S.K. Thomas's Blog, page 9

Spotlight: Life is Too Short by KD Forsman

The Spotlight this week is on KD Forsman with a moving and brilliant article regarding her own struggle to write and finding courage through family tragedy. She says, "I realized that we get two choices in this life. 1. Get on and do it or 2. Die wondering."

KD is a wonderful writer and author, she also gives back by offering Free Book Promotion Tweeting Services to fellow authors. All the details and links for her will be provided at the end of this article.


So without further ado, I present:
Life is Too Short by KD Forsman





Life’s too short for procrastination …
It took me ten years to pluck up the courage to get serious about my writing.

Ten years of procrastination; self-doubt and negative thoughts; a mind-set that I was not academic enough, witty enough or even interesting enough, permeated my mind and deflated my dreams of reaching out to claim the illusive title of writer as my own.

So I blogged. And I blogged. And then I blogged some more. For fun, I had my public facing blogs, my private blogs and kept a journal. Professionally, I wrote content for websites, designed brochures, marketing material and wrote business proposals; all of which provided much safer ways to express my creativity and didn’t require me to really step outside of my comfort zone and put it out there. Between blogging and my job, I have managed to keep some semblance of sanity over the years and keep my desire to write in check.

Then tragedy and a miracle happened. My mother got breast cancer and underwent a grueling series of operations and chemotherapy. Then she was diagnosed with secondary cancer in her bones. Things were not looking good. Shortly after that, my uncle was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. I was like a daughter to my uncle, we were extremely close as he had no children of his own. When he passed away last year, I was absolutely devastated and still keenly feel the loss of such a wonderful man and role model in my life. That was the tragedy. So where was the miracle you might ask?

The miracle is my mother. She has, touch wood, gone into remission. She’s responded incredibly well to her anti-cancer medication, to the extent that the cancer on her bones has disappeared. The doctors can’t explain it. She is a living miracle and we are so thankful for her health and recovery.

These two events in my life were the catalyst for my writing. Suddenly I was confronted with how short and precious life is.

I realized that we get two choices in this life. 1. Get on and do it or 2. Die wondering.

I chose the first.

So back in May 2014, I engaged the services of a writing coach and with her help, we scoped out the story of ‘Fraud & Fabrication.’ Armed with knowledge on story structure, a clear plot outline and lots of tips and tricks to keep me motivated, I managed to write my first draft by Christmas then get the book professionally edited and self-published by February 2015. It was daunting at times, but also extremely rewarding to see my book, my cover design and my work finally in print.

So please, I implore of you; don’t procrastinate your way through life letting circumstance and events determine your direction. Instead, grasp firmly onto your hopes and dreams and do what you need to do to make your dreams a reality.

Life is too short, too fleeting and too precious to fade away behind a façade of self-doubt and worry about what other people think. This is your life and your time; don’t let it pass you by.

Wonderfully said, KD.




Link for more KD Forsman:
http://kdforsmanbookreviews.blogspot....








Stay tuned for a new blog article April 9th, 2015 after Spring Break.


Remember to keep an eye out for SK Thomas: https://lnkd.in/bBmmx2B

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Spotlight: WRITER'S BLOCK by Safiya

My Spotlight Today is on Safiya, a young lady who wrote a heart wrenching piece about writer's block. That fearsome condition as a writer that blocks all the creative juices and causes the end of invention.

I recently met her on Figment, I felt it was such a raw and real piece, I had to share. I've written about writer's block before on this blog but failed to capture it honestly as Safiya has. She is young and from what I gather is still in school. She is against bullying, which I admire and at the bottom of this page I put another post from her in an effort to stop bullying, because I for one have a heart.

So without any further ado, I give you "Oh no, Writer's Block" by Safiya:


Writers block. To most people those two words seem harmless, but to a writer, they mean darkness, misery, despair and more.

The solution: writing about writers block.
Since: "Writing about a writer's block is better than not writing at all." -Charles Bukowski

Writers block. That state where inspiration suddenly turns on you and becomes a menacing, soul-sucking monster. First, it swallows your creative capabilities, then it sucks up your soul, sticking the rest of you in a dark, deep hole. Where all the light and creativity was vacuumed out before housed with a new occupant, you.

You lay curled up on the bottom of the pit, all hope torn away from you. Waiting until the monster that was once inspiration, decides to free you from its suffocating clutches.

When you finally loosen its grip, you gasp for breath and frantically search for the soul it stole from you. You find it torn, ragged and lifeless; all the creativity sucked out of it. You hold it close and then the slow, daunting task of recovering from the dark and lonely abyss of writers block, begins.
Copyright Safiya 2014 Figment

To see more of her work, you can find her on Figment http://figment.com/users/383020-Safiy...

