood and began a lengthy description of the proper way to choose a path for a mortal. Terra knew these principles by heart. Her mind began to wander towards more pressing matters.

Terra had never been remarkable. She served without question. She performed her function well, and was devout and dedicated to her work. As a guide, Terra was ideal. Her experience encompassed thousands of years and tens of thousands of corporeal souls that she purposefully guided. Of course that really does not tell much about Terra as a person, but to put it bluntly she was not a person. At least, she was not one in the traditional sense that anyone would be comfortable regarding.

Terra loved her work. Guiding was the most purposeful, rewarding thing she could imagine doing. She could not possibly conceptualize loving anything more. Her eternity was certain, and she was content.

In retrospect, Terra should have seen that she was different in some ways. Her focus was so complete she was oblivious that not everybody’s undivided attention was directed solely on their transcendental purpose. Had she stepped outside of herself and looked around Terra would have seen the healthy relationships formed by those around her. She would have noticed that there were joys in The Tweens that she had never experienced. She would have seen the mortal bound entity’s capacity for love. Terra would have been impressed by how much she was missing. Granted, changes in perspective can help anyone learn more about themselves. The thing Terra would have noticed the most was that she was lonely. Of course, she had no idea that she was lonely, or even that she could be lonely. Terra interacted with others; even so, those interactions were part of her job. Her thoughts were a constant stream of others’ thoughts and feelings from the mortal world, ready for her to interpret and react to. There were thousands of souls who had feelings and were concerned about the other entities involved with their Earthly lives; however, none of them thought of Terra. None of them remembered her name, yet she spent her existence dedicated to theirs. Seldom did Terra let others get close enough to know her. There were a few individuals who cared for her; they made it a point to seek Terra out and to ensure her well-being. She did not see that either; but perhaps somewhere, deep down, she was aware of that sense of connection.

An eternity without change would sound monotonous to most people, but Terra had never seen a reason to change. To her, it was comforting. Terra knew her place in the grand scheme of the universe. She understood the role she was to play, and knew what her routine would entail. Terra could anticipate trouble with the mortal entities that she guided, and knew their needs and wants often before they knew themselves. Indeed, Terra was wholly content in the purpose of her existence. She saw no reason to change. Sameness felt like happiness to Terra, because she had no frame of reference. She would not learn about real joy until later in her existence.

In the human world, mortals are driven by strong emotions. They fall in and out of love and hate. They follow dim convictions based on their personal ideals. Although there is very little immediate physical effect from emotions, these fleeting states of mind set into motion changes and actions that ripple through the human world, leaving a legacy of beauty, or a horrible rift. Of course that was a temporal weakness.

From her perspective, Terra existed in an unchanging state during the first part of her eternity. She would have told anyone that she was timeless, productive and happy to be that way. In reality, the lack of change became the agonist of the larger transition. Terra was so comfortable in her rut and routine that she did not see the beautiful changes in her existence coming until they took her by surprise. This change was a wonderful surprise that would tear her world; her perception and her entire sense of identity apart, rip it to shreds, and show her a part of herself that she never knew existed.

Alive is Available from the following vendors:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IBooks

Smashwords

Kobo

Off the Record: An Avery Rich Mystery is live on Amazon!

This fast-paced thriller is now available for digital download!  Off the Record will keep you on the edge of your seat!  You can order Off the Record on Amazon on Kindle here.  The paperback will be released soon! Here is a sneak peak!

Copyright 2016, Sara B. Gauldin

Chapter 1: Off the Record

The heat and humidity beat down on the pavement causing mirage ripples to writhe upward. My suit seemed oppressive as I hurried from the car to the station. I brushed a bead of sweat off of my brow as I bundled my hair into a tight bun without breaking my stride. I needed to make the right impression.

My phone came to life, buzzing angrily in my pocket. I shifted my weight to remove it. “Hello?” I answered in one breath. I didn’t have time to entertain any interruptions. The scheduled briefing began in only ten minutes.

