D.G. Kaye's Blog, page 136
January 21, 2017
Sunday Book Reviews – Rhymes of the Times and A Favorite Son
My Sunday book review is another double-header on 2 books, Judy Martin’s delightful book of fun poems, Rhymes of the Times and Uvi Poznansky’s book, A Favorite Son.
Whatever your mood, you’re sure to find one of Judy’s poems to relate to and make you smile in Rhymes of the Times
Get this book on Amazon!
Blurb:
Are you one of those people that barge through life, trying to get through it as best as you can, swimming against the everyday worries and stresses of life? Well, I have found a way to make it much more enjoyable.
Don’t you think everything sounds better when it rhymes? I certainly do. In fact, I have found that everything from doing the housework to growing older, can sound more positive and less daunting when made into a little ditty.
This book is about finding the humour, or raising a smile from the everyday things that we can all relate to in life, and looking at them from a different perspective. Nothing escapes versification; there is even a subject on sex! After all, that is one subject where there is plenty of room for laughter, even if it may not be the right moment!
My 5 Star Review
This little book of witty poems features snippets of the author’s take on some of life’s most common topics. The sections are nicely broken down, making it easy to navigate over to whatever topic you may be in the mood to read – a little pick me up from the author’s life written in rhyme.
With her lyrical and whimsical sense of humor, Martin can brighten anyone’s day and have us relating to some of the things she writes about in her entertaining poetry. A fun read!
A modern day spin on a classic biblical story, A Favorite Son
Get This Book on Amazon!
Blurb:
This story is a present-day twist on the biblical story of Jacob and his mother Rebecca plotting together against the elderly father Isaac, who is lying on his deathbed, in order to get their hands on the inheritance, and on the power in the family. This is no old fairy tale. Its power is here and now, in each one of us.
Listening to Yankle telling his take on events, we understand the bitter rivalry between him and his brother. We become intimately engaged with every detail of the plot, and every shade of emotion in these flawed, yet fascinating characters. He yearns to become his father’s favorite son, seeing only one way open to him: deceit.
In planning his deception, it is not love for his father, nor respect for his age that drives his hesitation–rather, it is the fear to be found out. And so–covering his arm with the hide of a kid, pretending to be that which he is not–he is now ready for the last moment he is going to have with his father.
This is so much more than a morality tale. Do you find sibling rivalry in adults intriguing? Are you troubled by the notion that the sins of the fathers will be visited upon the children? If so, you will find this story utterly captivating.
My 5 Star Review
A modern take on a biblical tale, in this story of two brothers, Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca and their power struggle in their desire to take over the family patriarch and inheritance as their father is dying.
Only one minute in time separates the hierarchy for these brothers as Esau was born first, hence to take over tradition as the eldest son to inherit. But with the aid of his mother’s deceit to betray his father, Jacob finds a way to betray his father and elder brother by tricking his father into believing Jacob is Esau in order to steal what rightfully belongs to Esau.
In this world created by the author, combining ancient times and modern day times, Poznansky weaves timeless lessons of love, family, deceit and repercussions and demonstrates how family dysfunction exists not only today, but in ancient times.
January 20, 2017
#Book Reviews – Conflicted Hearts/P.S. I Forgive You
I wanted to share this most heartfelt review I came across on Tina Frisco’s blog, of my book, Conflicted Hearts.
As authors, we all treasure each and every review that a reader takes the time to first read our books, and then to review. For me, it’s not about how many reviews I get, but to learn that my books have touched a reader and resonated with them. I can tell by this review that Tina was absorbed by my words and story and that it left her emotionally stirred in a positive way. These types of reviews remind us as writers to keep writing because sometimes our words can make a difference in people’s lives.
#BOOK REVIEW ~ CONFLICTED HEARTS BY D.G. KAYE
Debby Gies ‘ aka author D.G. Kaye ‘s book, Conflicted Hearts , moved me in ways I can barely explain. Below is my 5-star review, which I also posted to Amazon. If you aren’t already familiar with Debby and would like to learn more about her, please visit her sites:
Website/Blog Amazon Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn
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Conflicted Hearts by D.G. Kaye reads like a personal conversation between two best friends. The level of intimacy shared by the author is second to none of any self-help book I’ve read to date; and I’ve read many.
I refer to Kaye’s memoir as a self-help book because it reflects timeless struggles we all share and reveals the author’s many attempts at dealing with them – some successful, some not.
Kaye draws us into a world of deep and conflicting emotions, where she struggles to find balance and a semblance of inner peace. Her mother – demanding and narcissistic – thought only of herself and disregarded the needs of her family, especially those of her children and husband. This propelled the author, the eldest of her three siblings, to step up to the plate and act the parent. In so doing – coupled with also attempting to meet the needs of her mother and father – she forfeited her childhood. As an adult, it took many years for her to reconcile her own needs with those of her mother.
The candor and intimacy shared by the author often brought me to tears, as I reflected on the similarities in my own life. I had read a few chapters when I had to put the book down due to illness. When I picked it up again a few weeks later, I became so engrossed that I read straight through to the end.
For me, the mark of a good book is one that pulls us out of our rote way of life and immerses us in another world, broadens our imagination, heightens our level of awareness, or deepens our life experience. A book that does two or more of these is exceptional. Conflicted Hearts is one such book. It left me emotionally stirred in a very positive way.
Any book that moves me to reflection is a book I will always carry in my heart. Thank you, D.G. Kaye, for this timeless gift …
Source: https://tinafrisco.com/2017/01/18/book-review-conflicted-hearts-by-d-g-kaye/
Double the pleasure when I came across another review of my follow up book to Conflicted Hearts, P.S. I Forgive You, while visiting Kevin Cooper’s blog.
There’s something about the thrill I get when I read a review by a male on my books. It’s funny how when we begin writing a book we have a certain audience in mind whom we think our book may appeal to, and a pleasant surprise when we find that the genders and age group reading our books go beyond those boundaries of what we imagined.
Book Review
PS: I Forgive You
This book makes an excellent companion to D.G’s Conflicted Hearts. As a memoir writer I completely understand the emotional turmoil of reliving a very dark past without even getting into some of the physical consequences as one deals with the psychological traumas. Yet, it’s all worth the effort when the writer feels healing for deep wounds. Scars we can deal with, but wounds tend to fester.
The continuing healing process one experiences after reliving the past is what P.S. I Forgive You is all about. One has built the courage to let the truth be known, but now one has face up to those with whom the truth bares.
Source: https://kcbooksandmusic.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/p-s-i-forgive-you/comment-page-1/#comment-6072
January 19, 2017
Who Has a New Book? – Beginnings II by Olga Nunez Miret
Today I’d like to welcome Olga Nunez Miret here. Olga is a remarkable woman who has a list of accolades to her credit. Besides being a multi-genre writer, author, blogger and one of the top book reviewers at Net Galley, Olga is also a translator of books from Spanish to English and vice versa and she’s also a forensic psychiatrist!!!