Lesson from Safiya: Stop Bullying
The girl you just called ugly...she spends hours putting on makeup, hoping people will like her. ==>The boy you just tripped...he is abused enough at home. ==>See that man with the ugly scars...he fought for his country. ==>That guy you just made fun of for crying...his mother is dying. ==>The boy that wears pants in one hundred degree weather...he only has one leg. ==>The boy that bites his nails all the time...he's dying of cancer and he's counting down the days. **Post this if you're against bullying. I bet 95% of you won't repost this, but I'm sure the people with a heart will.

Keep in touch with SK Thomas:
Website: http://www.skthomasauthor.com
Twitter: @skthomasauthor
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The Indie Author

The indie author is a warrior of the book world. Each person perseveres whether they went to college or not while taking in each sweet experience as they go, learning from trial and error. Sometimes as indie authors, we feel as if we're alone on a deserted island wondering if anyone hears us or will see our written words. Will anyone care if any of us write that next book?



The answer is "YES!"
Even if you feel no one else cares right now, the most important person in your life does care and that is YOU. You are the person who benefits the most from your written word and the ball busting work you do to make each and every word count. You are the one who is happiest when you type, stringing those letters into words and those words into sentences. I like to dream, to think of that island I mentioned before as a place where creative and talented indie authors go to mingle with other equally talented and creative people in a city full of ideas fusing original and Pulitzer Prize winning literary works together forming one huge success after the other (as society tells us success should be) for everyone involved.

Is this realistic? Somewhat. Aren't we a success when we finish that long awaited book or article. Aren't we a success by having the courage and willingness to share our work that we toil so hard over. Aren't we a success as we push for someone to pay attention. Some would say a person is successful every time they get out of bed in the morning, especially if you're living your dream.

Back to those people you think might care, I like to think they will. Other people are there to care now, you just have to recognize them. An indie author has to keep moving forward, celebrating those achievements large and small. Each step in the right direction is the step on the right path.

I believe if any indie author chooses to quit, just quit without moving on to something better or a better option for their life, they are the ones doing a huge disservice for themselves. You never know where that next break is coming from or when that next opportunity will happen. If you truly want to be an indie author and writer, then trudge ahead with your blinders on and keep typing. Someday, you will look back at all the stress, worry and frustration and just marvel at what you have built, accomplished and achieved. All that rejection will seem like a bump in the road and child's play. Those pesky reviews that didn't sit quite well, will help shape you as a better author/writer propelling you into your dreams if you allow it. Get out your machete and slash away through that jungle of challenges. Grab a bundle of dynamite and blast through any road blocks that come your way. Swim your way off that island that you think you're stranded on and realize there is support out there. You just need to be willing to accept it.

As an indie author, have thick skin and be willing to take everything said with a grain of salt, good or bad. Yes, I said even the great praise because one needs to keep their ego in check.

I will leave you with some last words of wisdom that comes from an unknown source:
Realize that your ability to conquer and overcome challenges is limitless. Your potential for personal success and happiness is infinite.



Keep in touch with the blogger/author:
Website: http://www.skthomasauthor.com
Twitter: @skthomasauthor
Member of Goodreads, LinkedIn & Google+


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World Book Day

March 5th, 2015...Today is World Book Day. Celebrating it's 18th year, people of all ages will come together to appreciate reading. What a great holiday for authors, writers, illustrators and all creative people involved in this business. So it's a good time to contribute on social media and celebrate with all book lovers from around the globe. I also look at it as a chance to go to your local library or book store to celebrate as well. And it's always a great day to support an author with book prices slashed in honor of this day.



The announcement of all the winners for the 2015 Bookbzz.com Prize Writing Competition will also be on March 5th to commemorate the day and I will definitely be congratulating the winners. I would also like to thank those who did support my books as well. I really appreciated all your efforts.

A huge thank you to Dante Craddock -- for one of my first and memorable author interviews. I wanted to share for all of Dante's hard work: https://lnkd.in/bVbAJna

And lastly, I would like to bring attention to this inspiring story of an 86 year old woman who wrote a novel, we should all be so lucky: http://ow.ly/Az9K9

Happy World Book Day!



