Effrosyni Moschoudi's Blog, page 48

Goddess Athena and Her Sacred Temple, The Parthenon

Today, I’m reblogging a guest post that I wrote for the awesome site, Eagles and Dragons Publishing. It’s owner, Adam Haviaras, is a Greek-Canadian author and historian who weaves his fascinating tales in the ancient worlds of Rome and Greece. Look out tomorrow for an interview with him on this blog, that got postponed last Monday due to the recent WordPress scare.

Adam is the friend I’ve been telling you about who was kind enough to point me to the online tutorial as to build my own site. He made his own this way too. Head over there to see what an awesome site it is and while you’re there, check out my post for a bit of Greek history and mythology. If anything, the post is worth a visit for the awesome video by the Greek Ministry of Culture which depicts the Parthenon’s many changes of appearance through the ages. The first time I saw this, I was so impressed that my jaw literally dropped. But don’t just take my word for it; go have a look! View it in full screen and you’ll be enchanted – I guarantee it!

GODDESS ATHENA AND HER SACRED TEMPLE, THE PARTHENON
A Guest post by Effrosyni Moschoudi
Goddess Athena was greatly revered by the ancient Greeks. One of her many epithets, Pallada (or Pallas), was owed to the peculiarity of her birth. According to legend, she sprang forth from the forehead of her father Zeus, fully armed and shaking her spear fiercely, making a fearsome sound. The word Pallada is derived from the Greek word ���pallein��� which means ���to shake���.
This divine young virgin was among other things, the goddess of wisdom and justice. Her sacred symbols include the owl and the olive tree. According to legend, she challenged Poseidon on the Athens Acropolis aiming to win the patronship of the city. The two Gods agreed to each offer a gift before king Cecrops and the witnessing Athenians; the better gift would grant the deity the greatly desired patronship status.
Read the whole article here

 

 

 

WP may be targeting authors – this is my story

Phew! Today is a good day. The last three days however, have been a nightmare and a half.

Last Saturday, I was updating a post when suddenly, my dashboard shut itself down and WordPress displayed the message that my blog had been suspended for violation of their terms. You can imagine my reaction. Panic isn’t the word. I sent them a message appealing the suspension and while I waited, I started googling for WP terms and guidelines and also asked a lot of authors for advice.

My findings soon led me to a few solid conclusions, which I hope any fellow bloggers out there will find insightful. But before I lay them out before you, I must explain first that I introduced affiliate parameters to my blog last week, having signed up with Amazon Associates. When my blog got suspended, I had just amended my widgets with the Amazon Associates disclaimer that they urge you to put up on your homepage. My guess is that by 99%, my blog got suspended because their automatic programs picked that up and investigated further. Admittedly, I had done a boo-boo, but it was an honest mistake, simply because of my ignorance.

I explain everything in my conclusions and here they are:

WordPress allow free blogs to use affiliate parameters on the posts but only as text or hyperlinks. They forbid it in images. So for example, if I link up to a book on Amazon, I can add my affiliate parameter to the end of the link and put that in a hyperlink but��I cannot edit the image and add a URL with my affiliate parameter set up inside that image.
WordPress formally advise in their terms that they don’t allow linking up to third party sites. I have no idea what that means because this term in itself would render any book blog out there eligible for suspension. Furthermore it contradicts their advice that they allow affiliate links when sending people over to Amazon. Isn’t Amazon a third party site? Makes no sense. I guess with this term vaguely put in place, it means that any blog out there is at risk of being suspended. That’s any free blog, at any time, folks! Beware. I don’t know about you, but I used to be living in ‘la-la’ land till last Saturday. Now, I wouldn’t leave anything to chance when it comes to this free WP blog.
And now, if you’re a fellow author, here comes the scary bit: recently, WP have been targeting authors on a large scale, suspending their blogs without notice. As I said, I spoke to a few people who reported this back to me and even stumbled upon a blog post on the very matter. I have no answer as to why WP are doing this to authors. I can only assume the wonderful, pay-it-forward, information-sharing indie community we belong to is perhaps doing something that’s bothering them. Still, I believe that the very unity that characterizes the indie author community will be the one to remind WordPress that their good name and reliability are being compromised here. Our power is in our solidarity. To inconvenience us in large numbers would only mean that at the end of the day, they can only lose our custom by equally large numbers. I am not making threats (obviously! Who am I anyway?) but this is only what my basic logic suggests.
A couple of fellow authors mentioned that WP may be doing this to push a blogger with a suspended blog to a paid solution. I didn���t fail to notice either that the suspension message on my dashboard didn���t fail to suggest to me to consider a hosted (.com) or self-hosting (.org) option with WordPress (both paid).

I doubt that WordPress are reading this humble blog post but having spent the last three days in panic and devastation, I will say a few words regardless.

I’ve spent the past year putting in 10-hour days working on this blog. WordPress gave me this opportunity. WordPress gave me a voice. Through this blog, I’ve been blessed with the attention of fellow authors and bloggers. Many of them have thanked me over time for tips and advice posted here. Some even bookmarked them for future reference. Fellow authors have benefited from the interviews and reviews I have done which I made sure to promote on Twitter for them in the long run.

And then, just like that, WordPress came one fine day and took it all away from me and from all these people in the blink of an eye. Furthermore, I sent five emails to them brimming over with frustration and apologies, asking for an explanation. It took them three days to get back to me. By then, I had grown devastated by the fear of having lost it all (I trusted WP blindly till now and had backed up only a handful of my posts) and also appalled by their lack of response.

Today, finally, they wrote to say that my blog had been flagged by their automatic anti-spam programs. They apologised and removed the suspension. I was able to access it, that’s true, but its functionality is currently limited. At the moment, it doesn’t allow me to insert images or hyperlinks into my posts.

This means that until they fix it, I can���t post any new interviews or reviews. I am in contact with them and hope they’ll sort it out soon. What is also strange, is that they said nothing about my affiliate parameters that I had inserted in hyperlinks and images on a couple of posts (the most recent). However, having revisited these posts I see they have removed the links to the books from my hyperlinks, which is very peculiar.

The whole thing, right from the start, has been nothing but strange, nothing but vague. Three days later, I may have redeemed my precious blog but as I said, it is not fully functional plus I was never given clear advice as to know how to proceed. Sure, I went to the images and removed the affiliate links but how do I know they don’t mind them in hyperlinks? They have offered no advice. If they allow them, why did they delete them from there? Isn’t there a risk for me if I put them back on? See what I mean?