Olga is originally from Spain and resides in the United Kingdom. You’ll find her books in genres of literary fiction, YA, and psychological thrillers, such as her newest book, Escaping Psychiatry II -The Case of the Swapped Bodies, which is her recent newly published book. I’ve already read the first book in this series and am looking forward to reading her newest book awaiting me on my kindle.
Please visit Olga at her blog, authortranslatorolga.com where you can read her always interesting and informative posts and learn about her books, reviews and services.
About Olga:
Olga Núñez Miret is a doctor, a psychiatrist, a student (of American Literature, with a Doctorate and all to prove the point, of Criminology, and of books and people in general), she writes, translates (English-Spanish and vice-versa) and although born in Barcelona, Spain, has lived in the UK for many years. She’s always loved books and is thrilled at the prospect of helping good stories reach more readers all around the world. She publishes a bilingual blog (http://www.authortranslatorolga.com ) where she shares book reviews, advice, talks about books (hers and others) and about things she discovers and enjoys.
Get This Book on Amazon Here
Blurb:
Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies
A woman shot dead. No enemies, no motive, only a story about how she swapped bodies with another woman found on her computer. The other woman in the story, the owner of the swapped body, goes into labour and won’t talk.
When FBI Agent Dave Dean asks psychiatrist/writer Mary Miller for her assistance, she doesn’t know that The Case of the Swapped Bodies is not the only mystery in Port Haven. A hit and run, an armed robbery gone wrong and questions about family traditions, priorities and legacies come into play and complicate matters. The line between fact and fiction is more tenuous than anybody realised and suspense is on the menu.
This is the third book in the Escaping Psychiatry series and it poses new challenges for Mary Miller. And not all the challenges are professional ones. How do you carry on when you’ve survived the unthinkable?
Now let’s get to know Olga! (Note: Please excuse the odd alignment of questions in this post. I had numerous posting issues with moving the information from Word doc to WordPress.)
I’m starting right out of the gate here Olga, please tell us how you manage to have time to write and review books in your busy life?
First of all, thanks very much for having me as a guest on your blog, Debby. I’ve been writing since I was a teenager (even earlier), although sometimes there would be long gaps in between, depending on how busy I was. I still have plenty of unfinished books from the time when I’d start something when I had a bit of time and perhaps don’t feel inspired to carry on.
I left my job as a psychiatrist working in an NHS (public health in the UK) hospital over a couple of years ago, hoping to explore other avenues. Due to my father’s illness and later death (guys, don’t forget to get your prostates checked), things didn’t go according to plan, but at the moment I’m spending a lot of my time translating books (mostly those of others, although I always publish my own in English and Spanish at the same time), I’m also doing some translation work for websites through an agency, blogging, reading and reviewing books. I’ve noticed that working at home and for yourself seems to mean you’re never off-work, but perhaps I’m doing something wrong!
Although I always have some idea or other for a book going, I don’t have a strict routine of writing every day, but once I get started I’m a pretty fast writer, and when I get going with a story I can get into marathon sessions of writing.
I’ve always been a keen reader and I read anytime I can. I always have my Kindle with me, so if I have to wait anywhere, I read, and if I am doing something that doesn’t require my full attention I will switch the text-to-speech option and listen to the book whilst I’m doing something else. As a writer, I know how important reviews are, so I try and share as many as I can.
You write in various genres; do you have a preference for one genre more than another?
Not really. As a reader I love horror (that is one of the genres I haven’t explored in my writing, although some of my stories are dark), thrillers, literary fiction, but although I’m not a big reader of romance, I also enjoyed writing I Love Your Cupcakes that was, perhaps, one of the most therapeutic novels I’ve written (it cheered me up when things weren’t going so well). Writing my YA series Angelic Business, which I conceived as a trilogy from the beginning, was interesting, as it allowed me to build up the characters slowly. As a reader, I’m always trying to widen my repertoire, but although I like historical fiction, I don’t think I’d have the patience to write it, for instance. I’ve read some science-fiction and fantasy books, although at the moment I can’t see myself writing in either of those genres, but never say never!
3. Out of all your books, you decided to publish We Are Family under a pen name, Misty Pink. What made you decide to publish that one book under another name?
This is one of the books I wrote a long time ago, slowly and over time, and although I was quite fond of the story and the characters I wasn’t convinced it fitted in with the rest of the stories I have published so far, as it is something I wrote when I was younger and I didn’t intend it for publication. Later on, as it was a finished story, I published it in Wattpad and had some nice comments (especially from a fellow writer who was very insistent I should publish it), so I thought it might deserve a chance. I have the sneaky suspicion that my biography, being a psychiatrist and all that, makes people think my books are going to be terribly serious and boring, so I thought about publishing it under a different name and seeing if it would swim or sink under its own merit. I was also curious about trying KDP Select, as I hadn’t had any of my books exclusively with Amazon for many years. I can’t say it’s been a successful experiment, though. I haven’t done much effort promoting it either, but…
When did you know you wanted to become a writer?
I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been interested in stories about writers, and in knowing more about them. As I said I’ve been writing for a long time and I always thought I’d try and publish my work someday, but I was too busy with other things. I have done some courses on writing over the years but never dedicated myself consistently to trying to get my books published. I guess the issue of what makes one a writer is almost a philosophical question. I guess if it is writing and feeling something is missing if one doesn’t write for very long, then yes. Of course, if that’s the definition, I’m a reader first and foremost. If it is a matter of making a living off your writing… In my heart of hearts, I’ve been a writer for a long time. In the eyes of the world… Well, that’s another story.
5. You are always current with what’s new and upcoming in the self-publishing world. Can you tell us a bit about your translation services and what’s involved?
I follow many blogs and try to keep up-to-date but it’s difficult to know what’s important and what’s not, and as you well know things change so quickly these days that is near impossible to keep up with all the trends. I’ve always published my stories in Spanish and English, mostly because although having lived in the UK for many years and writing in English at work I had started writing my fiction in English a long time ago, I thought my parents and some of my friends back home might like to read my books in Spanish too.
A few years back a Spanish author asked me if I’d translate his non-fiction book. Although it was quite short, at the time I was still working full-time and it took me a while, but as I read books by independently self-published authors I kept thinking it was a shame people who didn’t read English (or Spanish, as the case might be) wouldn’t be able to access them. Once I left my job as a psychiatrist I thought I could offer my services doing translations. Most people tend to come to me either by recommendations or reading a post about my work. At the moment I’m also offering my services through a Spanish cooperative of writers I’m a member of (http://edicionesproust.com/). People can check some of the books I’ve translated here (http://authortranslatorolga.com/translationstraducciones/). I charge a fee per thousand words translated (usually $40/1000 words, although I always offer some discount depending on the total length of the project) and authors can check the progress of the work at different stages (and of course, pay in instalments). I also ensure that there’s an independent correction of the final work included for the price. I also share a post about the book on my blog once it’s finished. I become very attached to the books I translate (they are like foster kids to me) and I’ve learned a lot through my translations, about other people’s styles, about topics I wasn’t familiar with, and about myself.
