Nicholas A. McGirr's Blog, page 11
September 8, 2011
Playing Cards Do What??!
Tell fortunes. No, really, they can.
As a study for my current project, (the sequel to The Growing Dim Project), the channel to the paranormal will reside in playing cards. Playing cards, really? Yes, really. My late grandmother taught me that playing cards could be used to tell fortunes and readings. In fact, this is one of the earliest forms of why playing cards became so popular. Gypsies and fortune teller’s alike relied upon playing cards to give them feelings and visions about past, present and future occurrences.
During my research, I fell upon a book by Robert Lee Camp and it explains how each of the cards relates to everyone’s birth, and how everyone, based on their birthdate has a Planetary Ruling Card. The book is very interesting to say the least and I found it compelling enough to want to base my new project from it. I simply had to incorporate this newfound paranormal eyeglass into the unknown into my work. I was inspired from not only my grandmother, but also rather the intrigue I experienced after reading this book and then doing the weekly readings as mentioned in the book. I researched into the subject of using playing cards so much that I even found odd connections between them like the fact that my wife and I even have the identical Birth Card: the ten of clubs. I found this odd and fascinating because our birthdays are three months apart and what I found was that each of the 52 playing cards usually only holds five to six separated birthdays. Cool stuff, huh?
Playing cards and the prophesies they create are being explored and then implemented into my current project, you know, the sequel to The Growing Dim Project that I always talk about. With each of my works, I have decided to include one path of some paranormal experience. There is plenty of research out there and well, I am inspired by it. Each book I write is wrapped in a different genre of music. My current project, (yet to be titled) revolves around jazz music. The Growing Dim Project was based on a cover rock band. You see where I’m going with this.
If the paranormal, supernatural or unworldly entities fascinate you as much as they inspire me, check out my works. They can be downloaded on any major site. However, this particular blog entry is not to just promote my work, it is meant to enthrall you into not being afraid of whatever fascinates you. Playing cards have absorbed me, over the past 2 years. They have helped me develop a new plot that I hope you, the reader will pass on to others.
As for now, thanks for reading and pass this blog along to other fellow readers of the paranormal. Although my books are based from Greek Mythology, they are still classified as paranormal. I can find more inspiration by writing about better topics by having more people that follow this blog.
Thank you for taking the time to support your favorite author whether it’s me or not. Supporting your favorite authors keeps them in the game of writing you more stories to enjoy.
Life of Death
Nicholas A. McGirr
As a study for my current project, (the sequel to The Growing Dim Project), the channel to the paranormal will reside in playing cards. Playing cards, really? Yes, really. My late grandmother taught me that playing cards could be used to tell fortunes and readings. In fact, this is one of the earliest forms of why playing cards became so popular. Gypsies and fortune teller’s alike relied upon playing cards to give them feelings and visions about past, present and future occurrences.
During my research, I fell upon a book by Robert Lee Camp and it explains how each of the cards relates to everyone’s birth, and how everyone, based on their birthdate has a Planetary Ruling Card. The book is very interesting to say the least and I found it compelling enough to want to base my new project from it. I simply had to incorporate this newfound paranormal eyeglass into the unknown into my work. I was inspired from not only my grandmother, but also rather the intrigue I experienced after reading this book and then doing the weekly readings as mentioned in the book. I researched into the subject of using playing cards so much that I even found odd connections between them like the fact that my wife and I even have the identical Birth Card: the ten of clubs. I found this odd and fascinating because our birthdays are three months apart and what I found was that each of the 52 playing cards usually only holds five to six separated birthdays. Cool stuff, huh?
Playing cards and the prophesies they create are being explored and then implemented into my current project, you know, the sequel to The Growing Dim Project that I always talk about. With each of my works, I have decided to include one path of some paranormal experience. There is plenty of research out there and well, I am inspired by it. Each book I write is wrapped in a different genre of music. My current project, (yet to be titled) revolves around jazz music. The Growing Dim Project was based on a cover rock band. You see where I’m going with this.
If the paranormal, supernatural or unworldly entities fascinate you as much as they inspire me, check out my works. They can be downloaded on any major site. However, this particular blog entry is not to just promote my work, it is meant to enthrall you into not being afraid of whatever fascinates you. Playing cards have absorbed me, over the past 2 years. They have helped me develop a new plot that I hope you, the reader will pass on to others.
As for now, thanks for reading and pass this blog along to other fellow readers of the paranormal. Although my books are based from Greek Mythology, they are still classified as paranormal. I can find more inspiration by writing about better topics by having more people that follow this blog.