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Keeping in touch with the blogger:
Website: http://www.skthomasauthor.com
Twitter: @skthomasauthor
Member of Goodreads, LinkedIn & Google+

Learning Curve

Have you ever as an author enjoyed an opportunity, thinking expansion and that this opportunity is going to help build your brand or platform? So, you work diligently accepting the opportunity making sure all the little ducks are in a row. And then it goes live or public, when immediately you want to take it back or change the way it was sent out into the world. This is what I call the learning curve for authors.

Typically, I'm very conscientious of what goes out being as truthful as possible. However, there are just times when it's out of your control. Have you ever flubbed an interview, regretted a book review done for another author, got on the radio and went into a state of panic, appeared at a book signing and said something you shouldn't have? It's all in the learning curve.



Recently, I have been lucky enough to get a couple of interviews when the learning curve struck. During the first couple of questions when asked about myself, I just happened to describe myself in the 3rd person. Ouch! Who does that? Yes, it might be funny for a Seinfeld episode. However, I don't know if that's what I was going for. Then instead of describing the books in my own words, I copied the back cover (word for word) which seemed like a fool proof plan at the time. OUCH again, very canned! Needless to say after the interview was posted, I emailed the interviewer. What did I shout, you ask? "Learning Curve!" Ok, I didn't shout it and I didn't blame him at all. It was my error through and through. But we did have a good laugh about it. I am still hoping he's laughing with me instead of the alternative.

But if your career is growing and movement is happening, I think learning curves are always going to be present. I watched an interview with Stephen King the other day that was quite awkward. I wish I would of tagged it to post here today, but I didn't. When I went back to retrieve it, I could no longer find it because he has done so many of them. I would hope that when all of our careers reach Stephen King status, the learning curves will be less and farther between. But realistically, more learning curves will probably be thrown our way because when you get to that status, there is always some new opportunity or event around each corner.

Here's one of his wise rules to leave you with, while also reminding us why we started this writing journey in the first place: Writing is about getting happy.
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends. Writing is magic, as much as the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.”

If you have a particularly interesting or embarrassing learning curve story, share it in the comment section below and start a conversation.



Stay connected to the author! Find out the latest gossip, news & events: https://lnkd.in/bBmmx2B

Prioritizing for a Writer & Their Schedule

As a writer, we are entrepreneurs. We are passionate about what we do. Another allure to this lifestyle is to have a writer's schedule. A schedule to pick and choose what the day holds, along with the opportunity to hone our craft as we wish. The only problem is, our lives are not just about writing. We have families, other obligations, other writing ventures and sometimes other businesses that take our time as well. Not to mention all the other responsibilities of being a writer; like writing more books, book reviews, social media, recommendations for others, a blog, answering emails, book engagements, promotion and the list goes on and on.

When I first started writing, it was and still is the biggest high I could get. I wrote and did a little social media, leaving my days free and feeling quite alive. Even though I had a family and other personal responsibilities, it didn't feel rushed or crowded at all.

Now, sometimes I wonder how I can get all my writing gigs done in the time allotted and often realize as my writing career grows, it's now a full-time job to say the least.

So how do we navigate all this as we grow, learn and succeed as writers?

I mean, we are creative people. So shouldn't we be able to creatively figure out our own schedules? Not always, creative people sometimes are the most unorganized and disconnected to time. Don't we get lost in the flow of writing and lose track of time, always?



Balance is key. Prioritize what task is most important to your career and then move forward. Relax, take your time and breathe. Sometimes when we rush through our day we get less done or miss valuable opportunities. This in turn causes stress, headaches, mistakes, more missed time or even forces us to do tasks twice all because we were rushing.

I always say if you need to go out and meet your readers, plug promos, go socialize with other writers, or radio/tv spots that would be a high priority.

Social media is a necessity, but how much time you spend on social media is the difference. Writers like to get caught up in social media, myself included, at times. Even though it is very important, it needs to be contained. A writer friend of mine asked several weeks ago, "How do you navigate email?" He was caught up in all the social media emails. Before he knew it, several hours had passed not leaving him much time to do other tasks he had on his list. I explained there is a process of running through an email list, scanning for the important emails needing a response. Then, he could schedule a time to "socialize". Even set a timer to remind him when to shut it down and move on to another task would help.

If you're a blogger, set a schedule when to write that next article and release it on time. But if you don't have the time to blog every day, then don't. Pick the right schedule that works for you. Just last week, I missed an article because even I didn't plan well enough for my week. That's going to happen once in a while. When it does, don't beat yourself up over it. Learn from the blunder and you will know better next time.