I don’t know how all this sounds to you but to me, the word is ‘fishy’. I cannot give my trust where there is no clarity. So beware people if you’re using a free WP blog, especially if you’re an author. As far as I’m concerned, I am treating this blog from now on as something I could lose forever at any given moment.

This means two things:

a) I am in the process of backing up into Word DOC files any of the posts that I deem important.

��b) Having purchased a domain and hosting services with Hostgator yesterday, I am now in the process of building my own website. Gone are the days I depended foolishly on the kindness of any given ‘landlord’. I am building ‘my own house’ where I make my own rules.

If any of you out there think you need more assurance such as the one I’m seeking, keep an eye on this blog. Let’s hope WP keeps it live long enough for me to blog the details of this super-cheap and super-easy solution I have found, thanks to the wonderful, sharing indie author community I spoke of earlier. And now, it’s my turn to share it with you all.

If this blog goes bust again before I do this, look me up on Twitter where I’ll make sure to announce my own site when it’s up and running. From there, if not from here, I���ll make sure to share with you all soon an 11-video tutorial that takes you by the hand and shows you how to build your own site easy, cheaply and fast, step-by-step. I don���t know anything about website building or web hosting but if I can do it, then so can you.

Book review: The House on Persimmon Road by Jackie Weger

I don���t know why I feel so surprised upon reading this book. I should have known that an amazing writer like Jackie Weger would be the only one capable to write a ghost story that is about anything but the ghost! If I were to tell you that this is a tale about a family moving in a haunted house, you���d imagine chain dragging, spooky sightings and goosebumps, wouldn���t you now? And yet, this is a tender family tale that will have you laughing with the kind of humor you���d only expect from watching The Golden Girls!

Justine has recently been forced to become the head of her family. Her husband has selfishly abandoned her and their two small children to become a monk in some remote, exotic isle. Plagued by financial trouble, Justine decides to start a new life and moves into an old house in a rural location. As well as her two children, she brings along her mother and strangely enough, her mother-in-law too. The two elderly women are not the best of friends, making derisive and critical remarks about each other all day, while the children have their issues and insecurities too. In their midst of it all, Justine is wounded, uncertain and insecure, but somehow manages to play the role of referee and coordinator for them all. When love knocks gently on her door in the shape of her kindly neighbor Tucker Highsmith, Justine is irrevocably proven unsure on her feet, teetering between offending and flirting with this man who is severely drawn to her and has the gall to tell her so from the word go.

Jackie Weger has managed the impossible with Tucker; she���s had me fancying a man with facial hair. But that man is irresistible. Other than the fact that he���s incredibly confident, straightforward and honest, hating mind games���the way every woman wishes a man to be���he also has an affinity for cooking and aspires to writing a cookery book. I mean, how adorable is that?

Lottie is the resident ghost, and although the book is anything but a ghost story, she fits well in the mix, having her chance at interacting with Justine and her family in a delightful, ingenious way that the reader certainly won’t expect.

All in all, this is a delightful read, full of opportunities for laughter, chuckles and the inevitable sigh brought on by romantic, soppy lines. It will equally please the avid readers of humor, romance, family tales and ghost stories too. I will also say that I���ve read dozens of indie books and this is the only one I���ve read so far where I���ve found zero typos both in terms of spelling and punctuation. Well done, Jackie Weger!

��Highly recommended!

 

My rating:

5-stars

A humorous and romantic family tale set in an old, haunted house

��

An RWA Maggie Award winner

Do you enjoy funny family tales? How about one with a touch of romance and a delightful ghost thrown into the mix? If you’ve answered yes, then this gem is for you!

Find it now on Amazon: The House on Persimmon Road

Interview with Ruth Zavitsanos, author of The Villa Dog

Back in the summer, I discovered a lovely children’s book, called The Old Fortress Dog, set in the old Venetian Fortress of Corfu Town. Its author, Ruth Zavitsanos, is an American with Greek roots, her grandfather having hailed from the Greek island of Corfu. I found the book utterly refreshing as its touching story was written from the dog’s perspective – how cute is that? (find my 4-star review here). Today, I’m pleased to present to you Ruth Zavitsanos, as well as her awarded book, The Villa Dog; another delightful tale told by an adorable canine! While I’m at it, I’m adding here the details of The Fortress Dog too because you know me; Corfiot to the core! I’d never pass on a chance to showcase the delights of a Corfiot setting!

High atop a hillside on the Greek island of Corfu overlooking the Ionian sea sits the Old Fortress, an ancient ruin built to keep out invaders. Leonidas, a highly protective and dedicated dog, guides tourists through the graveled pathways with a keen alertness for their safety. Like the Greek soldier he is named for, Leonidas thinks of others as he guards them from danger.

Leonidas’ bravery and loyalty have earned him the reputation of being The Old Fortress Dog. Much like a sentry, he takes his job as protector of the Old Fortress and all who enter with wholehearted devotion. He is kind and giving in his efforts to please. When his master’s grandson, Nikos, comes from America to visit, Leo senses the boy’s sadness. Determined to bring a smile to the boy’s face and laughter to his voice, Leo doesn’t leave his side, even though once, it meant disobeying his master.

Being the Old Fortress Dog can be perilous at times, but Leonidas is alert and strong for the task. With Leo by his side, Nikos soon discovers his connection to the Old Fortress. Like a good soldier, Leonidas perseveres in his quest…to hear the boy’s laughter.

Will Leonidas discover why Nikos is sad. Can he use his instincts and kind heart to gain Nikos’ trust and understanding?

Check it out on Amazon US

 

EPIC eBook Award 2011 Finalist

Nestled away amongst the olive groves of the Tuscan hillside stands a welcoming villa where a dedicated dog finds his way into the hearts of vacationing families. Sole has one purpose, to make visitors happy. He is kind and sensitive. Sole takes his job as THE VILLA DOG seriously. His bravery and loyalty are often rewarded. He keeps the children out of harm’s way, and eventually the others become aware of his special ability to bring happiness. But it’s not always easy being The Villa Dog. A young girl, Issy, makes it tough. She’s so sad. Can Sole find out why? Or, will he fail his purpose for staying at the villa and disappoint his master? Being the Villa Dog can be hard work, but he’s on a mission, and he’ll stop at nothing to see Issy smile.