“Detective Avery Rich?” a man asked.

“This is she,” I said.

“This is Commander Calbert. I need you to report directly to my office as soon as you arrive.” His voice sounded different from when I had interviewed with him.

“Err, yes, sir. Will I miss the briefing?” I had just rushed to the station from across town to hear about a series of home invasions. The case was proving to be more widespread and organized. I had visited a few of the crime scenes, but we were still processing the evidence collected. Could he need to talk to me about that? I hadn’t been in town long enough to be second-guessed over a judgment call.

“Never mind that. I’m putting you on something else. I already let dispatch know not to reroute you until they hear from me. I’ll see you in my office.” The call ended with a parting click.

I rushed down the corridor that led from the parking garage into the station. I could not help wondering what the commander had in mind. I had not heard of anything on the dispatch or picked up by the press that was dramatic enough to have him quite so edgy.

By the time I had reached the commander’s office, I was regretting wearing heels. The idea that appearing a bit taller would garner respect really did nothing but slow me down. There were not enough shoes in Virginia to make my five-foot one-inch frame seem more formidable. As I opened the door, the commander stood up. His face seemed flushed. There was a look in his eyes I had not seen before. The man who had hired me had been calm and composed–this man was more like a caged beast.

“We have a situation,” Calbert said. “Before I get into details I need to make one thing clear to you: this is a case unlike anything you’ve experienced in the past. What I tell you in this room cannot be repeated without my express permission. To do so would jeopardize the entire case. Until we know the breadth of this, it can’t be shared.”

“Yes, sir, I understand.” I lied. I could not imagine anything that could not be shared among colleagues. That was the strength of the police department: collaboration.

“You know that I hired you because you came highly recommended. That is only half of the truth. I also wanted you because you have a reputation for being able to work independently. You are tough. You have a sense of integrity that has not been corrupted by years of work on the streets. And you’re not from this area. I needed you here for just this type of situation.”

“Situation, sir?” I asked. I was beginning to wonder if Calbert was having a breakdown.

“I need you to go off of the grid for a while,” Calbert said. “There is a situation here that I cannot open a formal investigation on because it cuts too deep. There are officers here who would be a detriment, and it would take a long time to sort them all out.”

“Sir, I keep my police work on the table so that when things go to trial there is no question. It keeps the cases tight. I’m not sure what you mean by officers being a detriment.”

“Rich, this case is sensitive. You are moving up in the force, and it is time for you to understand that there are some cases that must be handled…differently.”

“I understand,” I said. Whom was I kidding? I was worried about this guy. The stress from the job was clearly getting to him. However, being the newbie, I was not going to be outright disobedient to my C.O. I would be cautious. Warned or not, I was not going to step on any toes until I knew what was going on.

Calbert scribbled a name onto a piece of paper. “Destroy this when you’ve found him.” He nodded towards the name he had written. “I think you’ll find him at the shelter over on Huntington Avenue.”

“Is he homeless, sir?” I asked. I wondered why I would need the help of a vagrant.

“He is unconventionally situated. You’ll understand why when you meet him,” Calbert said. His frazzled appearance had not improved. “You’re investigating the disappearance of a bank president by the name of Lawrence Shultz. He was recently named as the head of First National Bank. He’s the third bank president to disappear in the last month.”

“Has he been entered into the missing persons’ database?” I asked. I wondered if this was on or off the record.

“He’s never actually been reported missing,” Calbert said. “Neither have the others. The first bank president who disappeared, Alan Morris, was a good friend of mine. I noticed he was no longer at his office, ever. I asked about him at the bank, and each time I asked they claimed he was in a meeting. I called his wife at home, but he was always unavailable to come to the phone. There was something out of place–his wife’s voice shook when she lied, and the teller could not look me in the eye when she reported him as being busy–it never let up.”

“You haven’t been able to track him down?” I asked. Why would the people in this man’s life be hiding him?