6. I know you jumped on the audio book band wagon in its early stages. Can you share something about what the process involves to get our books into audio? Do you have a favorite site/App you’d recommend? And do you feel putting your books in audio has exponentially increased your book sales?
The first time I tried was because I knew an actor who was interested in recording one of my novels (Escaping Psychiatry, the original collection of three stories) and I paid for his services. At the time I found it was very difficult to find distributors for audiobooks, as ACX (http://www.acx.com/) that distribute to Audible and i-Tunes didn’t accept audiobooks unless the producer or the author were in the US. I made enquiries and they informed me when they opened a site in the UK and started accepting audiobooks there. They also offer the option of posting any books you have available on Amazon, and you choose the type of voice you’d like, accent, characteristics, and say if you are prepared to pay for the audiobook or you want to split the royalties with the narrator/producer (in that case you also give the exclusivity to ACX for seven years, I believe). If somebody is interested they send you an audition that you can like or not, and then if you’re both happy there is a contract with certain conditions. Then you get to revise the first 15 minutes and approve or not, and next, you have to revise the final copy. It’s a lengthy process but it can be quite exciting too. I know people who have done the narration themselves (especially non-fiction writers), and some who know studios they use and go a separate route altogether. I think this might work especially well for people who sell books through their own website and who do courses and/or live presentations and book signings, as the price per audiobook is much higher than per e-book or paper copy.
My sales have always been negligible, but I believe anything is worth trying, and sometimes a book might prove more popular in a different format, language or platform, and unless we try it, we’ll never know. It’s important to know, from checking audiobook fan site and groups, that well-known narrators have fans that follow them and will buy anything a narrator works on, no matter if they know the author or not, but of course, such narrators are very sought after and they charge very high fees.
7. Your book reviews are some of the best around. I know this because most books you recommend are now sitting on my TBR list on my kindle. Can you tell us how you came to be a reviewer for Net Galley and what reviewing for them entails? Also, if you’ve read a book you rated low, would you still review it publicly?
Thanks so much, Debby. I have the same problem with your reviews. I’m keeping a Pinterest board with reviews, mine and others, so I can keep track (well, sort of). (https://uk.pinterest.com/olganm7/book-reviews/)
A few years back I read a blog where somebody mentioned reviewing for an e-magazine and said they were looking for people. I asked to join their team and they agreed. One of their conditions was to join NetGalley, as some authors or publishers might distribute their copies through them. Anybody can join, although I suspect different status (you can join as a blogger, or a teacher, or somebody who writes articles, or who is a professional to do with books) might have a different outcome with regards to the number of books they approve.
What it works like is you can check new books posted (that depends on where in the world you are, as some publishers might only have the rights for certain territories) and if you’re interested you can request them. Then the publishers (or usually their PR people. Independent authors can use their services too, but it is costly, although I’ve read that you can join some groups that make it cheaper but I haven’t tried it) approve the request or not. You can also save your preferences and it works like a lot of other newsletters. They send you recommendations based on your interests and you can request books you fancy reading. They also send newsletters with books that they have ‘on their radar’ for the next season but those might be not available yet. Some publishers might approve you automatically if they think your reviews are useful, and then you can download any new books they publish (I’m auto-approved for 3 or 4 publishers).
As a writer, I know how hard it is to publish a book, and I decided long ago that I wouldn’t publish a review that was lower than 3 stars unless it was a book that I considered dangerous or malicious in some way. After all, personal taste is just that, and what I hate somebody else might love, and vice versa.
Besides book reviews, what else can readers expect to find on your blog?
I write about my books sometimes (not very often, don’t worry), I regularly feature other writers’ books, I’ve also written posts about classic writers, I’ve written about movies, about family history, I might share something I found interesting and useful with regards to writing, or something that just tickled my fancy. I’ve been thinking about changing my blog and trying something different next year, but I haven’t decided yet. My thoughts at the moment are having more of a regular features structure (share fitness videos one day, reviews another day, posts about writing, amusing posts, inspirational… perhaps).
9. Now, please tell us a bit about your new book, Escaping Psychiatry II and how it spins off Book I and the prequel. And of course, we’d love to read an excerpt!
That’s a bit of a story. I wrote the three stories that I included in Escaping Psychiatry , which all have the same protagonist, Mary Miller, a psychiatrist and writer who gets involved in criminal cases due to friends and colleagues, although she just wants to write, over several years, because the original story was too short to publish on its own, and I was advised to write further stories.
After publishing Escaping Psychiatry a couple of years ago, I worked on other projects, although I kept accumulating ideas for other cases Mary might get involved in. Then I had a dream that I decided would be part of the next story. I wrote that part, which became the file found on the computer of a woman who appears murdered (that gives its name to the book, ‘The Case of the Swapped Bodies’) in the summer of 2015. And then, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I took on other projects (mostly translations of other authors’ work) and then, suddenly, I had an idea for another story, that was to become the prequel to the series, and the first case Mary got involved in ( Escaping Psychiatry. Beginnings that is free, by the way). Once I wrote that story, that was a pretty quick process, as it’s a short novella, the rest of Escaping Psychiatry 2 , seemed to fall into place. The translation and the edits have taken a bit of time, but it’s finally here.
Excerpt – Prologue
“We have a very peculiar case on our hands. I thought you might find it interesting. And we could do with some help,” Dave Dean said.
“What’s so peculiar about the case?” Mary Miller asked. “What makes you think you need a psychiatrist?”
“The guys are calling it ‘the case of the swapped bodies’, so you can imagine it’s a bit odd.”
“It sounds like one of Sherlock Holmes’s cases,” she said, trying to hide her amusement.
“If only…”
“Tell me more.”
“I can do better. I’ll send you a file. Encrypted, for security reasons, but you know what to do.”
“OK. And what should I do with it?”
“Just read it. And send me a message or call me when you’re done.” Dave ended the call without a word of goodbye. Mary wondered for a moment about her relationship with the man, who was a few years younger than her, but then heard the ping of a new e-mail and went to check the file. And all thoughts about Dave Dean, or any other matter, went clean out of her head.
Part 1 – The File
Chapter 1. Who am I?