Check in out on Amazon US

Hello Ruth and welcome!

Thank you Fros, I’m delighted to be on your blog!

What has inspired you to write The Villa Dog?

My first children���s chapter book, THE VILLA DOG was inspired during our family vacation to Tuscany. We stayed in a charming Villa just outside of the centuries old walled city of Lucca, Italy. I had always wanted to be a published author but never intended on writing children���s books. However, we met this dog that trotted down from the neighboring farmhouse, and I knew he was very special. The story is about a dog who greets the guests staying at the villa and opens their hearts through his highly sensitive intuition. It���s a heartwarming story told through the dog���s point of view.

Sounds lovely, Ruth! What was the first thing you ever wrote and how old were you then?

The first thing I wrote that I shared with an audience, a classroom of my fellow students in high school, was an essay about my record collection. My teacher liked it so much she deemed it the only one to be read aloud. When my classmates laughed at the humorous parts and applauded at the end I was overjoyed and knew I wanted to be a writer.

What other writing have you done?

I���ve written a total of three chapters books, two historical romances, one sensuous novella and am currently working on a women���s fiction. All of these are�� published by small presses. I also wrote an in depth article for a regional magazine in Delaware, USA.

Wow, you’ve been busy! And I’m astounded by the diversity of genres. Well done. Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I enjoy photography, walking my canine kids, reading and travel.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I���m currently working on a women���s fiction tentatively entitled LOOK THE OTHER WAY. It���s about a group of three couples and the crumbling marriages at this stage in their lives. There���s no happy ending for all of them, and on one occasion, the reader gets to decide if the marriage should be saved. I���m also writing my Memoir entitled COME TO CORFU about my 12 visits over the past thirty years. I pitch it as a MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING with a SLICE OF MOONSTRUCK meeting EAT PRAY LOVE.

Well, being a passionate Corfiot, you got me hooked already on that one! Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I enjoy Dorothea Benton Frank, Lisa Scottoline and several new ones I���ve come across. Mostly, I have to like the writing style, find the plot moving forward at a good pace and a Happy Ending that is truly satisfying.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

I read memoirs, romance, suspense, and women���s fiction. I���m currently reading 7 Letters from Paris – a memoir/true romance.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Keep working at your craft. Have others read your work so that you don���t sell yourself short. Get those reviews rolling in.

Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor/actress you’d wish to play them in a film adaptation.

For COME TO CORFU, I think Marisa Tomeii would be great playing me. For the Greek lead, I choose John Stamos.

Oh he���s cute, and Marisa Tomeii is incredibly sweet. Great choices! Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

My website, http://www.ruthzonline.com , is about my books, my dogs, and travel. Visitors can also access my blog from there.

Thank you so much for your visit, Ruth. For a dog lover like me, this has been quite a treat!

That makes two of us, Fros! Thank you so much for the invitation.

 

BIO

Ruth G. Zavitsanos began writing at the age of 12. Growing up outside of New York City, she attended many Broadway plays and musicals that served to stimulate her imagination. While attaining her Journalism degree at Marshall University she received numerous writing awards. She has been published in Writer���s Digest magazine and had an in-depth article in�� Delaware Beach Life magazine. Ruth is a member of PennWriters, Society of Children���s Book Writers and Illustrators, Valley Forge Romance Writers Group and Romance Writers of America. Her first novel, Flight of Little Dove, a historical romance, received five star reviews and is a book club selection for several independent bookstores. Recently, her second historical women���s fiction, Sisters Inn, was released with high acclaim. She also has a novella, Safe Encounter, available in both Ebook and audiobook formats.

Ruth���s children���s books, The Villa Dog (an Epic Award and a Main Line Today staff pick), The Old Fortress Dog and The Kona Dog (all third grade book club reads), have been embraced by children, parents and the educational community.

Ruth enjoys Pilates, Zumba, cooking, reading, music, photography, snorkeling, bicycle riding, walks with her canine kids, and travel. Sharing her joy of writing with young students and encouraging them to put their imaginative stories on paper gives Ruth great satisfaction. She and her family reside outside of Philadelphia, PA in Chester County.

CONNECT WITH RUTH

Website: http://www.ruthzonline.com

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Ruth-G.-Zavitsanos/e/B004G3RA4Q

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Villa-Dog/105705866127049

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RuthZavitsanos

Book Review: Fate Accompli by MM Jaye

Monica Mitchell arrives in Athens for a job interview but she has a secret agenda too. Alex Argiros, the owner of the company, is someone who���s been haunting her thoughts since childhood after a couple of humiliating episodes that she had to suffer in his presence. By seeking to prove herself as a competent professional working for him, she���s really looking to redeem her lost confidence.

She gets the job but soon finds out that seeking his approval is not enough; now she���s physically attracted to him as well, in a way that she cannot possibly resist.

Complications ensue when they both succumb to their sexual desire, and what���s more, now Monica has to try harder to disclose her true identity. Being the stepdaughter of Alex���s greatest enemy, she dreads that her intentions will be misread should he find out who she really is.

I was astounded by MM Jaye���s remarkable writing skills. The prose unfolds effortlessly, seamlessly, and generally reads like something an experienced author would write. Therefore, I was amazed that this is a debut novel. Another thing that surprised me greatly is MM Jaye���s proficient command of English despite being a native Greek speaker.

This book is a true delight to read; not only because of the humor that had me laughing out loud (especially the eating scene under the desk but let me not say more and spoil it!), but also because of the freshness of the prose. MM Jaye seems to have a natural gift for bringing scenery to life and that���s a delightful advantage in a story that unfolds in rare corners of Athens that still maintain their old charm; not to mention the breathtaking Greek island of Alonissos.

Fate Accompli is deliciously romantic, funny, sexy, and utterly believable. I found all the characters to be incredibly lifelike, tangible, as if they were people I knew in real life; real Athenians like me, living next door. MM Jaye knows her city well, its people, and the workings of the business world. This comes across very vividly and gives her novel the stamp of truth that is hard to resist, even if this genre is not someone���s favorite.