“It’s as though he was sucked into a void. There’s no sign of him anywhere. I think word got out that I was asking around, because a couple of weeks after I was sure that he was missing, a lady called me, here, at the station, from a disposable cell phone, with a tip that a second banker, Jim Maple, was missing. The call came directly to me. The caller was very brief. She sounded terrified. I traced the call and found the phone in a trash can near Fort Ward Park. It was covered in blood.”

“And Shultz, how did you notice he was gone?” I asked.

“After the second disappearance that was never reported, I started doing some digging,” Calbert said. “I found out that Mr. Shultz was similarly unaccounted for. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more that I haven’t discovered yet. It’s strange. Usually when someone disappears someone reports them as missing. These are business men, not transients. They have families, careers, and roots here. It is not as though they just wandered off to relocate in a new town.”

“I’ll get right on it, sir,” I said. I could not help thinking that these men may not want to be found. “Oh, and sir, this Ryan Kain person at the shelter, how does he tie into this?” Clearly, I was missing something.

“Kain was a good cop, one of the best here in Alexandria. Somewhere along the line the way he saw the world became different from the way the department worked. Some people said he had lost his mind. He seemed to believe there were forces around him that couldn’t be measured by the casual observer. I suppose some call his kind ‘conspiracy theorists,'” Calbert said. He betrayed no emotion of judgment.

“Do you think he can help, or do you think he’s a suspect?” I asked. Was I supposed to interview the nutcase or enlist him?

“Kain can’t work within the system anymore. That much has been proven, but he sees patterns in things that others don’t.” Calbert nervously glanced towards the clock.

“Do you mean patterns like missing bankers who aren’t considered missing?” I asked.

“Exactly,” Calbert said.

“I’ll be on my way, sir,” I said. I was ready to leave the office before Calbert had a stroke or a heart attack. His face was becoming increasingly red. Sweat beaded around his temples. I wondered what he knew that was upsetting him so much. It crossed my mind that I should be concerned he did not disclose whatever it was.

As I opened the door to leave, Calbert grunted one last warning: “Keep your head low and be careful.”

I would do that much.

Keep Reading! Order Here!

Off the Record is available for preorder on Amazon!

***Special Announcement***

Off the Record: An Avery Rich Mystery is now available for pre-order!

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This series starter may be familiar to a few readers.  I took my novella, To Conspire and reworked it entirely, adding almost 40,000 words.  The cliffhanger is gone, and in its place is action and plot twists that nobody saw coming.

Here are a few of the reviews that the novella, To Conspire had earned:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jody Foster Meet Avery James

By Calidream Publishing on August 15, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

I was gifted a copy of this story, and honestly I don’t typically read detective stories or mysteries. However, reading Sara Gauldin’s book was like watching CSI. I admired Avery James, a strong female cop who is smart, confident, and determined. As a rookie cop with much to prove, she is unknowingly thrown into a web of deceit and conspiracy. Although Avery is a tough “go-getter,” you can still sense her level of vulnerabilities and her feelings towards civilians. With the help of an unexpected partner-Kain, the two of them piece together the crimes of conspiracy only to discover they have both been setup…well sort of… but I won’t give away the story. Both Avery and Kain are witty, and somewhat prejudge one another from the outset, but their commonality for justice makes them a good tag-team. I could sense the chemistry developing between them, so I wasn’t surprised when a romance developed.

The story itself was very creative, and I can visualize Jody Foster playing Avery James if this story were to become a screenplay for a movie. I would have given this story five stars, but I felt it was kind of short. Other than that, I found myself trying to figure out what happened right along with the characters in the book. I am not sure if this was Sara’s first book, but she did great job in creating suspense, mystery, and keeping it interesting throughout. Her attention to details makes all the characters realistic, and the development of the plot came together like a well-pieced puzzle.

Sara Gauldin is definitely on her way to becoming the next female version of James Patterson

5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters!