Thank you for taking the time to support your favorite author whether it’s me or not. Supporting your favorite authors keeps them in the game of writing you more stories to enjoy.
Life of Death
Nicholas A. McGirr
September 3, 2011
Life of Death finally released! New ebook!
Life of DeathHello everyone,
I am proud to announce that Life of Death has finally been released in ebook format on amazon. Unfortunately enough, I have to contact goodreads to combine this book to my goodreads author page due to amazon listing me as "Nicholas McGirr" and goodreads recognizes me as "Nicholas A. McGirr". As for now, I have placed links on this blog so that you are still free to check it out.
Thank you in advance for all your support with this title. The sequel to The Growing Dim Project will be released by the end of the year, so I hope you enjoy this title while you wait.
As always, thanks for reading,
Nicholas.
http://www.amazon.com/Life-of-Death-e...
August 29, 2011
Price Changing on My latest ebook, The Growing Dim Project.
Due to lack of funds to help promote this title, I have taken a bit of advice from other author friends and watching trends for sales and have decided to raise the price of The Growing Dim Project.
As for now, The Growing Dim Project is still free here on goodreads and I have yet to decide if I will put a price tag on it just yet.
If you are an author that has done such a move by raising the price of your book, please contact me and let me know how it's going or feel free to give some advice on this change.
If you are interested in this title, please download it while you can. I appreciate all the feedback I have received as well as the reviews. Always, always, always, support your favorite authors. This helps them stay in the market and write more books for your enjoyment.
As for now, thanks for reading,
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
As for now, The Growing Dim Project is still free here on goodreads and I have yet to decide if I will put a price tag on it just yet.
If you are an author that has done such a move by raising the price of your book, please contact me and let me know how it's going or feel free to give some advice on this change.
If you are interested in this title, please download it while you can. I appreciate all the feedback I have received as well as the reviews. Always, always, always, support your favorite authors. This helps them stay in the market and write more books for your enjoyment.
As for now, thanks for reading,
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
August 26, 2011
Sequel to The Growing Dim Project is Underway!
To those fans that have read The Growing Dim Project, please take a minute to forward this on.
After months of pushing The Growing Dim Project and promoting in all of my free time, I decided to sit down at my computer, shut off the internet and do what it is I enjoy most: write.
I completed two chapters in the sequel to The Growing Dim Project yesterday and to be quite honest, it's the most I've written (other than scholarly papers for college) in months. I am so excited about these two chapters as they are at the beginning of the climax of the book which means in a few weeks (granted I can keep the inspiration) the book will be ready for editing and distribution.
I invite you to take a look at The Growing Dim Project if you haven't already and please add this feed to your list of blogs you follow. If you are an author reading this, please help out a fellow author and help create some buzz about this work. I am very excited about this work. It has been in the making for over 3 years and will display some of the writing techniques I've been learning over these past few years.
Again, take a look at Book One: The Growing Dim Project if you haven't already. It is FREE here on goodreads only.
As for now, thanks for reading.
Nicholas.
After months of pushing The Growing Dim Project and promoting in all of my free time, I decided to sit down at my computer, shut off the internet and do what it is I enjoy most: write.
I completed two chapters in the sequel to The Growing Dim Project yesterday and to be quite honest, it's the most I've written (other than scholarly papers for college) in months. I am so excited about these two chapters as they are at the beginning of the climax of the book which means in a few weeks (granted I can keep the inspiration) the book will be ready for editing and distribution.
I invite you to take a look at The Growing Dim Project if you haven't already and please add this feed to your list of blogs you follow. If you are an author reading this, please help out a fellow author and help create some buzz about this work. I am very excited about this work. It has been in the making for over 3 years and will display some of the writing techniques I've been learning over these past few years.
Again, take a look at Book One: The Growing Dim Project if you haven't already. It is FREE here on goodreads only.
As for now, thanks for reading.
Nicholas.
August 17, 2011
New Book, Life of Death coming soon!
Hello Everyone,
I just thought I would let everyone know that a previous publication of mine will be coming out very soon as a little taste before Book Two (the sequel to The Growing Dim Project) is available for download.
Please forward links to this blog to your friends here on goodreads as you all know that I am always looking for more readers!!
Thanks again for all your support and I hope that some of you are enjoying your free copy of The Growing Dim Project!
As Always,
thanks for reading.
Nicholas.
I just thought I would let everyone know that a previous publication of mine will be coming out very soon as a little taste before Book Two (the sequel to The Growing Dim Project) is available for download.
Please forward links to this blog to your friends here on goodreads as you all know that I am always looking for more readers!!
Thanks again for all your support and I hope that some of you are enjoying your free copy of The Growing Dim Project!