I���ve read a fair share of women���s fiction and I find this book to be one of the best I���ve read in this genre. It has it all; romance, humor and a satisfactory ending, which MM Jaye delivers with incredible mastery. The secrecy, the guessing game, the sweetness of the romance and the sexual tension between the two main characters are tantalizing elements that had me hooked to the last page. Highly recommended! If you enjoy women���s fiction, this is an author to keep an eye on! Already looking forward to the next book in the series.

My rating:

5-stars

An excellent love story set in Greek landscapes of iconic beauty

 

��

Do you enjoy women’s fiction but aren’t always too pleased with the level of amorous heat between the characters?
Adjust it to your liking! Find your perfect choice now on Amazon:

Fate Accompli (Clean Romance) (Aegean Lovers Book 1)

��Fate Accompli (Spicy Romance) (Aegean Lovers Book 1)

New release and review: Fate Accompli by MM Jaye

Today, I’m thrilled to present to you the eagerly awaited debut novel of MM Jaye, Fate Accompli. The book comes in two versions as to accomodate readers to the maximum: clean or spicy. The tour is hosted by Tasty Book Tours. At the bottom of the post, you will find my raving review of the book! I tell you, it’s a miracle I didn’t burn any dinners during the couple of days it took me to devour it! Make sure to enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon giftcard.

 

Enter the rafflecopter below to win
$25.00 Amazon eGift Card

 

 

Fate Accompli

Aegean Lovers # 1
By: M.M. Jaye
Releasing November 21st, 2014 

Monica Mitchell flies all the way from Boston to Athens, Greece, not to get a tan but a very specific job. Because besides an MBA, this twenty-four-year old has a mission: to prove to Alex Argiros, the gorgeous Greek magnate, that she has now grown out of the habit of flashing her underwear and looking like a zombie flick castoff … in the presence of hundreds.

The catch? She has to hide who she is. Thankfully, not having seen him since her early teens helps, and soon she gets all she wants and so much more. Not only does Alex not connect his highly qualified new assistant to the disaster magnate of his distant past, but apart from his admiration, he also offers her his heart.

Now, Monica has a new mission: to keep it forever. But first she has to come clean before he finds out her connection to the bane of his existence. Because if he does, he’ll rightfully assume she plays the part of the Trojan Horse, and then he’ll shed the sleek businessman exterior, letting his hot-blooded Greek nature take over.

She knows he could destroy her.

She knows, yet she needs just a little longer to savor his searing kisses…

Clean


Spicy









 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

MM Jaye’s mother claims that she spoke her first word at the age of six. Months. As a kid she would record fairytales in her own voice, play them back and then re-record adjusting the pitch and tempo. Later, she used her voice to inspire young adults and teach them the art of translation. But there came a time when life took a turn for the worse, and her voice temporarily died out. That’s when she turned to writing. Fate Accompli is the first book in her Aegean Lovers series, set on the Greek island where her husband proposed. MM Jaye lives in Athens, Greece, with her husband, daughter and Kindle. Yes, it’s that important.

 

 

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Effrosyni’s review of Fate Accompli

Monica Mitchell arrives in Athens for a job interview but she has a secret agenda too. Alex Argiros, the owner of the company, is someone who’s been haunting her thoughts since childhood after a couple of humiliating episodes that she had to suffer in his presence. By seeking to prove herself as a competent professional working for him, she’s really looking to redeem her lost confidence.

She gets the job but soon finds out that seeking his approval is not enough; now she’s physically attracted to him as well, in a way that she cannot possibly resist.

Complications ensue when they both succumb to their sexual desire, and what’s more, now Monica has to try harder to disclose her true identity. Being the stepdaughter of Alex’s greatest enemy, she dreads that her intentions will be misread should he find out who she really is.

I was astounded by MM Jaye’s remarkable writing skills. The prose unfolds effortlessly, seamlessly, and generally reads like something an experienced author would write. Therefore, I was amazed that this is a debut novel. Another thing that surprised me greatly is MM Jaye’s proficient command of English despite being a native Greek speaker.

This book is a true delight to read; not only because of the humor that had me laughing out loud (especially the eating scene under the desk but let me not say more and spoil it!), but also because of the freshness of the prose. MM Jaye seems to have a natural gift for bringing scenery to life and that’s a delightful advantage in a story that unfolds in rare corners of Athens that still maintain their old charm; not to mention the breathtaking Greek island of Alonissos.

Fate Accompli is deliciously romantic, funny, sexy, and utterly believable. I found all the characters to be incredibly lifelike, tangible, as if they were people I knew in real life; real Athenians like me, living next door. MM Jaye knows her city well, its people, and the workings of the business world. This comes across very vividly and gives her novel the stamp of truth that is hard to resist, even if this genre is not someone’s favorite.

I’ve read a fair share of women’s fiction and I find this book to be one of the best I’ve read in this genre. It has it all; romance, humor and a satisfactory ending, which MM Jaye delivers with incredible mastery. The secrecy, the guessing game, the sweetness of the romance and the sexual tension between the two main characters are tantalizing elements that had me hooked to the last page. Highly recommended! If you enjoy women’s fiction, this is an author to keep an eye on! Already looking forward to the next book in the series.

My rating:

5-stars

An excellent love story set in Greek landscapes of iconic beauty

 

 

 

Insights after a KCD promo and tips on Thunderclap

As promised, I’m sending out this post today to share with you my experiences with my very first KCD promo. I also have some insights and tips for you where it comes to Thunderclap.

In the past, I’d only run 3 FREE promos which had yielded anything between 500-5,000 downloads each. However, 99 cents is not FREE… People don’t spend easily even that nowadays, so I knew I was entering a whole different kind of game and tried not to keep my hopes too high.

Now, my goals for this promo were two:

Goal #1: The Necklace of Goddess Athena to gain bestseller status in the Amazon paid store
Goal #2: To have a minimum of 100 downloads

 I admit I was very disappointed when I didn’t reach goal #2 above, however, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve somehow nailed the first one!