By bcauthor on August 9, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I love books, especially crime dramas, with strong female characters. There is nothing better than vicariously experiencing the darker side of life through the eyes of a character like this. Not many writers can put you in the shoes of the protagonist, but his one did. A book that I would (and will) recommend to others.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Be careful what you do off the record…

ByJames Minteron August 3, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

This is a fast paced story unfolding secrets and mysteries with romantic intrigue. The twists of history and excitement will hook you. Conspiracy at all levels of public infrastructure is brought into question as the dramas progress. The story is based on a Detective, a diminutive Virginia who finds policing in high heels an issue, being ordered by her commanding officer to investigate the disappearances of several bankers. Done “off record.” she is teamed up with a gentleman who ultimately causes her to question her rather simplistic views on crime: a great read.

 

Don’t miss out, order here!

Insomnia

A sound outside of the comfortable normal noises of the space has awakened me.

The light from some electronic device, once a pinprick of light, now stares at me like the eye of Sauron. It squeezes between my eyelids and attempts to infiltrate my thoughts and dreams.

In the distance some predator lurks. I do not hear the feline’s silent footsteps. only the thumps of some mischief it has found on its nocturnal rounds. To yell at it would wake the other house residents, to chase it would be pointless; I stay put.

A new sound becomes evident, a faucet not far away needs repair. Its once quiet dripping has become the steady drumbeat of an invading army, they are closing in, should I run?

Outside my window a romance has begun. Frogs croak lusty utterances to lure one another to a dalliance. Of course they will rest when the day returns to demand that I function. But for now their throaty song reminds me of groans of unmentionable beasts mingled with digital, synthesized goat sounds.

Near by my bedmate stirs again in his slumber. A dull rumble, the same that first awakened me spills forth quieting the other noises in its wake. The cacophony of thunderous breaths builds in intensity so that I wonder how the sheer act of breathing does not damage his hearing.

I roll over to find that my stomach cannot tell time. Breakfast! it demands. Sleep I reply. We are at a stalemate; neither side will yield, neither will emerge victorious.

Now fully awake the days thoughts and concerns pinprick my consciousness like a novise acupuncture practitioner; all needles in the wrong spots and no soothing of the nerves that needed attention to begin with.

Needs and worries soon mingle with excess verbiage that I dare not say during waking hours. Who would be willing to listen to my babble? I capitulate, the words must come out, perhaps releasing them will allow me TO GO BACK TO SLEEP!

My Review of The Gypsy Pearl: Book 1, Caren by Lia London

When I first downloaded this book I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I had read other books by the author, but the word gypsy brought back a memory from the movie Pinocchio.  This book is not that sort of book at all.

The story line is centered around a young lady named Caz.  She has been raised on a space station by her science intensive father.  She has a well-behaved sister and an absent mother who immediately seems to have more than to story than she herself is originally aware of.  Caz is tired of the sterile and orderly lifestyle that she has been living on the space station. She is tougher than some of the other members of the crew.  Her ability to take care of herself and her mischievous tendencies lead her to a run in with a young man.  Even though Caz is not totally at fault, she receives the brunt of the punishment because she injured her attacker.  This quiet nod to the tendency to suppress empowered women caught my attention.

Caz is faced with a decision.  For her punishment, she can choose solitary confinement and stay near her family, or she can choose to attend a work camp on the nearby planet, Caren’s surface.  Much to her family’s distress, she chooses to visit the first planet she has ever set foot on.

Caz is faced with a situation that is completely foreign to her, from the landing to the need for shoes, the experience of gravity and dirt, the planet is a completely foreign concept.

Due to a strange encounter, Caz is able to adapt and flourish.  But her struggle in the camp is just beginning!

I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading the other books in the trilogy!

Adult Coloring and the Benefits of Meditation

In this hectic world, the simple joys are those which outlast the din of daily life. I can recall spending hours perfecting coloring pages as a child. The pride and sense of progress and change were a tangible positive.

The act of coloring allows the mind to focus on the possible and the beautiful instead of the world around. This same act can offer the identical benefits of order and calm to adults as they do for children. Of course, few adults are interested in coloring children’s cartoons. Today adults have the option to color pictures that are more relevant, and in many cases are works of art unto themselves.