As Always,
thanks for reading.
Nicholas.
August 15, 2011
Your Favorite Indie Authors
To all who may read this:
Please forward on to a friend! It is vital to all of your favorite indie authors you have here on goodreads.
I would like to suggest that if you find any particular book, whether it be mainstream or indie, that you support the author with a number of different things you can do, some of them even anonymously.
What this does for the indie author that you have already enjoyed is bring this same enjoyment to someone else through the use of your social networks or maybe even a network of people that you don't even belong to. As an example, I will provide this scenario using my own work. Let's say you've downloaded Book One: The Growing Dim Project and thoroughly enjoyed it. You log on to www.amazon.com and find the link for this particular book, you can do one of two things. You can see what other readers are saying about the book or you can leave your own comment in one of two different ways; by actually leaving a "star" rating and comment or simply by clicking the "like" button for your facebook account.
What this now does is send a message either to people that may purchase this book that you don't know (leaving star rating and comment) or to friends and family you do know (clicking like for facebook) sending your thoughts out there for other people to support the same author.
This is just one way that you can support your favorite authors. They will greatly appreciate this, I can guarantee and will essentially continue their path in writing more novels that you will enjoy in the future! It's a win-win for both of you!
Here are some other ideas you can use to help support your favorite authors/books:
On Goodreads:
--Send a recommendation to your friends with a little afterthought of the book.
--Become a fan of their work
--Follow their blog
--Add the book to your "shelves" as you go through the book. (to read, currently reading with updated page, and finally, read)
On amazon:
--"Like" the book on Facebook
--Create an account and leave comments and/or a star rating about the book
--"tag" the book appropriately. These are found on the bottom of the book's page and allows other readers to find a specific genre of book quickly based on their previous reads.
On Barnes and Noble:
--The same techniques can be used from amazon on B&N as well.
I only post this blog as a separate communication to my followers and I hope this particular entry helps you gain insight to the writer's world. We live for your reviews and recommendations to others. Our entire lives as writers can and will only continue if you do things to help support your favorites. We authors are constantly looking for new ways to help promote ourselves with our books but with your help we can continue doing what we do best: writing.
Thanks for reading,
Nicholas A. McGirr
Author of Book One: The Growing Dim Project
P.S. I have a new ebook releasing soon entitled Life of Death. Look for it soon for only 99 cents!!
Please forward on to a friend! It is vital to all of your favorite indie authors you have here on goodreads.
I would like to suggest that if you find any particular book, whether it be mainstream or indie, that you support the author with a number of different things you can do, some of them even anonymously.
What this does for the indie author that you have already enjoyed is bring this same enjoyment to someone else through the use of your social networks or maybe even a network of people that you don't even belong to. As an example, I will provide this scenario using my own work. Let's say you've downloaded Book One: The Growing Dim Project and thoroughly enjoyed it. You log on to www.amazon.com and find the link for this particular book, you can do one of two things. You can see what other readers are saying about the book or you can leave your own comment in one of two different ways; by actually leaving a "star" rating and comment or simply by clicking the "like" button for your facebook account.
What this now does is send a message either to people that may purchase this book that you don't know (leaving star rating and comment) or to friends and family you do know (clicking like for facebook) sending your thoughts out there for other people to support the same author.
This is just one way that you can support your favorite authors. They will greatly appreciate this, I can guarantee and will essentially continue their path in writing more novels that you will enjoy in the future! It's a win-win for both of you!
Here are some other ideas you can use to help support your favorite authors/books:
On Goodreads:
--Send a recommendation to your friends with a little afterthought of the book.
--Become a fan of their work
--Follow their blog
--Add the book to your "shelves" as you go through the book. (to read, currently reading with updated page, and finally, read)
On amazon:
--"Like" the book on Facebook
--Create an account and leave comments and/or a star rating about the book
--"tag" the book appropriately. These are found on the bottom of the book's page and allows other readers to find a specific genre of book quickly based on their previous reads.
On Barnes and Noble:
--The same techniques can be used from amazon on B&N as well.
I only post this blog as a separate communication to my followers and I hope this particular entry helps you gain insight to the writer's world. We live for your reviews and recommendations to others. Our entire lives as writers can and will only continue if you do things to help support your favorites. We authors are constantly looking for new ways to help promote ourselves with our books but with your help we can continue doing what we do best: writing.
Thanks for reading,
Nicholas A. McGirr
Author of Book One: The Growing Dim Project
P.S. I have a new ebook releasing soon entitled Life of Death. Look for it soon for only 99 cents!!