Before I tell you what the outcome of my efforts was exactly, I’ll first list what I did in preparation:

I submitted a travel article on Rome to the online magazine Community Orange. They were kind enough to feature it in their November issue with a free ad for my KCD promo.
 I spent three weeks submitting both my books to dozens of free sites (the list of which I will publicize soon on this blog for everyone to benefit from).
I advertized for the first time on two sites that came recommended at my writers group, eNovel Authors at Work. The sites are Ereader News Today and Kindle Books and Tips. The first ad cost me $15, the other $25 and they both listed The Necklace of Goddess Athena on the first day of the promo (11/13/14). I also applied to Booksends but they turned me down (also a highly recommended site). On the subject of paid advertizing, I will repeat here that the best of the best is BookBub but it’s quite expensive. Still, the other three sites mentioned are all great choices for a tighter budget like mine. Another good site worth the money is Choosy Bookworm from what I hear (costs only $8 for a guaranteed feature. This placement has yielded for a friend just over 100 downloads).
I set up a Thunderclap campaign (see my previous post on that to find out what a wonderful tool for authors that can be!) and spent 15 days in preparation, asking everyone but the milkman to support me… That was hard work, peeps! There were also many surprises along the way. A few people that I’ve known for yonks simply ignored my requests, while others I barely knew and even total strangers rushed to my rescue, even people who expected nothing in return. Therefore, I quickly put aside my friend checklist, and started relying on the kindness of strangers. That finally did the trick!

INSIGHTS AND TIPS ON THUNDERCLAP

On Day 1, I gathered easily 5 supporters among my closest friends. By day 3, I had 36 and then it started to go up very slowly so I had to email friends individually and ask Twitter contacts one by one to go support me too. That took me up to day 7 when I had 49 supporters. By then, I had just a handful of people in mind who were likely to respond. So what I did then, is search on Twitter for the word “Thunderclapit” as it appears on all Thunderclap tweets when someone shares the page. This gave me a dozen or so campaigns I could support. So I did, and then tweeted the authors asking them to reciprocate which worked fine. By day 9, I had 61 people and by then, I was desperate. Thankfully, fellow author MM Jaye came to my rescue that day and informed me of a Facebook group called Thunderclap Campaigns where authors support each other. I rushed to join and found myself in a paradise of reciprocal love! This worked like magic, folks!

By day 11, I had 114 supporters and by remaining active in that Facebook group daily, I managed by day 15 (the launch date) to have 174 supporters! As you know, I needed only a 100 for my Thunderclap to get launched so that means I was way out of the woods by the big day. So here it is, if you run a Thunderclap campaign, make sure to use that group and there’s no way those wonderful users in it are ever going to let you fail! Sure, it takes a long time to support everybody else. I spent ENDLESS HOURS supporting others and sending out messages asking friends and tweeps to help me too.

So here’s what I think: if you have the time to spend at least an hour a day to do this, then go ahead. But if your time is limited, don’t even think about it. Personally, I’d definitely use Thunderclap again for a new release and maybe for a FREE promo if I have the time. But for KCD, as the reward is often poor by comparison, I wouldn’t do it again. I think the best occasion for an author to use Thunderclap, is in the case of a new release because it puts your book out there by the thousands. I mean, my 174 supporters had a total social reach of 767,391 people! Surely, this is not enough to yield noticeable results when asking them to spend 99c and grab your book, but it would definitely get the word out there for a FREEBIE of any kind and would get the tongues wagging over a new book! Just make sure you put it out there with no less than a stunning cover and a perfectly polished blurb.

Anyway, back to my promo and now for the results:

Sadly, my $40 spent in advertising was money down the drain in this case. Weeks of hard work and preparation yielded for me a disheartening 53 downloads for The Necklace and just 4 for The Lady. I spent a few hours on the first day with a really long face, I tell you. But then, I got talking with precious friend and mentor (and founder of eNovel), Jackie Weger, who like a mother hen provided guidance and comfort in abundance.

Jackie made me see that I need to work on my book descriptions (blurbs) as to add more excitement. That rang true even more when the guy who ran the ad on the site Kindle Books and Tips told me that my book got just 88 clicks on his site; the least among all the books he listed that day. For me, this rang warning bells that I need to look at my book’s presentation again. The cover has been made by a professional graphic designer (my sister-in-law who’s been very generous with her time) and I get only compliments for it, so I won’t be rushing to replace it. Instead, I think I will concentrate on changing my blurb and even add a bit more info on my bio. The other thing that needs changing is my book categories which I’m well aware of but I had the book in the specific categories for a particular reason at this time (I will explain in a minute…)

INSIGHTS GAINED AFTER MY DISHEARTENING DOWNLOAD RESULTS

(and thanks to precious advice received by my new, eNovel friends)

I should run a KCD only for one book at a time and maybe have another one on FREE
 I should pay to advertize only on one site per day as to have a better idea of where the downloads originate from
I should run the KCD for all the days that Amazon allows and not for just 2 or 3 that authors often go for (the longer you’re high in the ranks, the more attention you get – thus are made the infamous Amazon algorithms apparently)

 MY LITTLE TRIUMPHS

(Phew, at least this wasn’t solely a losing game!)

The Necklace stayed quite high in the ranks throughout the promo and even after its completion, peaking the second day at #5,022. The Lady managed to go as high as #66,728.

 If you consider that the kindle store lists something in the region of 12 million books, then ranking at #5,022 sounded to me as quite okay, so I’m feeling rather pleased about that.

 Goal #1 reached. The Necklace of Goddess Athena is now officially a #1 Amazon bestseller in Greek and Roman Literature.

Click on image to enlarge

How did I manage that? It’s quite simple and easy to do and I’ll tell you exactly how you can do it too:

Last month, I reblogged an utterly useful post by fellow author Nicholas Rossis who generously shared with us all an indispensable Excel sheet. It contains all the Amazon categories along with the number of books in each one. The trick here, is to choose categories with few books in them, but at the same time they must allow you to make it to #1 with a low Amazon rank, ie a large number (Nicholas lists these readings under ‘competitiveness’ in the Excel file). For me, the perfect fit was the subcategory “Greek and Roman”. As this is not listed in the bookshelf where you edit the book details, I simply emailed Amazon Helpdesk and they were very helpful to list my book with the two browse categories I desired. You can see the results of this simple action on the image below, which shows the ranks the book acquired as a result, during the promo.

Click on image to enlarge

Note that the book ranked high in other categories too, which resulted from new keywords I’d also carefully selected. IMPORTANT: Make sure you change the keywords first! Once the changes have taken effect and you’re happy with the resulting categories for your book, only then email Amazon and send them the two categories of your choice! I did it the other way round and when I changed my keywords, one of the newly selected categories was removed (presumably because Amazon doesn’t allow too many browsing categories for books on the product page) so I had to ask Amazon a second time to edit my categories.

