Sara B. Gauldin's Blog, page 8

Book Review: The Corporeal Pull by Sara B. Gauldin

Sara B. Gauldin:

I am grateful for the awesome feedback about The Corporeal Pull!

Originally posted on Willenator's World:

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m stuck in love story mode because the last couple of books I’ve read have focused on love and the power that it has over people. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’s just different for me. If you read my last review, I believe I mentioned that a few times. However, I’m starting to think I need to change my tune a little because the last story I read and this current one have had such intriguing stories that I probably would have missed by simply reading the synopsis.

Today’s review focuses on The Corporeal Pull by Sara B. Gauldin who tells a fascinating love story between what I would call a guardian angel and the person she watches over. The story is told from the perspective of a spiritual guide named Terra who has the responsibility of guiding mortal charges…

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Enjoy the eBook Teach Your Child to Read for #Free!

I wrote the book Teach Your Child to Read Using Simple and Inexpensive Techniques because many peers, parents and new teachers ask me how they can help their young child to become a better reader or an early reader. All of the techniques I tell about in the book can be used at home or in a classroom setting. Many of the techniques are free and all are inexpensive.

I am excited to offer My latest book, Teach your Child to Read Using Simple and Inexpensive Techniques absolutely free on Smashwords. I am optimistic that Amazon will price match and reducing the same listing to free on their site as well in the coming weeks. In the mean time, enjoy!

 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/413772

My One Year Anniversary as a Published Author!

As this whirlwind called life has been going one thousand miles per hour in recent weeks, I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to pause and reflect. It has occurred to me that this month marks the one year anniversary of my first published work, To Conspire. Of course I was writing long before my impromptu novella came to be. The last year of writing and publishing has been an adventure and a blessing in so many ways.

Publishing has led me on a learning adventure that I never imagined I would need to take. Most people realize the effort and sense of personal accomplishment that completing the composition of a full length book mandates. What I never realized was the other skill sets I would have to use and develop to make my writing viable in today’s digital era.

 

I recently re-watched the movie Funny Farm, where Chevy Chase moves to the country to write the next great American novel. Of course the movie shows everything going horribly and hilariously wrong as Chase painstakingly attempts to hammer out his manuscript on a typewriter. His goal is to complete the book and send it to his publisher. For him that is a monumental goal, but for writers like myself, that is only a fraction of the total process.

Before my books could get past the digital document stage each book had to be carefully formatted and arranged so that the conversion programs would accept them without glitches. I was not afraid of this process; I was a computer technician before I was a teacher. I do admit there was a bit of a learning curve involved. Even something as minor as the use of spaces and tabs needed careful evaluation and selective use.

Formatting aside, the artistic element needed to be addressed as well. A good friend, Michael Sigmon designed the cover for To Conspire. For The Corporeal Pull and Teach Your Child to Read I tried out the design element myself. I don’t own any high end software to produce my covers, but I downloaded several free programs and I am familiar with what I can already do with the software I already own. Between Word, Paint and three freebees I was able to find all of the features I needed. I just had to save and reopen the graphics in different programs quite a few times.

After writing, formatting, and illustrating a new eBook was born. But wait there was another step that I did not mention; The Corporeal Pull was graciously edited by the fabulous Alison Jack. She was even kind enough to stomach my American vernacular. If you are in need of an editor, contact her here! Before I subjected anyone to my books I went through an extensive process. I reread my own work. I am not sure how effective this is because my brain fills in the mistakes. I purchased White Smoke, a grammar checking program. I found that it caught me repeating words rather than many grammatical errors. I also used a program called Text Aloud to listen to my own words read aloud It was amazing how many abnormalities I caught this way.

 

So I found myself with completed products, all shiny and new and ready for the world to buy and read. Except nobody knew they existed. People are busy, and people who are not in the habit of reading are hard to convince to do so. It was hard to even convince family and friends to read, much less the market at large. Enter social media and a blog. I have used Facebook for years to connect with friends and family. Now I find myself with a Twitter account, a Blog, author pages here and there. It is large and all encompassing. When my employer sent out a memo asking that we as teachers be aware of and avoid having a footprint in social media I broke out in a cold sweat. I spent the last year painstaking establishing a footprint. Without my breadcrumb trails how would anybody find my books? I decided that since my writing is clean and noncontroversial I would continue my course of marketing.

 

 

 

 

In terms of marketing, the writing world is structured with relationships; relationships with reader, bloggers, and fellow writers. These people are crucial, because without them my book is just a digital download and a nice story in my head. I have been blessed to find myself among supportive groups of people like those at Clean Indie Reads and a few other individuals who I have been lucky to share writing and support with.

So here I am, a year later. I hope I am wiser and stronger as a writer and as a business person. I would like to thank each and every individual who contributed to my journey and my family for putting up with me as I followed my dream to become an author. Look for big things in the next year! I hope to release a sequel or two this year. Currently I am working on Aware, part two of the Corporeal Pull. I may be inclined to share a preview of that work in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!