Make a schedule daily or weekly. It doesn't always have to be set in stone, but rather as a guide for what you want to accomplish. What is most important and when? Now if other tasks come up in a day, then prioritize and try to determine which is most important to you. It's fine to be open to schedule changes and flows in your life. If you've scheduled a writing session, but you're not feeling very creative or fresh with ideas then look over your list. Maybe this time would be better served answering emails or social media and swap the two. I recommend doing what feels right for your career.

On one particular day, I awoke at 4 a.m. Did I want to get up? NO! But I couldn't sleep and had energy. I thought about writing but something just didn't feel right. So, I started going through emails which led me to get on social media. And I'm glad I did, because I was able to have a few conversations that answered some questions I had. Plus, I made more connections with people that I wouldn't normally get a chance to talk with.

So, you never know what the day will bring. Time management is a personal choice as everyone's schedule is different. It's learning how to navigate that under pressure, how to take it in stride without ruining your health and relationships over it. Try your best to handle it right the first time around, so you're not wasting more energy and time fixing it a second time. Prioritize what is most important to least important and this aspect does change as your career evolves. Balance your career, personal life, social engagements with ease and do the best you can with a positive attitude.

There is always enough time in the day. If you feel there isn't, then most likely your schedule needs adjustment or it can wait until tomorrow. There is a time to write, a time to blog, a time to greet readers, a time for media...ok, maybe I'm copying the movie "Footloose", now I want to dance. And yes, there is a time to dance!



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Due to the Holidays

Due to the holidays and other work obligations, I was not able to bring a new blog article to life this week.

Please stay tuned and be ready for the next article on Feb 19, 2015:
Prioritizing for a Writer and Their Schedule

Meanwhile, enjoy my earlier blog posts and I cannot wait to be reconnected with my readers.

And lastly, don't forget:
You can make a difference & support
~Vote~
http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-conte … …...Pawned Queen Series -5th Title down

If you would like a book review for your book, simply fill out the form at this link to get it done: https://lnkd.in/brzD764






Stay connected to the author! Find out the latest gossip, news & events: https://lnkd.in/bBmmx2B

What Happens When...Your Imaginary Friends Lock You Out

Once in a while, there are those moments when no inspiration comes. Other moments when I have ideas, but I just can't piece them together to make a whole. So, it's time to take a break. I let other creative ventures take the center stage. I get back to my life outside of writing. When other authors complain about this I had my doubts, then again maybe we were suffering from the same thing and I just didn't give it the attention it deserved. The dreaded "writer's block".

If there is one word that makes creative people different from others, it is the word complexity.

We, as creative people, are complex. There is no there other way around it. Some might say "crazy", but I choose to believe complex and I have articles from reputable professionals to prove it. This is the time in life when your imaginary friends take a vacation and refuse to keep going. Holding picket signs and stomping around demanding you let them rest for a moment. I can almost hear them having a meeting to figure out what the plan of attack will be. Can you here the little pitter patter of their feet as they make their way across to the gateway of your imagination until you hear a SLAM of the imaginary door? To make matters worse, then you hear the clunk of the imaginary deadbolt being put in place. It gives me a headache just thinking about it.



When I was trying to come up with ideas for my third novella, I had scribbles written over time when I had inspiration. One day, I go back to look at them thinking the book idea will come together without a hitch. To my horror, once I read my concepts I had gathered over time, they were not that easy to piece together. In fact, I was beyond a little worried. Instead of a great book idea, it looked like the scribbles of a mad man. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to write horror genre with a mad man in it.

So, now what? That's up to you. But, I look at it as the perfect opportunity to focus on any hobbies that I've been neglecting, help other authors, read or spend extra time marketing/connecting on social media. How about spending some quality time out and about, go see a movie/play, other business ventures or some personal self-improvement time. Anything to get away for awhile to obtain a fresh perspective. Your imaginary friends could have a great idea by taking a vacation. This list is just a few ways to kick that writer's block.

Before you know it, your imaginary friends will be back feeding your imagination with tons of great ideas again as you say, "Already, but I was just gonna..." Although, you will secretly be thankful and excited to get on with that next writing project.



~~Remember to Cast Your Vote until end of February 2015~~
http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-conte...
for the Pawned Queen Series to win-5th Title down at Bookbzz.com.

We immensely appreciate your support.


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Mentors for Writers

Ever been in that place where no inspiration is coming? You know maybe even experienced writer's block? What do you do when that happens? Do you panic, focus on other things, stress over the problem? The problem is never the problem. It's the despair over the problem that's the issue.



Many regain inspiration through mentors. It doesn't really matter who the mentor is. It can be a person in your family or community. I always like to study people that I don't really know, but do look up to.