One of the greatest benefits of running a promo, is the period of the first few days afterwards, when the book is still up in the ranks, hence put in front of readers a lot. This is the time to tweet about it, using hashtags like #borrow and #Amazonprime to encourage borrows too. Up to 3 days after my promo ended, The Necklace of Goddess Athena was still on number 1 in Greek & Roman literature, hence still listed as a #1 bestseller and its rank has been in this period not too bad either: 69,379 last time I checked yesterday (normally it is abysmal; in the hundreds of thousands!). Only today (4 days later), it went down to #2, losing its bestseller status and as for its rank, last time I checked today it was #89,896 (still not bad!)

I do hope you will extract some useful information out of this post. Despite my initial disappointment due to my low download numbers, this has been for me an invaluable, learning experience. Remember folks, that this is a learning game. If you find yourselves in my situation, don’t get discouraged but rather focus on the lessons learned. Cut your loses and set out designing your next strategic plan. We all learn from our mistakes, or we gain insights from the experiences of others, then we try them for ourselves. But as every person and their books are unique, we must allow for surprises. Don’t get deterred when that happens. Luckily, our community of indie authors is a wonderful one. There is far too much paying it forward and too much kindness for us to ever lose hope.

No matter who we are or where we want to go, there’s always someone we can reach out to who will be only happy to show us the way. So keep networking and keep learning!

Personally, I would recommend to anyone who finds it hard to learn the ropes, to seriously consider joining eNovel Authors at Work. I know my eyes have opened since joining and everyone has welcomed me with genuine interest and kindness, offering advice and assistance generously. But make no mistake: this is a group of authors who like to pay it forward so ideally, you must be the kind of person who enjoys helping out others, and not necessarily expecting reciprocation. You’d be expected to be generous with information and most importantly, willing to learn and experiment. If this sounds like you, head over to the eNovel logo below and click on it to get a taste of this awesome community.

Before I go, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has backed up my promo in so many ways but I do offer special thanks to MM Jaye and Kindle Ninja for tweeting ceaselessly about my Thunderclap, trying to get people to sign up. I am very grateful to you both.

Interview with Dale Furse, author of the Wexkia Trilogy

Today, I’ve got another visitor with hidden talents! Since joining eNovel Authors at Work, I’ve found myself rubbing shoulders with an incredible bunch of special, multi-talented people and Australian author, Dale Furse is definitely no exception. Find out all about her books first, and then, stick around to see what she was up to back in the 80s!

Wexkia! The home planet of the most powerful beings ever known. Their re-emergence is about to ignite fear throughout the universe.

Nell’s family reveals the truth of her alien heritage. If that information wasn’t frightening enough, Nell’s life somersaults as ever-increasing evidence proves her family wrong.

She is something else.

With friend Sam by her side, she travels to an alien world where she must defend herself against her enemies and find a secret book that contains the truth about her ancestry – whatever that may be!

Author, Dale Furse takes us on a fantastic adventure to a world inhabited by bizarre beings. Confused by her life-changing experiences and facing an uncertain future, who can Nell trust to help her?

Purchase link  – Amazon US

 

Who was responsible for the extinction of the wexkians?

In the sequel to Curse, book 1 of the Wexkia trilogy, Nell embarks on a double quest: to find the missing pages of the Book of Wexkia and to locate the incarcerated Shahs – a wexkian just like her. With faithful friends in tow and surrounded by unseen enemies, she travels to the worlds of Corl, Linque and Gramlax where she hopes to find the answers to her endless questions.

But as Nell learns to control her growing powers, who can she trust? Will the risks she takes to unlock the secret of her race’s origins and expose the true adversary lead to war?

Using her vivid imagination, author Dale Furse, once again transports us to a world of bizarre beings and fantastic scenery, as we join Nell and her friends on their alien adventure.

Purchase link – Amazon US

 

Hi Dale and welcome to my blog!

Thank you for the invitation, Fros. It’s great to be here.

Let’s start with the typical question, shall we? What has inspired you to write the Wexkia Trilogy?

I have said before on my blog and others that the actual idea is from one of my many childhood fantasies. I loved to imagine that I was an alien. Most of my imaginings were what I’d call normal, some though, did venture on the um…ridiculous, lol.

Although I’ve told this story in different words before, it’s the only one I will confess to at this point. I may tell other stories in the future, but I’ll probably wait until I get so old that I wouldn’t care less if I happened to have those men in white coats coming to take me away, (ho ho he he ha ha)

When I was little, my imagination persuaded me that I could fly. Yes, I might have been a little crazy, probably still am, lol. Anyway, I climbed onto the windowsill of the army house we lived in at the time. It was high at the front and low at the back thanks to the slope of the land. My bedroom window was at the side and towards the front of the house. I was small so it was really high to me. And still, I jumped right out of that window. I know, right? It wasn’t really high enough to hurt me much physically. The bushes I fell in helped, although the broken branches got their own back on my flesh. Needless to say, my mum wasn’t impressed. Yep, I was in big trouble. Now whether it was because I could have hurt myself or that I broke her bush, I don’t know. J My siblings still laugh at me about the incident. No, they’re not nice, not nice at all, lol.

That’s hilarious! What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I’ve written, and do still write, short stories. My shorts usually aren’t like my novels that I write for children and teens, they are adult orientated. I don’t have enough stories with the same theme for an anthology, so I’m thinking of putting them into a collection.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I used to be in a band, Eclipse, where I played guitar and sang. I still have an acoustic guitar and enjoy annoying my family every so often.

I bet they love it! What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I’m in the dying throes of a sequel to an unpublished novel. Both novels centre on a young man from Earth and a boy from a different planet who end up on another different planet because of a couple of crazy gods of the Light Realm and their not-too-bright servants.

Sounds intriguing, and quite amusing too! What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

I love to read anything and everything, but I do love Science Fiction and Fantasy, High Fantasy and Historical Romance. Now, I’m between books of the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton so I’m reading Screenwriting Tricks for Authors by Alexandra Sokoloff and The Indie Author Power Pack that includes, Write, Publish, Repeat by Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant, Let’s Get Digital by David Gaughran and How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn. They’re all great books so far.

Thank you for mentioning these books, they all sound like must-reads. I’ve read Let’s Get Digital and it’s a gem. Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?

