P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 291

The Bow of Destiny News: Trading Knives Now Available

My first fantasy novel, The Bow of Destiny, has gone to pre-sale status while I put the finishing touches on the book. It’s available to reserve at these select retailers: Barnes & Noble, & iBooks (via the iTunes app) and soon on Amazon. I’m really looking forward to the launch in late September. I should begin uploading the manuscript within a few weeks.

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This week there are several pieces of news to share. Trading Knives is now available for free on Kobo, iBooks & Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and on Amazon (the price has just been adjusted to FREE there). This is a prequel short story to The Bow of Destiny which also contains a sample chapter from the novel.

I’ll have the next free book, What Is Needed, out in early September. This is another prequel short story to The Bow of Destiny.

The interview on Beyond the Cover went well last weekend and is available in archive. I’ll share some of my thoughts on doing an interview next week. I also have more live interviews in mid-September as well as early October so check my calendar.

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I’m still in the Book to Brains Blog Tour on 8/31 as well as the RRBC Book & Blog Block Party on 9/28 which will be right here on Archer’s Aim. I’ll have a few special announcements regarding the latter tour next week. Also, if you want automatic notification about book activities, try following my author page on Amazon.

Remember, the pre-sale price for The Bow of Destiny is $2.99 and goes up after 9/28 so reserve your copy today at select locations or follow on Amazon to know when it’s available for reserve there.

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Sign up for my Archer’s Aim Digest mailing list to receive the forthcoming edition of my newsletter with announcements about upcoming releases and events (this months volume has already gone out). You’ll be the first to have news about my books, especially some free offers this summer related to the upcoming release of The Bow of Destiny, the first novel of The Bow of Hart Saga. Anyone who reserves a copy by 8/7 on Barnes & Noble, or iBooks (via the iTunes app) and emails me the screen-shot of the order will also receive a free coupon to download my e-book short story, The Black Bag containing a sample chapter of The Bow of Destiny. Additionally, August’s free e-book: Trading Knives is now available on Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble & Amazon.

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Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information – including email addresses – with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies (which is a WordPress.com function and not mine).

You can turn off the use of cookies at any time by changing your specific browser settings.

I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission.

This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on July 2nd, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: ph at phsolomon.com (replace the “at” with @, it’s written that way to avoid spammers).

 

Filed under: Amazon, An Arrow Against the Wind, Author Platform, Barnes & Noble, Blog Tour, Blogging, Brain to Books Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, iBooks, Indie Publishing, iTunes, Kobo, Mailing List, Marketing, Pinterest, Pre-order, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Smashwords, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Wattpad, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Coverart, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, iBooks, Indie Publishing, Kobo, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Self-publishing, Smashwords, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Trading Knives, Twitter, What is Needed, writing

Jane Austen, Programming Languages, and Being “That Guy” in the Writing Class

PHS:

An excellent piece on why good writing IS good writing and why it can be hard to recognize.

Originally posted on The Incompetent Writer:

Did you read the Buzzfeed piece that came out last month, about writing workshops and Pride and Prejudice, by Shannon Reed? “If Jane Austen Got Feedback From Some Guy In A Writing Workshop.”

Photo credit: Buzzfeed and Dan Meth

You should. It’s very funny.

Dear Jane,

I don’t usually read chick lit, but I didn’t hate reading this draft of your novel, which you’re calling Pride and Prejudice. I really liked the part where Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle went on a road trip, which reminded me of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (also about a road trip — check it out!).

I won’t lie. I like to think I’m not as sexist and priggish as this guy. Still, parts of Reed’s piece made me cringe in self-recognition.

I winced.

In a writing workshop, it’s easy (easy at least for me) to develop the exact tone (superior…

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Why Your Attention Span Is A Great Excuse For Someone Else’s Failure

PHS:

An interesting approach to why books are read – or not. Reblogging on Archer’s Aim.

Originally posted on Tara Sparling writes:

I wasn’t well last week, and ended up feeling dreadfully sorry for myself. Now, there’s nothing on earth can feel quite as sorry for itself as an Irish woman, so it can get quite dark. Anyhoo, as I lay prostrate, bemoaning the state of both my health and my immediate prospects, my lamentations eventually began to transfer themselves to the world outside as well.

And it’s a dark world, lads and lassies. Society is broken. Rent asunder by social media, reality television, celebrity gossip and cat memes. As a race, we have developed the attention span of a hungover goldfish. We can’t concentrate on anything longer than a Buzzfeed article called 21 Things Only People Who Wore Purple Underpants In 1991 Will Understand. And nobody reads full novels anymore.

My last post on e-book reading statistics – the fact that we now have access to better statistics not only on what books people are buying…

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8 Ways to Share You Book Events

In a recent guest post by Jill Bennett on Nicholas Rossis’ site about promoting your book, the writer shared that a writer should never shy away from sharing their book anywhere, any time. I’ve been interviewed on Beyond the Cover (hosted by Rave Waves/Rave Reviews Book Club) via Blog Talk Radio to promote The Bow of Destiny. I also have a number of events occurring before the release date.

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With each event, I’ll work to get the word out as much as possible – taking the advice from the aforementioned blog post.

Here are a 8 ways to share your events with the world:

1. Create an event on Facebook and share with all your followers/friends.

2. Create an event on Google+ and share with as many circles as possible.

3. Create an event on Goodreads and send it to all your friends there.

4. Create a Thunderclap and post it on all your social media channels.

5. Create some sort of calendar of events on your website so followers can keep up with them all.

6. Make note of an upcoming event to your mailing list – these are some of your best followers – just be careful not to spam them by sending too many messages and be appreciative in your messages.