How odd. The alarm clock didn’t sound as usual. Had she used her mobile phone instead? But she never did that. And Charlie was sure she’d never uploaded Whitney Houston’s song, ‘I Will Always Love You,’ to her phone, and never in a million years would she consider using it to wake up in the morning. In all likelihood, it would have made her hurl the phone against the wall. She slid her right hand from under the quilt to stop whatever it was. But…her bedside table was lower than it had always been. What on Earth?
She sat up in bed, opening her eyes. What should have been her reflection confronted her from a mirror that had never been at the bottom of her bed. But who was that woman? Off-permed hair—shoulder length and mousy in colour. Where was her long mahogany hair? And these huge breasts and horrible big body wasn’t hers, either. Perhaps the green eyes weren’t too bad. Something could be done with them. But what was she going on about? That woman had freckles! Freckles! OK, calm down, calm down. It was evidently a dream. What else could it be? She closed her eyes, tightly, and after counting to ten, opened them again.
No change. There was still that stranger in that room, looking back at her.
“What are you waiting for, Maggie? Go and get me my coffee! I can’t be late! Just because the kids are with my parents, it’s no excuse to just spend all morning in bed. And you told me you’re supposed to be working a shift this morning. Get going!”
She nearly fell off the bed. She’d been so astounded by the figure reflected on the mirror that she hadn’t even noticed there was someone in bed with her. The guy, a rather unkempt dark-haired fellow, smelling of beer, unceremoniously pushed her off the bed.
“Get going, you lazy cow!” And to accentuate his words, he slapped her rather rotund backside.
Charlie/Maggie had no idea what to do, but to avoid more abuse she stumbled out of the room. Although she recognised nothing, her new body seemed to know where it was going, and she found herself in a small and rather rundown kitchen. Whoever this Maggie was, she wasn’t doing terribly well for herself. And that awful man had mentioned kids. Was she supposed to be a mother, too?
Her body kept doing its own thing and prepared a coffee. No fancy coffee machine or top of the range cooker and electric goods. Her granny’s kitchen, before she died, had been more up-to-date than this place. There were some family pictures hanging on the wall. She recognised the guy in bed and what must have been Maggie a few years back. A wedding picture. She was evidently pregnant, and he didn’t seem too happy. A picture of three girls, somewhere between seven and twelve, or something like that. She’d never been any good with children’s ages. Not having any of her own, and only taking a passing interest in the children of her friends, hadn’t helped.
Without much conscious involvement, she set the coffee, some margarine and marmalade on the table and put a couple of slices of bread in the toaster. The guy appeared through the door as she put the slices of toast on a plate.
“Another hard day at the garage awaits. Only coffee, today.” He grabbed the cup and sipped quickly and noisily. “Oh, I’ll take the toast; otherwise you’ll end up eating it and getting even fatter than you are. And you complain I don’t spend any time with you. Who would? It’s like fucking a seal. Not even a seal! They have better silhouettes than yours. A sea-lion!” The guy burst out laughing so hard that she thought—hoped—he’d choke, and he slapped his thighs at the same time for added emphasis. What a moron! Who did he think he was?
Charlie was convinced this had to be some kind of strange hallucination, but it definitely wasn’t a good one. She didn’t use drugs, but if this was a trip of some sort, she wanted her money back. She could hardly say she was enjoying it. There were enough annoying people in the real world. Who’d pay to take something to experience an alternative life that was much worse than their real one? A masochist? A reality TV creator? A journalist? A writer?
Thank you so much for visiting with us here today Olga, and sharing a wealth of information about yourself, your writing, and your experience with creating audio books and reviewing for Net Galley. I have the first 2 books in the Escaping Psychiatry series and can’t wait to read them all! Wishing you much deserved success with all your books!
Olga’s Books Can Be Found on These Links:
Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBGH9G1
International:
Short:
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/es/en/ebook/escaping-psychiatry-2-the-case-of-the-swapped-bodies
Apple:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1185119755
Nook:
Scribd:
https://www.scribd.com/book/333739491
Page Foundry:
http://www.inktera.com/store/title/1dc2681a-778d-43a9-a9ac-5f8bbfc4db91
Google:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IZzbDQAAQBAJ
Paper:
https://www.createspace.com/6807072
Amazon paper:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1910214442/
Amazon paper international:
Visit Olga on Social Links:
Author page on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Olga-Núñez-Miret/e/B009UC58G0
Blog:
http://www.authortranslatorolga.com
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/@OlgaNM7
Author page on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/OlgaNunezMiret
LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=212028338&trk=tab_pro
Goodreads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6562510.Olga_N_ez_Miret
G+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/118443714277719085351
Pinterest :
Wattpad:
Tumblr
January 18, 2017
Amazon USA vs the Rest of the World
Doris Heilmann from Savvybookwriters.com
delves into the mysterious and unfair practices of Amazon when it comes to unequal rights for various countries. I was also elated to find that she had linked to some of my own discoveries I’ve shared here from previous posts in her post.
Have a read in her post below and learn where certain promos and opportunities are not afforded to all countries.
“Are We Amazon’s Foreign Aliens? I mean WE: readers and writers, Amazon customers/book suppliers, from Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland … Why are we treated by Amazon as second-class citizens in this global Internet world? Sounds like Donald Trumps’ slogan: Make America Great Again (and let others pay for it).
Do foreign customers/writers not have the same value for this American company? Here are several issues that writers and publishers encounter at Amazon.”.
AMAZON is NOT International!
The company is touted as one of the world’s largest suppliers and a pioneer in the online business. In many aspects, such as eReaders and eBook uploading they really are. Amazon also insists on being customer-service centric – which I mostly agree with. However, the way their foreign suppliers (writers), who are also all Amazon customers, are treated – compared to American writers – is not right! So many perks that US citizens receive from Amazon are not available for the rest of the world.
.Countdown Deals ONLY for US and UK Customers!
When authors place their books into the Kindle CountDown program, the promotion is only available for U.S. and U.K. citizens. I remember when I ran my book Conflicted Hearts on that promo that I had no evidence of it being on sale. The deal was not showing up, even when I went over to Amazon.com.
I questioned Amazon and all that I was told that it was on sale, and they sent me a screenshot to prove it.This doesn’t help us when we are putting our books on promotion and paying for advertising to help boost sales and ALL THE OTHER COUNTRY’S readers are told it’s on sale, but they can’t have that Countdown price. Read the whole story here.
Amazon Rules: Can I use Kindle Countdown Deals if I live outside of the U.S. or UK, like Italy or Japan?
Yes, but your Kindle Countdown Deals promotion will only be available for Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Customers for example from Germany, India, and Australia will not see the promotions at this time…
Let me give you seven more examples: Please Continue Reading . . .
January 17, 2017
Have D G Kaye, will visit. | shehanne moore
Today I’m sharing one of the most inventive interviews I’ve ever had over at Shehanne Moore’s blog, affectionately known as ‘Shey’.