Indies Unlimited is a great site. They have tutorials on anything and everything an independent author would need to know and/or do. The Passive Voice is my daily newspaper that I read with my morning coffee. There are tons and tons of others out there like Joe Konrath’s blog, Joanna Penn, Author Marketing Club, ALLi (I’m going to join that one day) etc

Describe your workstation. Are there any favorite objects you have there for inspiration?

Haha, I am using an old dining room table. It’s lower and more comfortable than my desk. It’s full of skulls, dragons, goblets, little skeleton musicians, a wizard playing chess with a dragon, stuff like that, oh, and a messy pile of notebooks. Here’s a pic of my pretty little skull pen.

Hey, I love that! Th ank you for sharing  it with us. What were your most and least favorite subjects in school?

I loved English. I loved writing stories and learning about Shakespeare’s plays. I would memorise every play we had. In my final exam, I didn’t read the question properly and went about writing a copious amount of words about the wrong play. I failed that exam, lol. I hated home economics then and still do now.

If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

I always wanted to be a singing actor. I used to fight with my sister about what movies to watch on weekends. For some reason, we only saw old movies when we got to watch TV. My sister wanted the old westerns and all I ever wanted to watch were musicals, especially, if they starred Doris Day. I was going to be her when I grew up. Mum liked her too, thank goodness.

Oh, I love musicals too! They make my heart sing like no other type of movie. Who is your favorite poet? Quote a couple of lines from your favorite poem.

I love this one from that same English class. Yeah, I memorized poems too. (Clears throat) How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning – “How do I love thee, let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.”

Great choice, Dale! You’ve already mentioned you’ve been in a band but I understand you’ve also done a bit of acting. How intriguing! Would you mind telling us more about your background in music and theatre?

How much time have you got, lol.

I was studying classical guitar when I lived in Brisbane and passed a few grades. I loved it and when we moved to Charters Towers , I tried to find someone who could help me continue, but there wasn’t anybody. Charters Towers is a small town and the only music I could find happening was country music. My little family and I joined one of the clubs and I taught my two daughters to play guitar. My eldest daughter preferred bass and when she was reasonably competent, we grabbed a guy from the club and formed our band. He preferred bass too but we made him play lead guitar, lol. My hub decided he’d be manager and set about lining up gigs through North and North West Queensland. Our democratically voted name was Eclipse, and we played anything from Chuck Berry to Alanis Morissette and our own original music.

Dale is pictured on the far left. This snapshot is so 80s!

Sounds exciting! So what happened? Did you have any success?

We had a ball for a few years, gained fans, and watched the sun come up before we went to bed a few times. Ha, I could bore you silly with stories about that time in my life, but I’d better move on… As all good things do, our fun times came to and end. Our lead player moved out of town and my daughter, wanting to spread her wings, joined other bands in the area. My younger daughter had already moved out of town and had started doing her own music. I hooked up with other bands every now and then too, but I started looking for other ways to indulge my creativity. I’m proud to say both my girls continued to perform and write music. They are both extremely talented. Yeah, I’m a little biased.

At some point, I developed an interest in theatre and, with my sister, joined the local Theatre Restaurant, Towers Players. I was with them for several years, acting major and minor parts, and of course, building sets. We performed many musicals and we all pitched in with whatever had to be done. I enjoyed every play I was involved in and I played everything from a nun to a Wild West bargirl until we moved to Townsville. Just before we left, I directed the musical, Rome Sweet Rome.

Dale on center stage in a red gown and feathers.

During all those years, I wrote short stories, songs and plays as well as working intermittently on my first full novel. Townsville Little Theatre produced and performed The Shed, a one-act comedy play I co-wrote with a friend, with Stella McMahon. Towers Players also produced and performed the play in Charters Towers and in Opera in the Outback at the Undara. That was pretty cool.

I started taking writing courses for my fiction, writing more shorts and novels, and that is where I invest all of my time nowadays.

Wow Dale, I’m so impressed! And what a talented family you have! Thank you so much for sharing this with us and for being here with us today. For someone as hugely creative as you are, I think wishes are needless. So I’ll just say, keep creating, honey!

Thank you very much Fros; I’ve enjoyed our chat immensely!

BIO

Dale has enjoyed many creative pursuits including playing guitar and singing in a band, acting and directing in theatre, writing novels, short stories, plays, songs and poems.

She also reads any genre so long as the story is good. Her writing is the highly imaginative, interweaving of Science Fiction and Fantasy where she forges tales that also take on an Action Adventure feel. After over thirty years of writing, she still delights in her journeys to unknown places, meeting unheard-of peoples.

Dale adores her family, friends and the wonderful people who read her stories.

CONNECT WITH DALE

Website: http://www.dalefurse.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaleFurseAuthor?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaleFurse

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6154702.Dale_Furse

Amazon Author page http://www.amazon.com/Dale-Furse/e/B0080JKMLK

99c Sale on Effrosyni’s books on Nov 13-15 (Amazon US only)

Goodmorning peeps! The big day is here and I can officially announce my very first KCD ever! Both my books will be discounted from $3.99 to $0.99 for three days as of today (Thursday-Saturday). I’ve submitted both books to dozens of sites, the list of which I will blog after the promo so that we can all benefit from the endless hours I’ve spent compiling it and checking them all out.

My ongoing Thunderclap campaign is officially successful now, since I passed the 100 people barrier last Monday (yay!). This means that my message WILL go out after all at the designated date and time. At the moment, I have 151 supporters with a total social reach of 729,135 people. Many thanks to all who have teamed up with me on this, I really appreciate it. I have some tips/insights to share with you all by the way, if you’re interested in running your own Thunderclap someday, so look out for the relevant post after the promo in the next couple of weeks!

Now, for those who are not familiar with my work, here are a few words about the books:

The Necklace of Goddess Athena is a fantasy adventure of Greek myths and time travel that’s suitable for all ages, but mostly for young adults. It’s been described as a “Rare Gem” by the Fantasy & Sci-fi Network and has reached Amazon’s #1 in Mythology and #2 in Fairy Tales. The novel also made the shortlist in 2014 for the “50 Best Self-Published Books Worth Reading” from Indie Author Land.