My Review of Magian High by Lia London

 

This book is a strong fantasy read that blends the natural and recognizable drama of the high school experience with layers of magic and intrigue.  The central character, a young man named Kincaid champions the integration of the towns three existing high-schools.  Originally the schools had been made up of three predominate subgroups that had been kept separate; the normal people or jocks, the brilliant academically focused children and the madges who have magical powers.  As the schools are encouraged to mingle there are many challenges.  Like any subgroups in reality, the children have many ill-conceived notions as to one anther’s merit and acceptability.  This is only a small part of a larger series of events.  A sweet teen romance is skillfully weaved into a back drop of social instability and corruption that will ultimately put all of the student in a difficult situation.  This book is a great read for older children and young adults.  I thoroughly enjoyed the premise!

My Review of Alora–A Young Adult Fantasy By Tamie Dearen

 

I was instantly drawn into this particular story when the concept of soul mates was put into play.  I have been intrigued by this concept for a while so I was ready to see how the bond played out in the plot of the story.  It will suffice to say that the soul mate bond is pivotal to the entire story line.  I enjoyed the “parallel world concept” that was intermingled with a complicated coming-of-age dilemma for the story’s main character, Alora.  Alora is placed into a situation where she must realize that a portion of her identity is not anything like the person she had always imagined herself to be.  She learned that she could be be powerful, brave and love deeply in a glimmer of time.  The book has artful descriptions and a captivating pace.  I recommend this book to both the young and young at heart!

Princess Pink – I Just Have to Share!

I want to share and celebrate the work of of this tiny little author.  As an author and a teacher I consider myself a huge fan of little writers everywhere.  It happens that my youngest son’s oldest friend, Miss Morgan Spencer was recently published on Amazon.  Her sweet children’s book is well thought out and descriptive.  I see great things for her writing in the future!  I must mention that her book was illustrated by her preschool class, which includes my son Cole.

My review of Song of the Mountain by Michelle Isenhoff

 

I picked up this fantasy and could not put it down!  The author built an intriguing plot upon fulfilling imagery.  The story line is captivating and never drags.  The characters are multidimensional and believable .  The story introduces the reader to the character of Song, an orphan who has been raised as an outcast by his grandfather.  He knows nothing of his own history.  As he has aged, questions about his past, his parents and why he and his grandfather are outcasts become undeniable.  He feels the need to explore his past and his identity.  Before Song can investigate his own past it catches up to him and his entire perspective of his own existence is turned up side down!  I recommend this lively read to anyone who is ready for an adventure.  The book was relevant to me as an adult, but would also be a great and clean option for a younger reader.

Tony the Phony and the Cursed Mansion by M. Isenhoff and T. Isenhoff

Today’s post is part of a Choose Your Own  Story written and hosted by T. Isenhoff and M. Isenhoff on their Storyboys blog. T. is in 3rd grade, and M. is in 6th grade. This story was their winter homeschool project. Travel over to their blog to start at the beginning. Have fun!

“Go! Go! Go!” Tony screamed to Ed. The boys sprinted down the steps, but a gunshot stopped them in their tracks.

“Hands up!” Coach Theodore called.

The boys raised their hands. The steps creaked as the man approached behind them. “March!” he barked.

The coach forced them down to the first floor of the mansion, through a kitchen in the servants’ quarters, and to a stout wooden door. “Open it,” he ordered.

The smell of rot and decay wafted up from the cool interior. “It smells like a cave in here,” Ed said as they descended a slimy wooden stairway.

“Get used to it,” Coach said.

The stairway soon lost all light. The man switched on a flashlight and guided them down a stone corridor. “In there,” he grunted.

Tony pulled open another door and heard the gentle rustle of something sliding in the darkness.

Coach Theodore’s light shown on a wide, circular pit with a rickety ladder leading down into it.

The rustling sound came again. “What is that?” Tony asked.

“Your new companions,” Coach said. “Start climbing.”

One at a time, the boys climbed down into darkness. Then the man pulled up the ladder. “See you later, fellas,” he chuckled. “Be nice to your new friends.”

Tony felt prickles run up and down his spine. “What does he mean?” he wondered.

There was a soft hissing then another sliding sound. Ed flicked on his pen light. The thin beam illuminated the slimy stone of the pit and came to rest on the hooded head of a cobra.

The End

Now in eBook Format; Teach Your Child to Read!

The long awaited day has arrived!  I have compiled my techniques for teaching young children to read into one concise and approachable eBook that is packed full of real strategies that are approachable and affordable!  Now available at the LOW introductory price of $1.99!

Teach Your Child to Read on Amazon

Teach Your Child to Read on Smashwords

Parents have access to real techniques that Will make a real difference in their child’s reading performance.  New teacher will love the book because each technique is classroom road tested.  I only shared strategies that worked consistently!

Be sure to stay connected with my blog as I begin my discussions of the next great hurdle to childhood literacy, reading comprehension!

Holy Copywright! I Need Advice!

As I stated in my previous post, I compiled my blog posts plus more content into an eBook.  Everything was going fine until I attempted to publish on Amazon.  I received an e-mail stating that my work was free on the web ( yes, some of it was on MY blog) and that I could not control the rights to my own content.  It went on to say that if I was found to have illegally obtained the work (my own work from my blog) that my account and all of my other books would be deleted!

I would love to hear from anyone else who has had this problem.  I have removed my promotional blog posts and resubmitted my book along with sending an emailed reply.  I am sickened to think that all of my books may be permanently banned from Amazon over my blog.  I know many many other author’s have a blog or have used their own material from blog posts in later publications.  I would love to know what I did wrong?