August 9, 2011
Opinions Needed
To the fans that follow this blog:
I have been thinking of changing the cover and/or title of The Growing Dim Project ebook edition. I wanted to get some feedback on your thoughts of the current cover and title of the book. Here's what it is now:
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
Possible titles that I've come up with:
Crossed, Book One of the Growing Dim Chronicles
Growing Dim, Book One of the Growing Dim Series
Cross, book one
If you have read Book One: The Growing Dim Projectand have an idea for a new title let me know.
I have realized that my readers are having a hard time remembering the title because it is so long. Thoughts and opinions all are welcome and appreciated.
As Always,thanks for reading,
Nicholas.
I have been thinking of changing the cover and/or title of The Growing Dim Project ebook edition. I wanted to get some feedback on your thoughts of the current cover and title of the book. Here's what it is now:
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
Possible titles that I've come up with:
Crossed, Book One of the Growing Dim Chronicles
Growing Dim, Book One of the Growing Dim Series
Cross, book one
If you have read Book One: The Growing Dim Projectand have an idea for a new title let me know.
I have realized that my readers are having a hard time remembering the title because it is so long. Thoughts and opinions all are welcome and appreciated.
As Always,thanks for reading,
Nicholas.
August 3, 2011
Free Book
Hello everyone,
I recently ran a contest that in which I gave away a FREE ereader. I am glad to say that I learned a ton about my readers as well as how to run a contest efficiently and I cannot thank you enough for being part of that.
As of right now, as a token of that appreciation, my ebook is currently Free here on goodreads. I don't know how long I will keep it under such financial freedoms as I have not changed the price of the download on major websites.
So I am asking that you take advantage of this opportunity if you are truly interested. And if so, please "recommend" The Growing Dim Project to others on your friends list. This will help get the word out.
I have found while studying the different ways to self promote that word of mouth from readers is the best and most efficient way of doing things. So I am asking you as a reader to please forward this book to your friends.
I am stopping ad promotions for the moment as I have run out of marketing funds as they are exhausted from the promotion of the Ereader last month.
If you are currenlty reading The Growing Dim Project, please take a moment and add it to your "currenlty reading" shelf and then give it a star rating based on what you honestly thought of the book.
Again, I know that I am asking you to click your mouse quite a bit, but the overall result for an author who is trying to get the word out will be astonishing as the results rise to their full potential.
Again, I cannot thank you enough and thanks for reading,
(and I hope you are enjoying your reading of The Growing Dim Project, I can't wait to see what you think of it)
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
I recently ran a contest that in which I gave away a FREE ereader. I am glad to say that I learned a ton about my readers as well as how to run a contest efficiently and I cannot thank you enough for being part of that.
As of right now, as a token of that appreciation, my ebook is currently Free here on goodreads. I don't know how long I will keep it under such financial freedoms as I have not changed the price of the download on major websites.
So I am asking that you take advantage of this opportunity if you are truly interested. And if so, please "recommend" The Growing Dim Project to others on your friends list. This will help get the word out.
I have found while studying the different ways to self promote that word of mouth from readers is the best and most efficient way of doing things. So I am asking you as a reader to please forward this book to your friends.
I am stopping ad promotions for the moment as I have run out of marketing funds as they are exhausted from the promotion of the Ereader last month.
If you are currenlty reading The Growing Dim Project, please take a moment and add it to your "currenlty reading" shelf and then give it a star rating based on what you honestly thought of the book.
Again, I know that I am asking you to click your mouse quite a bit, but the overall result for an author who is trying to get the word out will be astonishing as the results rise to their full potential.
Again, I cannot thank you enough and thanks for reading,
(and I hope you are enjoying your reading of The Growing Dim Project, I can't wait to see what you think of it)
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
July 31, 2011
FREE Kobo Contest Winner Announced!
First and foremost I wanted to say thank you to all that have entered my contest, this was great fun and I plan on doing another later this year.
There were 51 emails with correct answers. Not too bad considering there were just over 60 entries.
I used random.org to choose a number between 1 and 51 and then took that number and counted from top and bottom of my list of correctly answered emails to come up with the winner.
Her name is Sandra P. AKA: Maneden here on goodreads.
Congratulations, I hope you enjoy it as well as a great number of books that your Kobo will allow you to download.
Again, I hope there are a great number of you that enjoyed this as much as I did. I really did have a lot of fun with this and I hope you hold true to your kind words about my work. It is still available to download here on goodreads for only $2.99 and you can read it on your computers.
If Sandra P. does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another winner.
Again, thank you all for your kind words, entries and spreading the word about this. We shall see what my budgets allow for the next one: perhaps a new kindle or nook?