I invite you to enjoy unique art of and creations of an old friend of mine, Michael Sigmon.  I am continually amazed by his artistic vision and ability.  I hope you will take the time to enjoy his adult coloring book,  Birds of a Feather.

 

Publishing: Presentation Counts

If you are planning to self publish, formatting falls to the author, or to a third party who is hired to do the job. If you are comfortable with Microsoft Word, and reasonably computer savvy, then formatting is something you likely can do yourself.

We have all heard the old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In the publishing world, experienced authors know that this advice is seldom followed.

When I published the first book in my Corporeal Pull Series, I attempted to create my own book cover. I didn’t have any real photo-editing software, but I downloaded several free programs and used paint to come up with this cover.

I did get a few things right: the proportions and file dimensions are correct. The title and my name are visible, even when the cover is viewed as a thumbnail, and I didn’t violate anybody’s copyrighted images to create it.

I also made a lot of rookie mistakes. There is nothing about this cover that suggests a specific genre. There are no real clues that tell about the book’s plot aside from some symbolism that you would need to read the book to discover. The featured image is centered in the composition.

 

The Original Cover art

The cover of your book, whether it is an eBook or a printed copy is what the reader sees when they are “window shopping” for books. If the reader is a fan of romance novels, and the cover screams romance to them, then they are more likely to want to learn more about the book.

After several months of next-to-nothing sales, I realized that my book’s appearance needed an update. I realized that I was an author and not a graphic designer. I turned to Fiver for help. There are many individuals who will sell you a simple cover over Fiver for very little money. I have seen really nice covers from these designers. I have also seen plenty of mediocre ones. I think the genre has something to do with this discrepancy. It was at this point that several fellow authors and friends pointed out to me that the word corporeal was off-putting to many people. It strongly pertained to the premise of my book, so I kept it as a subtitle and changed the main title to Alive.

The Fiver Designed Cover

I think the second cover is cute. The hands give it a human quality, and the new and improved title is less dizzying and clear to read. Although the main characters are children for part of the book, I am not sure this cover really captures the genre of my book either. Can you guess based on my first two covers?

Back to the drawing board I went. A fellow author that belongs to some of the same online groups as I do and who is also a graphic designer was able to help me.

My current cover for Alive

This cover has actual people. The people are good representations of the characters in the book. People are attracted to other people. The only drawback is finding matching people for the next books. The swirling blue mist makes the cover feel unworldly, and it is since this lovely couple falls in love in the spirit realm. The title is visible and that pesky subtitle is out of the way. The graphics are clear, and I received clear rights to use them. Hands down, this is the best cover.

Tips:

Use a font that is easy to read on a thumbnail image
Keep the cover uncluttered
Use clear content that is recognizable as the books genre.
Look at popular books in your books genre and take note of what sorts of cover elements they have.  You want your book to be easily recognizable as their peer.
If you are not artistically inclined, hire help

Sara B Gauldin is the award winning author of the Corporeal Pull Series and the Avery Rich Mysteries.  Check out all of her up and coming projects here!

Publishing: Formatting

In my last post, I discussed the CRUCIAL step of editing your book. As much as editing prepares your novel to become a professional, complete product, formatting takes your writing and gives it the professional finished look that you are accustomed to seeing within digital and print books.

If you are planning to publish traditionally, the publisher will likely handle formatting. This is one of the few courtesy services that are still commonly provided in exchange for the rights to your work.

When I published my first book, I did a little research. I found out that there are two big fish in the EBook, self-publishing pool. Amazon, and a lesser-known company called Smashwords.

Although Smashwords is not as well known as Amazon, it is helpful to its authors and a single upload to their site can allow authors to distribute their books to distributors who are more well known, such as Barns and Noble and Ibooks. The company was founded by Mark Corker. He has written several free EBooks that are worth your time and energy. For formatting, I highly recommend downloading his book, Smashwords Style Guide. 