 GENRES: Fantasy, urban, young adult, literary fiction

The Lady of the Pier – The Ebb is an ABNA Quarter-Finalist. Set in Brighton (England) in the 1930′s and in Corfu (Greece) in the 1980′s, it follows the lives and loves of two young girls who’ve never met but are connected in a mysterious way. The ebook has hit Amazon’s #3 in Paranormal Romance.

GENRES: Women’s fiction, romance, paranormal, historical, young adult

If you feel inclined to support my Thunderclap campaign, please do as there’s still time till Friday, 5:00 p.m. EST when the message is scheduled to hit the world of social media. I would be most grateful for your trouble.

Please consider sharing this post as to help me spread the word. Thank you!

An interview with Bob Rector

Today, I’m having over for a chat a multi-talented man indeed! I met Bob Rector in my fabulous writers’ group, eNovel Authors At Work. Right off the bat, he’s come across as rarely easy to talk to, as if we’ve been friends for ages. Other than being an author, Bob has quite an astounding background in the world of music, film and theatre too! This, if anything, promises to make this an interview with a difference and for that, I can’t wait. But first, let’s find out more about Bob and his work!

Kurt Younger, an ex-mercenary, doesn’t need anything from anybody. Never has and hopes he never will. Now he’s facing a midlife crisis. At the center of it is a sackful of stolen emeralds and a woman. One is worth two million bucks. The other is priceless, a woman who has captured his heart. Having one won’t do much good without the other. Paula Taylor is too smart and beautiful for her own good and going stale in the closet of a dead marriage and a meaningless life. Enthralled with Kurt Younger, she must decide: Forsake all that she has known to run away with Kurt to his hideaway island in the Florida Keys or never see him again. Kurt is determined to have both the emeralds and Paula. Only he knows lives are at stake. His, and if he isn’t careful–Paula’s.

Purchase link – Amazon

 

This play weaves actual war letters written from the battle front and home front dating back as far as Valley Forge into a story set during the waning days of WWII. The personal themes in the letters are honestly reflected, as is the commitment of everyday Americans to preserve freedom.

Popular essayist Katharine Hartgrove, whose son is fighting in Northern Italy, has been commissioned to write a play based on these letters. She enlists boyfriend Johnny Chastain, America’s favorite radio wise guy, to assist her. He provides an unseen twist to the story, along with plenty of comic relief. When the laughter and tears subside, Johnny is the most unlikely of heroes and Katharine is healed from emotional scars that have haunted her for 20 years.

Purchase link – Amazon

Interested in the show? Visit the LFTF blog to find out more!

Hello Bob and welcome to my blog!

Thank you Fros, I’m thrilled to be here.

Other than the two books I’m featuring here today, what other writing have you done? Anything else published?

Most of my writing has been in visual mediums in the form of scripts, which are not generally published. I recently indie-published the script for my play Letters From The Front which toured the world for 15 years and is in the process of being revived. Unthinkable Consequences is my first and only published novel.

Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

Dashiel Hammett, Erle Stanley Gardner, and John D. MacDonald. Their prose was sparse, their dialogue razor sharp, their men tough but smart, and their women worth fighting  for. I’m also a big fan of Mary Stewart for being able to make you see and feel and smell every word, and Hammond Innes, the grand master of the adventure yarn – especially Campbell’s Kingdom.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

Mysteries (some police procedurals) and adventures, but there must be a romantic challenge  that propels the plot. I’m currently reading Pete Barber’s Nanostrike. I can’t hit the Next Page button fast enough on my Kindle.

And if I may add, you’re not the first person who says this about Pete’s particular gem! Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?

Since most of my writing career has been in script format, my favorite writing tool is Final Draft, the industry standard. It provides interactive templates for film, TV and stage, and there’s also one for manuscripts.

 

Interesting! I’ll look into it, thanks. Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor/actress you’d wish to play them in a film adaptation.

That’s easy. For Paula, Christina Hendricks. For Kurt, Matthew McConaughey. But I should explain that Unthinkable Consequences was in the works for over 25 years. Hendricks and McConaughey where children when I first created the characters, so obviously I was not influenced by them.

Describe your workstation. Are there any favorite objects you have there for inspiration?

I work on a big-screen iMac on a very cluttered desk, but a new project usually starts on assorted 5 x 7 notepads that pile up until I feel ready to commit them to the ‘big screen’ or dump them in the trash.

Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what kind?

I started my career making music videos so when I hear music I start thinking of how to turn it into a film. That’s just too distracting to be able to concentrate on the story at hand.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learnt so far in life the hard way?

In the words of Teasdale, “Make the most of all that comes, the least of all that goes.”

Wise words! If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

Engineer on a steam locomotive. Not much demand for that these days.

Pity! You know, I could easily imagine you with the hat and everything. You’d be great at that too, no doubt. What are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?

Family and friends. My beautiful, smart, unendingly fascinating wife, my two sons who are grown now and transitioned into best friends, and a wonderful assortment of friends who like fine wine just get better with age.

What a lovely answer! And judging from the sweetie that’s your wife, i.e. fellow author Marsha Roberts, I’m not in the least surprised by it. Last question, Bob! How would you like to be remembered?

Just being remembered will be good enough.

Ah! I think you’re all right with that one, Bob! The way I see it, you’re already a bit of a living legend. It’s been an absolute honor having you on my blog today. Thank you so much!

Thank you too, Fros! I really enjoyed it.

Bio

Bob Rector has been a professional storyteller for forty years, but his background is primarily in film, video, and stage work as a writer and director. Bob was one of the pioneers of music videos, first for The Now Explosion and then for Music Connection, which were highly popular nationally syndicated shows that preceded MTV by ten years. He created over 100 films for the top musical artists of the times. Bob wrote and directed an outdoor-adventure feature film, Don’t Change My World, and has won numerous awards for nature and sports documentaries. His original three-act play, Letters From the Front, entertained America’s troops around the world for fifteen years and was the first theatrical production to be performed at the Pentagon. Written and directed by Rector, this show became known as the World’s Most Decorated Play. After decades on the road (and in the air) Bob finally settled down long enough to write his first novel, Unthinkable Consequences.

 

Connect with Bob

Amazon author page: http://goo.gl/xV0ROf

Blog: http://rectorwriter.wordpress.com/

Unthinkable Consequences website: http://unthinkableconsequences.com/

Facebook author page: http://on.fb.me/XwmCe4

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RectorWriter

Goodreads: http://goo.gl/x38WcW