Shey is known, not only as the ‘Historical Smexy romance writer’, but all her blog posts are hosted by her and her often outspoken Hamster Dudes. They have also adapted to Shey’s Scottish lingo.They either like you or they don’t, and gratefully, I’ve managed to stay on their good side for a few years now, but I’m frightened of their possible verbal attack when in 2 weeks I’ll be hosting Shey and her latest book here and only authorized her to bring ONE dude with her. I know there will be backlash!
Prepare to be entertained!
D.G Kaye
I’m so excited to be here today, and looking forward to having Shey over to my blog. I had also asked Shey to bring one or two of you dudes over too. I’m sorry my home isn’t big enough to have you all over at one time, especially since you guys are always so nice to me. So no, I’m not optimistic about making a choice, I hate making decisions having to choose one. Please know, when I choose one, I love all you guys.
D G Kaye.
Please don’t throw things at me, or spread nasty rumours about me. I’ve chosen …………….. to escort Shey over to my place.
DG Kaye
Aw c’mon guys, you aren’t neglected, so many love you. You just have ta learn that ya can’t always have the spotlight.
I began writing about my past when I was much younger. I kept a running journal to document incidents in my life to help me analyze things that happened, which became part of the searching for the whys. I decided to write books later in life when I realized there were many others who’ve encountered their own similar family dysfunctions, and hoped I could offer some insight by sharing my own experiences and lessons. . . . .
Please continue reading the interview over at Shey’s blog, where we will try our best to continue chatting in between her Hamster Dude’s constant interruptions.
Are you Cleaning up Your Amazon Links? – Be Careful Sharing Book Links
You know how we can sometimes get so used to doing some things that it can almost seem robotic? Well, it occurred to me, after reading my daily news articles on publishing, that just because some little tricks have become second nature to me, others may not be aware of this important tip on cleaning up your links.
This little nugget of information is important for authors and for bloggers who write posts promoting their books or featured guest posts of other authors and sharing the URLs of all books.
About Amazon URLs
I have my own system of setting up promotional posts, and part of that means going over to Amazon to look up the book I’m posting about – mine or someone else’s. Once there, I copy the image of the book and save it to my media library to include in the post (if it isn’t my book), then I copy and paste the URL of the book’s page in my post, usually where I insert ‘Get this book on Amazon’ hyperlinked to the book page I copied the URL from. This is where the waters get murky!
The Link to Lost Reviews
Are you aware of the chatter in the self publishing world where many authors are losing reviews by Amazon removing them off their book pages because their algorithms seem to inform them that somehow the reviewer is connected to the author? This is something I’m always cautious about, and I know too many author friends who’ve had reviews wiped off their book pages. Although nobody seems to know the exact secret sauce of Amazon’s logic, there is a huge telltale sign their system uses to link readers to reviewers and that is by referred links. Below is a screenshot I’ll use on how to clean up these telltale signs. (Sorry I couldn’t enlarge)
As you can see, the ASIN of my book P.S. I Forgive You comes after /dp/B01WOYPRP after that ASIN comes a forward slash/ref etc. etc. Delete everything after the last letter in the ASIN starting with the forward slash!
In the above URL, this is what I get when I go to Amazon and type in the name of one of my books in the search bar. This is the link that most people will take to use in their posts to direct readers to that book. The problem is, after the 10 digit ASIN number there is a bunch of code which is irrelevant to the average person, but a wealth of information Amazon uses to track potential buyers.
Some of this code gives them the exact time and day that page was visited. If you use that link in your posts and readers go to that page through that link and happen to purchase the book while there, Amazon will know that person was using a link from a prior visitor, and because that person came from that other person’s link, that shows a connection with those two people, or anyone else using that link to purchase!
Yup, it’s like a spy thing.
I learned about this a few years ago and I make sure ever since to clean up my links and like I mentioned, sometimes things just become habit to us and we may forget that what we’re doing would be newsworthy to others. So now I’ll tell you what needs to be done to clean up the links.
Cleaning Up Your Links
The most simple thing to do when using the URL for that book page on your post is to copy and paste the URL as you normally would to create a hyperlink and backspace to delete every character that comes after the last number/letter of the ASIN. I also do this when linking to an author’s Amazon page – same protocol. When promoting my own books, I find it much easier to use my own universal links I have for my books. Check out one of my earlier posts to learn more about how to create Universal links .
Let this procedure become a habit, especially when promoting your own books! It can save you losing reviews on Amazon and us authors know just how valuable each and every review is to us!
More Tip on Reviews
If the book you’re reviewing was given to you by an author, it’s also important you write a disclaimer at the start of your review, something like ‘I received a copy of this book as a gift from the author’ will do.
This lets Amazon know how you got the book if their robotic spies detect that you never purchased the book. It permits honesty for the review by admitting. And I’d also recommend you leave it short and sweet like that and not adding anything like ‘ …..in exchange for a review’ because that would sound like there was intent to extract a review when given a copy of the author’s book.
I’m not going to go into all the politics and semantics of Amazon’s logic, merely cautioning you of the current protocol. So recap:
Remove any extraneous characters after the ASIN number on an author’s book page before creating a hyperlink
Use a disclaimer when reviewing a book to avoid your review from vanishing
And always check your URLs after you’ve drafted your post to ensure they work by ‘saving’ your draft and clicking on ‘preview’ you can then click your links to make sure they are valid, working links.
Please share this article on social sites, if enough people read it and share, it will help authors from mysteriously having many of their reviews taken off by Amazon.
January 14, 2017
Sunday Book Reviews – Escaping Psychiatry and Glimpses
Today’s book reviews offer a double-header. Since I happily got to catch up on some reading, I have a few book reviews I’d like to share before January ends and I take my blogging break. So this week and next week I’ll be reviewing 2 books on each of those posts.
First up:
I recently finished reading Olga Nunez Miret’s trilogy of stories in her book, Escaping Psychiatry. Knowing that Olga has her doctorate in psychiatry made this book an even more exciting read, offering believable analysis by the protagonist Mary.
Get this book on Amazon!
Blurb:
Escaping Psychiatry’ is a collection of three stories in the psychological thriller genre with the same protagonist, Mary, a psychiatrist and writer. She is trying to develop her literary career but circumstances and friends conspire to keep dragging her back to psychiatry.
In ‘Cannon Fodder’ Mary has to assess Cain, an African-American man accused of inciting a religious riot when he claimed that he could hear God and God was black. He might not be mad, but Mary is sure he’s hiding something.
‘Teamwork’ sees Mary hoodwinked into offering therapy to Justin, a policeman feeling guilty after his partner and ersatz father was killed on-duty. Before Mary can extricate herself from the case, things get personal.
In ‘Memory’ Mary goes missing after an incident with Phil, who is manic as he hasn’t been taking his medication. When she is found, she has been the victim of a horrific crime, but they soon discover she was luckier than they had realised.