This book takes the technical details of book formatting and makes them approachable. The beauty part is that by preparing your book for Smashwords, it will also upload seamlessly to Amazon using the same techniques.

File Types for EBooks

Aside from picking apart this book and using it as a formatting bible there are a few things you should keep in mind about your document as you format.

If you have a newer edition of Word, you will need to choose Save As, and click the drop down box labeled Save as type.  Choose Word 97 – 2003 document.  The uploads do not play well with newer versions.
In publishing spaces are wasted space.  The will make your eBook look deformed.  They will make your paperback more expensive to print.  At the end of each sentence, single space instead of double.  If you already have 40 chapters with double spaces, don’t panic, it is an easy fix.  Hold down Ctrl and push the letter f.  A search box should appear. Click the tiny arrow in the search space and choose replace.  A new window pops up. In the Find What Space press the space bar twice.  In the Replace With Space press the space bar once. Click Replace All. This should find and fix all those keyboard class double spaces.
Do not press enter more than once, EVER.
Use page breaks to separate Chapters, not multiple returns.
American books use the Times New Roman font.  Choose 12 or 14 for your font size.  These are your only options for the body of the text.
On the Home tab at the top of your Word document you will see several squares.  The first one says Normal. Right Click it and choose Modify. At the bottom left corner choose Format and Paragraph.  Set Special – First Line to .03 and Line Spacing to Single or.1.5. Click OK.  Then Choose Modify and Font.  Set Your font to Times New Roman and 12.

Tabs are banned.  By setting the first line indent in Normal each place you pushed enter should indent automatically.  You need to press the paragraph symbol and check your manuscript for any rouge Tabs.
Format your Heading block like you did for your Normal template- using a larger font.
Highlight  your text and click Normal to apply the style.  Highlight and click Heading for Chapter headings.

If you do not make font and spacing changes in Normal, the settings will not follow your book when you upload it to publish.  Whatever your computer had preset will follow it instead!

Happy Formatting!

 

Sara B Gauldin is the award winning author of the Corporeal Pull Series and the Avery Rich Mysteries.  Check out all of her up and coming projects here!

Publishing – The Completed Book and Editing

Most would-be authors have dreamed of writing that first book far before they reach that goal. To put things in perspective, a novella is around 30,000 words, a novel should be around 80,000, and an epic approached 120,000 words. In comparison to the 1,00 word essays we once dreaded, the completed book is a mammoth task, a true labor of love.

As a fledgling author puts the final touched on that first real book the feeling of accomplishment is intense. This is it, the book that will change everything! Images of the New York Times best-seller list and quitting the dreaded day job fill the new authors thoughts, pushing out any notion that this noteworthy accomplishment is only the beginning. In fact, the book itself is the proverbial tip of the iceberg! The next step is where the real work begins!

Years ago, writing the book was the main task. To enter the world of the published author, today’s writer has to learn more skills and must prepare in ways that previous generation of authors never dreamed of. Gone are the days of sending a raw manuscript to a publisher who takes responsibility for editing, publishing and (gasp) marketing the book. Today’s successful author has learned to outsource some tasks, editing being the most crucial, followed by book cover design and formatting.

Let me back up a bit and tell the story of my first publication. It was 2012, and I decided that I wanted to add author to my job description. I devoted myself to write 1,000 words per day, and soon a novella was born.

It was at this point that I made my first mistake. I edited my own book. BAD IDEA. Yes, all authors should work to eliminate as many errors as humanly possible, before sending the work to a content editor. The content editor will read for continuity and plot points. They will be able to point out redundancy and discrepancies that the author’s brain will automatically adjust for. The author, having spent countless hours with the story will become blind to any gaps, and a fresh set of eyes is crucial. When the book returns from the content editor, it still needs work. It will likely take some time to go through the editor’s suggestions and make any needed changes. Sometimes the changes take some rework and therefore, are time consuming. Remember all the proofreading that the author already did? Now they will need to do that again. After another perusal, sending the book to actual proofreader is a good idea. It is really easy to miss a comma here or a semicolon there. And those tiny errors scream amateur.

