Sally Ember's Blog, page 105
August 8, 2014
What Makes People Buy Self-Published Books?
Who knew sampling would overtake covers, genre and anything else to consider for readers? Ebooks are now on an even par with print books for readers who access both, for sure!
Originally posted on Tara Sparling writes:
In this post, I discussed the findings of a scientifically incontrovertible study (of myself) on the factors which influenced me when buying a self-published book.
#166991782 / gettyimages.com
The findings surprised me (which surprised me, because I was surveying myself). I found that I knew what made me buy a self-published book when it was in front of me, but not what put that book in front of me, unless I was browsing by genre (e.g. today I feel like reading a romance set in Ulaanbaatar: therefore I will now search specifically for such a story).
It was still hard to know what put those books in front of my eyes in order to buy them; to quote one of the commenters on that post – this is the thorny issue of “discoverability”. How will we find these books in the first place?
So I did the unthinkable, and asked some other people…
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Filed under: Writing
Nebula Nights A Science Fiction Romance Boxed Set
From my POV, ALL “romance” books are speculative/science fiction! LOL Check these out!
Originally posted on Veronica Scott:
Over at the USA Today HEA blog, I’m interviewing ten science fiction romance authors (and myself) today on what we love about SFR and which SF hero is our favorite. I’ve been spending lot of time with these ladies lately, not just because we all love to read and write SFR, but also because we’ve put together a boxed set of eleven stories. I have my award-winning, best seller Escape From Zulaire, as my contribution. The boxed set contains quite a mix of elements from cyborgs to aliens, space opera to adventure on alien planets.
Best of all, the set is priced at $.99! For over 800,000 words of exciting SFR….
Here’s a quick synopsis for the included stories:
Her Cyborg Awakes by Melisse Aires
Her gentle cyborg servant helped her escape violence–but now he’s changed into a warrior! Is he safe?
Removed (The Nogiku Series, #1) by SJ…
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Filed under: Writing
CHANGES Episode 1 on Youtube Google+ HOA with Sally Ember and Shay West
Did you miss it? We had a blast! Catch the recorded version of my LIVE conversation on CHANGES with Dr. Shay West here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrjdj0S8AQo
or here: http://youtu.be/lrjdj0S8AQo
Dr. Shay West http://shay-west.com
We talked about writing, biology, teaching, optimism, gratitude, epigenetics, horror, real-life medical horrors and community support as motivations for writing, writers’ groups, Google + Hangouts on Air, and more!
Next week, August 13, CHANGES welcomes Connie Dunn. 7 – 8 AM Pacific USA Time.
Tune in and get involved with your comments and questions, LIVE, or watch CHANGES Episodes later on YouTube.
If you are an author, philosopher, creative sort who likes free-wheeling conversations and wants to be on CHANGES, watch a show or two, then contact the host, Sally Ember: sallyember@yahoo.com and request a slot in October or beyond.
CHANGES occurs on most Wednesdays, but not all. Watch this space for schedule!
Are YOU ready for the CHANGES?
Filed under: CHANGES Episodes, G+ HOAs, Google HOAs Tagged: animal communication, Author Interview, biology, cover art, epigenetics, Sally Ember, sci-fi, Writers, writing
August 7, 2014
College President Gives $90,000 Of His Salary To Lowest-Paid Employees On Campus
Every #overpaidCEO/President should follow Raymond Burse’s example. We’d all be better off and the economy would BOOM!
Originally posted on Kindness Blog:
Raymond Burse, interim president of Kentucky State University, elected to have his salary decreased from $349,869 to $259,745 in order to boost the paychecks of the university’s lowest-paid workers, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Burse’s pay cut will increase the salaries of 24 KSU employees, some of whom were making as littles as $7.25 an hour, to $10.25 an hour, WLKY reported. Burse said that his giving up $90,124.96 is a response to “tough times” and wanting to ensure that university workers know the school’s board and president “care about them and want to do the very best by them,” according to the Herald-Leader.
Burse has experience dealing with KSU employees — he served as KSU president from 1982 to 1989, according to KY Forward. After his presidency, Burse held an executive position at General Electric Co. He retired in 2012 after 17 years with good benefits, the Herald-Leader reported.
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Caledonia Novel Award Open for Entries
Another #writing #contest for newbies or unpublished works!
Originally posted on Jessica Davidson:
The Caledonia Novel Award is a new international competition for unpublished novels. Win £1,000! Submit the first 20 pages of your completed novel plus a 200 word synopsis. Entry fee £20. Deadline for entries: 2nd November 2014. Visit website for full submissions details and rules of entry.
>For more competitions see: Novel Writing Competitions 2014 – there are still a few open for this year…
Filed under: Writing
What abuse in relationships looks like: A note to YA and NA readers, watch these
Please share with pre-teens and teens who read YA books! Dating/relationship violence among youth is on the rise. No excuses. End it.
Originally posted on Literary Ames:
Considering the alarming number of YA and New Adult books marketing abusive heterosexual relationships as romantic, here’s something to educate the masses who are seduced by the abusive arseholes that are the heroes.
This is Abuse is a campaign launched by the UK government to inform and support victims of abuse in relationships specifically targeted at young people. There’s even an FAQ to help you identify it and advice on how to tackle specific situations.
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Promote yourself: how to do it on this blog
#Authors: Promo opps!
Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:
For all writers, poets, photographers, artists who would like to get a promotional blog post together, this is for you.
Using the contact form makes it all rather cloak and dagger, so to simplify things for those of you with questions about what to include in your post, here are a few guidelines you might want to follow.
1) Introduce yourself in whatever way you prefer, personal or professional, and give us an idea of what you do.
2) Choose a sample of your work—prose, poems, photographs, illustrations—that does you credit. It can be as long as you like. Book excerpts are fine, just bear in mind that reading a lot of unbroken text on the computer is tiring, and you might lose readers if it’s too long.
3) Send any images that are relevant, like book covers, illustrations, author pic if you want. Again, be reasonable. Please don’t send…
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Filed under: Writing
August 5, 2014
Thanks, Anne Allen: Tips on Best Ways to Utilize #Writing Critique Groups
#Writers: great info and tips, here, for what kinds of critique/writing groups there are, what to do with the advice you get and the people in them.
I like the names she gives each type of group and I especially appreciate her tips for making the best of even the worst advice or participants! Thanks, Anne!
Full post link is below. It’s well worth your time.
http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-you-should-ignore-most-of-advice.html
Filed under: Beta readers, Blogging and others' content, Writing Tagged: editing, Writers, writers' critique groups, writing
August 3, 2014
Blessed
I love this sentiment! Thanks!
Originally posted on Kindness Blog:
Be a Blessing
Filed under: Writing
Disability in Speculative Fiction by Rose B. Fischer
Fabulous post and great insights, here, Rose. In “The Spanners Series,” the main character, Clara Branon, discusses having had a mobility disability due to a car accident and all the ways it changes her life. She gets the chance to “re-set” her life, from the point of the accident, thereby avoiding it, but when she sees all the ramifications of that one change, she declines.
Thanks for having her on, Tonya! Best to you both!
Sally Ember
Originally posted on Tonya R. Moore:
Speculative fiction is a playground for writers and readers who enjoy “playing” with societal norms, pushing boundaries, and asking “What if…?”
I love that it allows me to break apart and examine social constructs like race and gender, to create societies where cultural norms and mores are vastly different from mine. It helps me stay open minded — helps me remember that my way of thinking and my perceptions may be faulty. Even if they are sound, my approach to a situation may not be the only valid one.
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