The epilogue revisits Mary at the point of the trial of her abductor and sees what changes have taken place in her life. Will she finally manage to Escape Psychiatry?
My 5 Star Review
When the protagonist, Mary, is asked by her lawyer friend Phil and another friend on the police force to use her skills as a psychiatrist to help solve 3 crimes, Mary takes us on a psychological journey of discovery while delving into the minds of killers. The book is comprised of 3 different stories, one of which, unfortunately has Mary the victim of. Using her psychological skills through interrogation, Mary is determined to discover what makes these criminal minds tick.
The author has a background as a psychiatrist, which makes these stories riveting, doubling the pleasure to read using her own skills, not only as an author, but as an expert in the stories she writes about. I look forward to reading her next book.
Next:
Hugh Roberts has been gaining a lot of fame to his name since he recently published his debut book, Glimpses. Many of you who know Hugh, know how he has an uncanny knack for writing suspenseful short stories, often with unexpected endings. I was thrilled when Hugh sent me my own paperback copy of his book in friendship and gratitude for being supportive on his publishing journey.
Get This Book on Amazon!
Blurb:
After publishing some of his short stories on his blog, Hugh W. Roberts, who suffers from dyslexia, received numerous requests to publish his short stories in a book. Here, at last, are 28 short stories that will take your mind on a rollercoaster of a ride into worlds that conceal unexpected twists and turns.
‘Glimpses’ allows the reader a peek into the lives of everyday people who are about to have life lead them on an unpredicted path. From a mysterious deadly iPad app, to a hole in the fence that is not all it seems, to a strange lipstick that appears to have a life of its own, you will encounter terror, laughter, sadness, shock and many other emotions on journeys which promise a thrilling and gripping climax.If you are a lover of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’, then you’re in for a real treat with this first collection of short stories from Hugh.
Here’s what one reader has already said about the book. “If you’re looking for a thoroughly entertaining read, Glimpses is the book for you. Each story has been cleverly crafted; through Hugh’s wonderful imagination, he has the ability to whisk you away to many different worlds, past, present and future. Every story makes a compelling read and just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, Hugh masterfully reveals a brilliant twist. With bite-size and longer stories, Glimpses is a must-read. I loved it.” – Esther Newton, Writer, and Author. Dare you take a glimpse into the lives of these unsuspecting characters?
My 5 Star Review
A delightful selection of eerie tales from Hugh Roberts. Roberts has come to be known for his engrossing short stories in mixed genres from fantasy to frightening, and all of them keeping his audience gripped to the sometimes bitter end of each story as he has become known for, his twisted endings that will leave you in surprise from nothing you may have anticipated from the beginning of his stories.
Some of these stories are notable as Roberts had shared some of them on his blog, which initially captivated readers and had them wanting more. Some have become classics by Roberts, such as: The Truth App, about an Ipad of the future which has the power to kill off wrongdoers who dare to open the App, The Bridegroom murder mystery in 4 parts with its mind-boggling ending, The Rose Wish, which will have you thinking again to be careful what you wish for, and lessons in the tale of Father Christmas. Some character story favorites are also a delight, such as: Rusty and Richie, and the perils of Martha Dumplin. There are also some other fascinating stories to be read in this book. And no doubt with the imagination of this author, I’m sure we can be expecting more books to come.
Guest Author D.G. Kaye – Words We Carry -#Selfesteem / Uvi Poznansky
Today I’m sharing my interview with author Uvi Poznansky. Uvi invited me over to her blog to talk about my book Words We Carry and share my thoughts on the book and the subject matter, self-esteem.
Your writing encompasses stories taken from events you encountered in your own life, and the lessons you took from them. What event in particular became the central inspiration for this book?
This book is a compilation of essays encompassing the core essence of self-esteem. I talk about my own experiences in different time periods, about hurtful words from childhood and how they impact our lives as we mature and how they can result into the choices in life we make as a result of a low self-esteem. I share some of the lessons and tools I used to overcome my own issues to help build my esteem and healthier relationships.I love the title, Words We Carry. This title can mean the burden of the past, carried on by painful memories, but it can also mean carrying forward cherished moments. What does this title mean o you and how did you arrive at it?
The title came to me before the book was written. The stories involving incidents and snippets of my own insecurities, stem from my childhood, all evolving from my lack of self-esteem because of childhood teasing and a lack of emotional nurturing. Words that are said are hard to erase.
Unlike self-help books, Words We Carry is an intensely personal book. How do you find the courage to open up, especially with memories that are tender to the touch, and expose yourself to your readers?
Much of what I write in my books is self-help, only I use my own experiences from what I endured and share how I personally overcame my own shortcomings.
I’ve always considered myself a teacher of life lessons; what I gained in knowledge from an unpleasant situation, I felt compelled to share with others in hopes to help them with relatable situations. If you’re a truth-teller, leading by example from your own situations, you have to be able to bare your soul and put yourself out there. I couldn’t write books without demonstrating that I know things because I’ve lived them. The writing wouldn’t be the same if I just passed along stories without backing them up with my experiences. People relate more to situations when they are personal.
You ask, What do our shopping habits, high-heeled shoes, and big hair have to do with how we perceive ourselves? So tell us, What can we learn about ourselves by looking at the mirror?
We tend to be our own worst critics. Teasing and name calling only weakens an already fragile self-esteem. Even as we mature, when seeing our old familiar self in that mirror, after years of built up accumulated hurt and self-loathing, it can be difficult to see the positive changes physically that we’ve taken painstaking strides to look better if we don’t recognize that we’ve blossomed emotionally.
In my journey to seeking self-esteem, I was unhappy with my physical appearance and developed many crazy quirks to look better in efforts to feel better about myself. I found little tricks such as having bigger hair, helping to make me appear as though my body looked proportionately better with the volume of my hair balancing out my frame, and the added inches with wearing stilettos to look taller and compensate for some of my excess weight. These were fashion tips I’d learned about from magazines that helped me feel better about myself because my goal was to not have others make fun of me.
As I matured, I realized I had more work to do internally. I had to build up my inner self and learn to love myself for who I was as a person, not only for how I appeared on the outside. Only then could I look in a mirror and be proud of who I’d become, not only from my physical reflection, but from the person inside that reflection.
Tell us about your journey in writing, beginning as notes and cards you wrote for the people she loved, and culminating with the publication of five books.
I wrote ever since I can remember learning how to write. I was an inquisitive child who loved to ask questions, but was mostly afraid to. When I did get the nerve to ask questions at home, I never got satisfying answers. This carried on in school, not raising my hand to ask a question I may not have understood on a lesson because I was afraid my questions would seem trivial.