Try This:

Use a grammar checking program such as White Smoke to catch mistakes.
Listen to your book using Text to Speech Software such as Text Aloud.
Join a writers critique group.
Find other writers or avid readers who are willing to beta read your book and provide  feedback.  Don’t ask loved ones to beta read for you, they will not want to hurt your feelings and it will be hard for them to remain objective.
Hire a content editor- shop around and ask for references.
Hire a proof reader.
Convert your book to a mobi or pdf file and view it on a Kindle, some errors are easy to spot this way.

When you have edited your book to the point that it is painful then, and only then are you ready for the next step in the publishing process. If you have decided to attempt to publish traditionally, it is at this point you should send your manuscript out for consideration. Publishers are looking for a completed product that will sell, and until your book has been thoroughly edited, it will not meet that criteria. If you plan to self publish, now is the time you should move on to formatting.

Join me in my next post, where I give you the basics of formatting and where to get help.

Sara B Gauldin is the award winning author of the Corporeal Pull Series and the Avery Rich Mysteries.  Check out all of her up and coming projects here!

 

A Sneak Preview of Off the Record: An Avery Rich Mystery

I am excited to announce that my new, intense mystery: Off the Record will be released in February!  Catch it on my Amazon Author Page!  For now, enjoy my new cover and a sneak preview! Copyright 2016 Sara B Gauldin

Chapter 1

Crime is nothing new to this world. There are daily disturbances, robberies, assaults, and crimes of passion that happen every day. These crimes are pretty straight forward. An addict needs money to fund a fix so they steal. A person feels threatened or scorned so they lash out. There is no great secret motivation in the primal needs that govern the everyday crime.

As a beat cop, I handled every-day deviants well enough to move up the ranks. As a new detective, being transferred to Alexandria was a step in the right direction for my career.

The heat and humidity beat down on the pavement causing mirage ripples to writhe upward. My suit seemed oppressive as I hurried from the car to the station. I brushed a bead of sweat off of my brow as I bundled my chestnut hair into a tight bun. I did not break my stride as I adjusted my tresses. I needed to make the right impression.

My phone buzzed angrily in my pocket. It seemed suddenly alive. I shifted my weight to remove it. “Hello?” I answered in one breath. I did not have time to entertain any interruptions. The scheduled briefing began in only ten minutes.

“Detective Avery Rich?” a man asked.

“This is she,” I said.

“This is Commander Calbert. I need you to report directly to my office as soon as you arrive.” His voice sounded different from when I had interviewed with him.

“Err, yes sir. Will I miss the briefing?” I had just rushed to the station from across town to hear about a series of home invasions. Could he need to talk to me about that? I hadn’t been in town long enough to be second-guessed over a judgment call.

“Never mind that, I’m putting you on something else. I already let dispatch know not to reroute you until they hear from me. I’ll see you in my office.” The call ended with a parting click.

I rushed down the corridor that led from the parking garage into the station. I could not help wondering what the commander had in mind. I had not heard of anything on the dispatch or picked up by the press that was dramatic enough to have him quite so edgy.

By the time I had reached the commander’s office, I was regretting wearing heels. The idea that appearing a bit taller would garner respect really did nothing but slow me down. There were not enough shoes in Virginia to make my five-foot one-inch frame seem more formidable. As I opened the door, the commander stood up. His face seemed flushed. There was a look in his eyes that I had not seen before. The man who had hired me had been calm and composed. This man was more like a caged beast.

“We have a situation,” Calbert said. “Before I get into details I need to make one thing clear to you; this is not a case like anything you’ve experienced in the past. What I tell you in this room cannot be repeated without my express permission. To do so would jeopardize the entire case. Until we know the breadth of this, it can’t be shared.”

“Yes sir, I understand,” I lied; I could not imagine anything that could not be shared among colleagues. That was the strength within the police department; collaboration.