The last couple of weeks, my focus has been on the magic duo, Penn & Teller. Odd yes, but I took away so much from them. What first drew my attention to them was simple, they were atheist. There is no problem there. I was just curious what drove them and what kept them pushing forward. In my study, I found it interesting that they perfect a trick as much as they can. Then instead of saying, "Ok, the crowds love it we're done", they persist in moving beyond perfection changing it to better suite themselves and try to make it even more spectacular. There is never an ending to how far you can push your own creativity, anyone can bust through creative holds and jump down the rabbit hole to pull out all the stops (Alice in Wonderland). The question is how far are you willing to push beyond self-imposed limitations?



Next, I read a book by James Scott Bell titled, "How to Make a Living as a Writer". I had obtained lots of marketing information on the internet and had been implementing these ideas as I went along. However, I am hugely impressed by this author, his twenty year career and how he gives back. And below is my review to prove it:

S.K. Thomas's review of How to Make a Living as a Writer:
Throughout this book an accumulation of helpful information is written in a simplistic manner for anyone to understand. The author breaks down topics to focus on the most needed and necessary answers to the questions most writers have. His twenty years of experience has served him well as he is considerate enough to share that wisdom he has acquired. I highly recommend this book as his knowledge and fortitude is of great inspiration. Better yet, I meant every word of it.

My favorite option when I need inspiration is to read biographies of others to learn from their success and lives. It can very well be a wealth of unexpected knowledge right under your nose. I don’t copy them, but it gives me that extra nudge and inspiration to use my own talents and creativity to push past issues or problems that arise.

Whatever you choose to do whether it’s getting out and having fun, talking to family, studying others, exercise & meditate or just take a break, there is always another creative venture to go on. It’s the option of how you choose to get there. And always remember, the problem is never the problem. It's the despair over the problem that's the issue.


***Remember to cast your Vote Feb 1-Feb 28 for SK Thomas as she is a Finalist in the 2015 BookBzz Competition with both her novellas. We will post link to vote on blog in Month of February.

Find more about SK Thomas ~http://www.skthomasauthor.com



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The Cruel Mistress: Keep Reading or Do You Stop?

Have you ever picked up that book you so longed to read? You know, that book you've heard about for months and all your friends have talked about nonstop? You have looked forward to reading this book for a while now. But you can't find the time to read it, so it just sits there. It teases you and beckons your name when you can't take it any longer. Until the day finally comes. You sit in your favorite spot, tell the family to leave you alone, get your favorite drink and maybe even add a throw blanket to cuddle under into the mix . You take a long, deep breath as you settle yourself into that favorite spot, all relaxed ready for a good adventure. Then comes the first page and one after another until you start to wonder what all the fuss was about. Moving forward, you reassure yourself it has to pick up and get better. But now you're halfway through the book while low and behold, it still sucks in your opinion. Do you keep reading or do you stop?

We've all had this happen, it's a part of life and no one is immune. What sounded good from the back cover and looked even better from the front cover is now an illusion. You're in the middle of the book and you realize the cover was the only thrilling thing about it. That book is called a 'Cruel Mistress'.




Now mind you, that's not the title of some book that tricked me. No, that’s just what I prefer to call all the books that let me down. The ones that tease and act coy, they willingly tempt you into a sticky situation. You're not quite sure how you got there and if you're going to stay. Better yet, all your friends love this 'Cruel Mistress'. How are you going to play off the fact that you didn't enjoy your time with this particular one? What if you agreed to a book review for a friend? Do you say nothing or do you demolish their hopes and dreams by letting them know? "Don't worry, because I know you can do better next time." It's a slippery slope that doesn't have any good outcomes.

Well, there might be a way around this heinous situation. You can give the old, "Yeah, it was alright." Now, your friends will push and try to extract more answers out of you bringing up certain scenes and even playing them out while insisting that you must remember. Distractions on your part work best. Such as, "Hey, there's a movie playing down the street and that movie was based from a book that was really great. Let's go check it out after lunch." Here's another little helper when they ask, "It's not you guys, its' me. I had distractions with little Timmy crawling on my lap bothering me. You know I can't get a moment of peace in that house." But when that 'Cruel Mistress' won't exit quietly sometimes you just got to cut it short. "Oh look, it's my wife calling. I really got to go, she's in a mood. I'm sure you all understand". Get the heck out of there as fast as you can.

There's no reason to skirt around this issue any longer, we've all been there. There's no way around it.

I will leave you with the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." And that my friend is completely a matter of opinion.



Go to http://www.skthomasauthor.com to find more about SK Thomas



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