I had a lot of spirit and a lot of love in me that I had no outlet to express. The words ‘I love you’ were unfamiliar words to me, although I was too young to realize I needed to hear them, I wanted to tell them to those close to me. I wanted to tell my loved ones that I loved them, but it felt so foreign to me.
Writing became my place to store my emotions, thoughts, and desires – a place where I felt free to say what I wanted, and a place to share my thoughts privately with myself. I wrote little poems and gave them to my parents, grandparents, and some of my teachers when I wanted to say something in affection, or about my worrying thoughts, both of which I was uncomfortable doing verbally. Some were well received, some I was reprimanded for. I thought by sharing my heart in rhyme, it may disguise the underlying message in the prose.
I came from an ongoing broken home, desperately in need of affection. My mother didn’t always appreciate my little notes I left her. Instead of compassion or nurturing, she’d scream at me, telling me to mind my business. One note in particular stands out to me till this day. I was 8 years of age, and very sad that my father wasn’t living with us because she’d evicted him again. I left the note on the kitchen counter by the telephone for my mother to see as I left for school. The note said “I have a mother and I have a father, but I don’t have a mommy and a daddy.” It breaks my own heart thinking about it now. I came home from school that afternoon to a slap in the face and my angry mother telling me to mind my business, again.
School was my solace. There were a handful of teachers I had that seemed to have an empathy for me, the broken little child in their classroom. One in particular, in grade 2, Miss Jacobs, paid me special attention and I adored her. I made her special cards with loving words and poems and drew hearts all over the cards.
Give us an excerpt from your book.
Sure, this is from IDENTITY AND RIDICULE:
Searching within ourselves in an effort to discover our own identities begins when we’re young. We follow the examples of those who influence our lives, such as family and friends. Eventually, as we mature and our curiosities awaken, we begin to recognize how our personalities are developing. We formulate personal opinions and goals, which play an integral part in who we become. The influences around us usually determine the habits into which we tend to fall.
We pick up bad habits or inferiority complexes from our home environments or, later, from the friendships and other environments we choose. We eventually adapt to our habits, and as we age, either we take with us the negative baggage we’ve acquired since childhood or we become aware of it and endeavor to find resolution and better ourselves. The latter isn’t always so easy to accomplish. The lucky few who learn to overcome their inner struggles live peacefully within themselves, in time. Continue Reading . . .
January 12, 2017
Who Has a New Book? Guest Author – Adele Marie Park
Today’s guest feature is Adele Marie Park and her newly published book, Wisp . Although Adele has published stories in two anthologies, this is her debut book, so we are both excited for her visit here today. You can visit Adele’s blog at firefly465 where she posts on everything from writing tips to conservation, wildlife, and world affairs. She is a generous supporter of other bloggers and reblogs some of the most pertinent articles from other writers.
Adele’s passion as a writer focuses on the genre of horror, fantasy, urban worldbuilding. Adele lives in Rousay, one of the Orkney islands off the northeast coast of Scotland. Her blissful childhood was spent among farm animals and learning about tales of folklore. No doubt her childhood was the catalyst which stirred her creative juices. Adele writes character driven stories from where she claims they live in her head. Today we’re going to get to know a little more about Adele and her new book.
About Adele:
I am from a small island called Rousay. One of a chain of islands that make up the Orkney Islands.
My childhood was idyllic on the island. It was just on the cusp from the old way of life to the new.
Stories of supernatural beings such as trows, (trolls) selkies, (seals who change into humans), Finn folk and witches were told to me and swallowed by my imagination.
I wrote about these legends in small stories at first and then in novels where I created worlds that held dragons, elves and magic.
My Mum was Irish so I also had the rich legacy of Celtic tales as well and the music. I was always singing, I still do.
Throughout my life and various jobs I wrote and read. The passion was deep within me but it was not until nine years ago that I decided to make it my career.
I’ve had several breakdowns and the most recent one was the worst. The doctors also discovered that I had Functional Neurological Disorder and that I would most likely remain disabled for the rest of my life. Not one to be discouraged and born with a stubborn streak I decided that writing which was my passion would now become my career.
I have hobbies when I’m not writing. I paint and draw. I make crochet dolls which are my own creations and not perhaps for the faint hearted. I love them.
My wife and I are happy in our home and our own particular way of seeing life. Our dog Dante is as always an angel whose antics make us smile daily. Our daughter Tara has gone through some difficult times in her life but is now living her life, despite her epilepsy and doing outstandingly well.
Get this book here on Amazon!
Blurb:
Edra; a world where magic flourishes and where dark secrets are concealed by those who rule. Secrets which can get the innocent killed without a thought. When the body of an elf is discovered in a treacherous area of the city, Wisp a young Law Enforcer is assigned the case. He soon realises the case is far from simple. As soon as he finds one thread another one leads him to unravel a tapestry woven from lies, secrets, corruption and evil. When friendship turns to love, Wisp`s life, as he knew it will completely change. What started out as a murder case ends in a grisly battle which Wisp and his companions seem to have no chance of winning.
Now let us find out some more interesting facts about Adele and her writing!
How do you manage your writing time? Are you a disciplined writer with a set writing schedule?
I try to write in the morning and early evening.
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written since a child but made a career choice after illness made me unable to physically work again.
What in particular inspired you to write this book?
A thought popped into my head as I was sitting in our garden last summer. I wondered how a murder investigation would take place on a different world. From that thought words flowed and a new world was built
Are you currently working on a new book?
Yes. Wisp 2 is already half way written. I also started a book called Betwixt for November writing month. I am still writing Rockabilly Red, Suleskerry and Loves Son.
Have you published any other works?
I have been lucky to have been included in two anthologies this year. Fantasy Writer’s Group Anthology “Betrayals of Another Kind” and Ghostly Writes Anthology.
Every writer encounters writer’s block at some time. Could you tell us how you deal with it?
Three things help me all the time. Music and video together help my imagination get kick started. A favourite TV programme e.g. Wynonna Earp or a favourite movie e.g. The Secret of Rohan Inish”. I read copiously in the genres I love and I find a combination of all of these help me get back to writing.
Please tell us a little about your new book and please share an excerpt with us.
Wisp is a murder mystery, an adventure in a new world, a character driven plot where the protagonist goes through changes and finds love. It is also about the greed for power and secrets which twist and turn evil. Predjudice rears its ugly head as does colonisation. Here is a taste of some of the things mentioned:
Excerpt:
One pack member sat away from the others. The sisters targeted him. They doubled back and crept down another alley that led them to the lone Elite from the other side. It was gorging on what appeared to be the victims liver. Aradia raised her true heart, took aim and fired. The arrow sped and found its target, burying itself in the Elite’s neck. It let out a hiss, but Fern was there already. She whispered a word and the Elite slumped. Fern dragged it away while Aradia kept watch.
The pack was too busy gorging themselves to notice one of theirs had fallen. All of them except one that stood up. He was taller than the rest with intelligence shining out of his red eyes. He let out a piercing scream and went into a defensive stance.