Until next time,
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
There were 51 emails with correct answers. Not too bad considering there were just over 60 entries.
I used random.org to choose a number between 1 and 51 and then took that number and counted from top and bottom of my list of correctly answered emails to come up with the winner.
Her name is Sandra P. AKA: Maneden here on goodreads.
Congratulations, I hope you enjoy it as well as a great number of books that your Kobo will allow you to download.
Again, I hope there are a great number of you that enjoyed this as much as I did. I really did have a lot of fun with this and I hope you hold true to your kind words about my work. It is still available to download here on goodreads for only $2.99 and you can read it on your computers.
If Sandra P. does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another winner.
Again, thank you all for your kind words, entries and spreading the word about this. We shall see what my budgets allow for the next one: perhaps a new kindle or nook?
Until next time,
Nicholas.
Book One: The Growing Dim Project
July 3, 2011
Win a FREE E-Reader!!
This promotion is a "No Purchase Necessary" type of drawing. I, Nicholas A. McGirr author of Book One: The Growing Dim Project will be giving away one FREE Kobo E-reader to one lucky winner. The rules of the drawing are below.
1. The Prize: One (1) Kobo E-Reader, new in package directly mailed to one (1) winner.
2. To Enter: Simply email the answers to three (3) questions. The answers can be found by reading the FREE sample of The Growing Dim Project and the snippet from the websites listed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Dim-Pro...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-g...
http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/
The three answers can be found by reading BOTH the free sample from Nook and Kindle, AND on www.indiesnippets.blogspot.com. You can find the book cover on the top left corner, it looks like this:
3. The questions:
A. What is the first name of the lead singer in the band?
B. What is "The Growing Dim Project"?
C. What does Cross compare snowflakes to?
To enter simply email me the answers to crossmanmcknight@hotmail.com. Your email address will be discarded after the drawing. This is a solemn promise that your email address will not be used for any type of spamming and/or any other type of promotion.
4. The contest will run through the end of July or until there are 150 entries. In the event that 150 entries are not met at the end of July, the contest will continue and I will post through this blog that the contest is not yet over with an update of how many entries are left to be discovered.
5. Only one (1) entry per contestant. All multiple entries will be discarded.
6. Winner will be chosen at random (name in a hat, type of mentality)
7. This drawing will be used as a promotional tool only! Again, there is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! This is designed by the author, Nicholas A. McGirr to give awareness of the great things an e-reader can offer. This is simply a giveaway started to raise awareness of te works by Nicholas A. McGirr and the ebooks he has published.
8. Please feel free to tweet, post, and comment on this blog. Do NOT leave your email address in your comments. I am not looking to solicit any emails and/or to exploit the identity of anyone. I will however, mention the first name of the winner at the end of the contest through this blog.
9. I thank you for your participation and good luck! I can't wait to giveaway the Kobo!!!
Sincerely,
Nicholas A. McGirr
1. The Prize: One (1) Kobo E-Reader, new in package directly mailed to one (1) winner.
2. To Enter: Simply email the answers to three (3) questions. The answers can be found by reading the FREE sample of The Growing Dim Project and the snippet from the websites listed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Dim-Pro...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-g...
http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/
The three answers can be found by reading BOTH the free sample from Nook and Kindle, AND on www.indiesnippets.blogspot.com. You can find the book cover on the top left corner, it looks like this:
3. The questions:
A. What is the first name of the lead singer in the band?
B. What is "The Growing Dim Project"?
C. What does Cross compare snowflakes to?
To enter simply email me the answers to crossmanmcknight@hotmail.com. Your email address will be discarded after the drawing. This is a solemn promise that your email address will not be used for any type of spamming and/or any other type of promotion.
4. The contest will run through the end of July or until there are 150 entries. In the event that 150 entries are not met at the end of July, the contest will continue and I will post through this blog that the contest is not yet over with an update of how many entries are left to be discovered.
5. Only one (1) entry per contestant. All multiple entries will be discarded.
6. Winner will be chosen at random (name in a hat, type of mentality)
7. This drawing will be used as a promotional tool only! Again, there is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! This is designed by the author, Nicholas A. McGirr to give awareness of the great things an e-reader can offer. This is simply a giveaway started to raise awareness of te works by Nicholas A. McGirr and the ebooks he has published.
8. Please feel free to tweet, post, and comment on this blog. Do NOT leave your email address in your comments. I am not looking to solicit any emails and/or to exploit the identity of anyone. I will however, mention the first name of the winner at the end of the contest through this blog.
9. I thank you for your participation and good luck! I can't wait to giveaway the Kobo!!!
Sincerely,
Nicholas A. McGirr