“You know that I hired you because you came highly recommended. That is only half of the truth. I also wanted you because you have a reputation for working independently. You are tough. You have a sense of integrity that has not been corrupted by years of work on the streets. And you are not from this area. I needed you here for just this type of situation.”

“Situation Sir?” I asked. I was beginning to wonder if Calbert was having a breakdown.

“I need you to go off of the grid for a while,” Calbert said. “There is a situation here that I cannot open a formal investigation on. It cuts too deep. There are officers here who would be a detriment, and it would take a long time to sort them all out.”

“I understand sir,” I said. Who was I kidding? I was worried about this guy. The stress from the job was clearly getting to him. However, being the newbie, I was not going to be outright disobedient to my CO. I would be cautious. Warned or not, I was not going to step on any toes until I knew what was going on.

Calbert scribbled a name onto a piece of paper. “Destroy this when you’ve found him.” He nodded towards the name he had written. “I think you’ll find him at the shelter over on Huntington Avenue.”

“Is he homeless sir?” I asked. I wondered why I would need the help of a vagrant.

“He is unconventionally situated; you’ll understand why when you meet him,” Calbert said. His frazzled appearance had not improved. “You’re investigating the disappearance of a bank president: Lawrence Shultz. He was recently named as the head of First National Bank. He’s the third bank president to disappear in the last month.”

“Has he been entered into the missing person’s database?” I asked. I wondered if this was on or off the record.

“He’s never actually been reported missing,” Calbert said. “Neither have the others. The first bank president who disappeared was a good friend of mine, Alan Morris. I noticed he was no longer at his office, ever. I asked about him at the bank; each time I asked they claimed he was in a meeting. I called his wife at home. He was always unavailable to come to the phone. There was something out-of-place. His wife’s voice shook when she lied. The teller could not look me in the eye when she reported him as busy. It never let up.”

“You haven’t been able to track him down?” I asked. Why would the people in this man’s life be hiding him?

“It’s as though he was sucked into a void. There’s no sign of him anywhere. I think the word got out that I was asking around. A couple of weeks after I was sure that he was missing a lady called me here at the station from a disposable cell phone and gave a tip that a second banker; Jim Maple was missing. The call came directly to me. The caller was very brief. She sounded terrified. I traced the call and found the phone in a trash can near Fort Ward Park. It was covered in blood.”

“And Shultz, how did you notice he was gone?” I asked.

“After the second disappearance that was never reported, I started doing some digging,” Calbert said. “I found out that Mr. Shultz was similarly unaccounted for. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were not more that I haven’t discovered. It’s strange. Usually when someone disappears, someone reports them as missing. These are business men, not transients. They have families, careers, and roots here. It is not as though they just wandered off to a new town.”

“I’ll get right on it sir,” I said. I could not help thinking that these men may not want to be found. “Oh and sir, this Ryan Kain person at the shelter, how does he tie into this?” Clearly, I was missing something.

“Kain was a good cop. He was one of the best here in Alexandria. Somewhere along the line, the way he saw the world became different from the way the department could work. Some people said he had lost his mind. He seemed to believe that there were forces around him that couldn’t be measured by the casual observer. I suppose some call his kind ‘conspiracy theorists’,” Calbert said. He betrayed no emotion of judgment.

“Do you think he can help, or do you think he’s a suspect?” I asked. Was I supposed to interview the nutcase or enlist him?

“Kain can’t work within the system anymore. That much has been proven, but he sees patterns in things that others don’t.” Calbert glanced towards the clock nervously.

“Do you mean patterns like missing bankers who aren’t considered missing?” I asked.

“Exactly,” Calbert said.

“I’ll be on my way sir,” I said. I was ready to leave the office before Calbert had a stroke or a heart attack. His face was becoming increasingly red. Sweat beaded around his temples. I wondered what he knew that was upsetting him so much. It crossed my mind that I should be concerned that he did not disclose whatever it was.

As I opened the door to leave, Calbert grunted one last warning: “Keep your head low and be careful.”

I would do that much.