Fern and Aradia backed away as quickly as they could. Aradia kept her true heart targeted on the screaming Elite. “Once we reach the open, run.” Aradia yelled the last word as the pack of Elite surged forward. She let go with an arrow and caught the front one in the chest, then she turned tail and helped her sister carry the body as fast as they could.
“The goblin better be where he said he would be,” Fern shouted.
They ran on, dodging shadows and slithering on familiar streets that had become a battlefield. Elite scrambled up walls, ran on all fours and pursued them without bringing them down.
“Who the hell have we captured?” Fern shouted.
Aradia shook her head. Her lungs were burning with the effort it took to breathe as she ran.
On and on they ran, the Elite playing with them, loping behind them, hissing and shrieking. They no longer felt the need to hide in the shadows; they were furious and wanted blood. The sisters stopped suddenly at a solid brick wall. They turned and faced the Elite. The pack howled in triumph and the leader pushed through them to stand in front. His eyes burnt with hatred, the intensity of them mesmerising.
“Give,” he said.
Fern closed her eyes. Aradia lifted true heart and aimed it at his heart. “No. Leave our city and we might think about it.”
The leader laughed, a dreadful sound that spoke much about what kind of elf he had been in his past life. “You are stupid.” He folded his arms. “Or very clever.” He looked around him, sniffed the air then, growled.
The goblin and Bartholomew burst through the false wall. The goblin threw a small brass ball into the pack and then helped the sisters into the back of a black Law Enforcer armoured van. The doors slammed shut and they sped off as the bomb exploded into radiant light. The explosion could be seen all over the city. The Elite screamed in pain as light pierced their shadow bodies. It would not kill, but it would render them useless until they healed. The leader screamed the loudest and raised his fist to the sky.
Thank you so much for guesting here today Adele. It was lovely getting to know more about you, and I commend you for being such a warrior woman, overcoming what life throws at you with such determination. Wishing you much success with the book and all your future writing endeavors.
Visit Adele’s Amazon author page here.
You can find Adele at her social links:
Twitter @Binky567
Facebook at Adele Marie Park
Blog: firefly465.wordpress.com
Attention Self-Hosted Websites – Do you Have an SSL Certificate?
Many of us bloggers are familiar with the basics of running our websites but may not be aware of all the techy things that run in the background that help our sites run smooth and safely behind the scenes.
What is an SSL Certificate?
An SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) is a protocol which creates a secure connection between a client website and the server over which to information is sent using an encryption method to make sure information is secure from hackers.
Many website owners may not have been made aware of the importance of obtaining an SSL certificate. Having this certificate is what changes your site’s URL from beginning with ‘http’ to ‘https’. It’s the added ‘s’ for secure that makes our sites safely encrypted.
Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?
If you’re someone like me who thought that by having an ‘https’ URL wasn’t important because I’m not selling anything on my site, for example: products that require a buyer to enter a credit card on your site to purchase an item, then think again.
An SSL certificate does much more than just provide a buyer a safe environment to enter their personal information. It provides security for ANYONE who enters their mere email address to a sign up or contact form from being phished by hackers.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a method used by hackers and scammers to obtain information that isn’t securely encrypted, and once they’ve stolen personal data, they use those email addresses to send emails to try and get access to those addressee’s more private information so they can attempt to steal from them.
Those scammers will send an email stating they’re sending it from the hacked site, one that may look familiar to you, but if you’re careful you will notice the email address will also have a different tail end of their email address to the original site they say they’re sending from. What these hackers intend to do is make you think you recognize the email address it came from, then possibly offer you something, and in order to obtain their offer you must click on a link they provide. Once you click on that link and fill in your information is where the usual thievery begins because you’ve given an impostor your information.
I wrote a few posts in the past explaining about some phishing emails that have been going around from Paypal and some government sites and financial institutions, detailing how they try to get our information and how people who are unsavvy in detecting scammers get caught in their webs. It’s important that if you receive any suspicious emails, to pay attention to the sender’s email address and question yourself as to what these scammers are after WITHOUT clicking on any links they send to click on.
As I mentioned in an older post, government and financial institutions will NEVER send you emails asking to log into your account through an email link, but ask you to go directly to their website and login safely with your password.
How Can SSL Certificates Protect Your Site?
Even though you may not be selling anything on your site, anything you type into your browser on your site and anyone signing up to receive emails from you site can become susceptible to scammers in cyberspace if they try to steal info from that site.
Another example of being hacked without an SSL certificate is if you’re traveling and working on your website using a public wifi such as at an airport, hotel or even in a public cafe, hackers are plentiful in these vicinities and can easily steal your unsecured info in the same way. At least if you’re at home using your site on your own wifi, the odds of being hacked are much less than when you’re using a public wifi where anybody on that same wifi can hack your site if you open it.
Conclusion
I’m still learning a lot about my own website with every call I make to my webhost provider, Godaddy. And I’d like to thank Tim from tech support today for explaining the importance of having an SSL certificate to me. Any time I’m having a problem on my site, I call Godaddy and they are always knowledgeable and extremely helpful in solving my issues. They don’t push products on me, but sometimes make suggestions based on my usage and traffic to better protect and operate my website. And today I got an informative lesson about the importance of having this certificate, so I hope I’ve helped by explaining what I’ve learned about securing our websites.
Important Notes
Those of you on WordPress.com already have an https URL because WordPress is securely encrypted.
Many of you may notice now that when visiting my site that you will now be landing on my newly secured site – https://www.dgkayewriter.com, and/or if you’re still typing in the site – http://www.dgkayewriter.com, you will be automatically re-directed to the new secure version.
All of you who were previously signed up to receive my emails, as well as new sign ups are all safe and sound now.
Some of you who may have had trouble in the past leaving comments on my site, or getting booted while halfway through leaving a comment, will no longer have to endure that agony and frustration. Do know you weren’t alone. I had my own issues logging into my own site on occasion. Apparently, what I learned from Tim today was that WordPress had recently added new PHP code which was conflicting with logging in on self-hosted websites causing all kinds of glitches until Godaddy had to re-structure their platform to coincide with the WordPress changes. I highly recommend that if you’re self-hosted and having similar issues to call your webhost to rectify. It’s not always a WordPress issue for the Happiness Engineers, it could be a conflict of their changes with your webhosting. Sometimes WordPress doesn’t play nice with our domains and only our webhosts can rectify those issues.
I hope you’ve found this article useful. Please always leave me a comment if you have any troubles navigating my site. I don’t always know there’s a problem, but you know if I learn of one, I’m on it like flint! I’d like to thank all of you who’ve taken the time here or by email to let me know you were encountering glitches while trying to comment. I’m hoping it will be smooth sailing from here on!