7. Post the event on your Amazon author page. Now authors can be followed by readers so invite as many people as possible to follow you there. When something changes – like a book launch – your followers will be notified. If you have events posts your followers can see how to attend your events.

8. If you have a book trailer, add a list of your book release events and post it on YouTube – or make sure your events are posted on the page with the trailer.

BONUS: Of course you are going to tweet like crazy but also consider creating a Pinterest board for your release and add all the events as the are scheduled.

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Clip Art Image Copyright by Microsoft. Clip Art Used by Permission of Microsoft

What you need to include in your events or use to boost your message:

Any pertinent photos or artwork available
The event details – time, date, etc – make sure to include links.
A solid description of the event.
Mention any giveaways associated with each event.
Use social media cards to liven up your event announcements (didn’t do that for the interview but I will for upcoming events).

Don’t worry if you feel like you’ll be a bother posting so many places and sharing so much. Social media is very busy and people often miss all kinds of posts. Be willing to keep at it so as many people as possible take notice of your event so they can plan to attend. Also encourage everyone to share the event after they’ve marked the date in their calendar.

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Sign up for my Archer’s Aim Digest mailing list to receive the forthcoming edition of my newsletter with announcements about upcoming releases and events (this months volume has already gone out). Want to be listed in The Bow of Destiny credits? Join the Street Team to share upcoming links. Either way, you’ll be the first to have news about my books, especially some free offers this summer related to the upcoming release of The Bow of Destiny, the first novel of The Bow of Hart Saga. Anyone who reserves a copy by 8/7 on Barnes & Noble, or iBooks (via the iTunes app) and emails me the screen-shot of the order will also receive a free coupon to download my e-book short story, The Black Bag containing a sample chapter of The Bow of Destiny. Additionally, August’s free e-book: Trading Knives is now available on Wattpad until the final version goes to retailers (remaining free).

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information – including email addresses – with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies (which is a WordPress.com function and not mine).

You can turn off the use of cookies at any time by changing your specific browser settings.

I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission.

This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on July 2nd, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: ph at phsolomon.com (replace the “at” with @, it’s written that way to avoid spammers).

avoid spammers).

 

Filed under: Amazon, An Arrow Against the Wind, Archer's Aim Digest, Author Platform, Barnes & Noble, Blog Tour, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, iBooks, Indie Publishing, iTunes, Kobo, Mailing List, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Smashwords, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Wattpad, What is Needed, Writing, YouTube Tagged: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Beyond the Cover, Book Release, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, iBooks, Kobo, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Rave Reviews Book Club, Rave Waves, Smashwords, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Thunderclap, Trading Knives, Twitter, What is Needed, YouTube

3 Quotes – Chuck Palahniuk

PHS:

Good thoughts for writers – reblogging on Archer’s Aim.

Originally posted on My train of thoughts on...:

Chuck Palahniuk
(Charles Michael “Chuck” Palahniuk)

American novelist, essayist and journalist

born:

February 21, 1962 in Pasco, Washington, USA

http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/

My best advice for writers is: Have your adventures, make your mistakes, and choose your friends poorly – all these make for great stories.
+++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
The act of writing is a way of tricking yourself into revealing something that you would never consciously put into the world. Sometimes I’m shocked by the deeply personal things I’ve put into books without realizing it.
+++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
The unreal is more powerful than the real, because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it, because it’s only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles, wood rots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on.

Which is…

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Ten Things Not to Do On a Monday

PHS:

Ain’t it so – Mondays oft go so far astray – humorous thoughts to consider.

Originally posted on Fiction Favorites:

This list was inspired by facing Monday over 3800 times so far. Each and everyone was a little different, and it was not because of the day but rather because of the day before. Hope you enjoy it.

Ten Things Not to Do On a Monday

10 On Monday, do not bustle into the office as if you don’t have a hangover. If you do, at best you will broadcast your desperate condition. At worst, you may just burn out by ten o’clock and will have a rough time explaining how you managed to sleep at your desk until after everyone went home. (And you were drooling too)

9 On Monday, do not go into your boss’s office with a demand for higher pay. If you do, at best you can expect a locked door next time. At worst your boss is fighting a bad headache, and you are now…

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Do you remember?

PHS:

Really nice job with this micro-fiction.

Originally posted on fabricating fiction:

Do you remember choosing the kitchen lights my love?

The children thought it so funny they looked liked planets. Do you remember buying the glow in the dark stars, holding the ladder while I plastered the ceiling with our make believe universe? We would roll down the blackout blind shutting out the world, and lie on our sleeping bags on the kitchen floor concocting stories of rockets and aliens. We never thought things would change did we? That the children would grow, that we would age.

Do you remember those lights my love? Blink once for yes and twice for no.

Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story inspired on a photo prompt.

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5 Reasons Internal Dialogue is Essential in Fiction (And How to Use It in Your Story)

PHS:

This is very informative information about internal dialogue which is very helpful to those working on deeper POV techniques – reblogging on Archer’s Aim!

Originally posted on Kristen Lamb's Blog:

Today, I have a special treat for you guys. Author, speaker, editor and long-time W.A.N.A. International Instructor Marcy Kennedy is here to talk about internal dialogue—when to use it, why we use it and how not to get all cray-cray with it.

Trust us. As editors, Marcy and I see it all. Often newer writers swing to one extreme or another. Either they stay SO much in a character’s head that we (the reader) are trapped in The Land of Nothing Happening or we’re never given any insight into the character’s inner thought life, leaving said character as interesting as a rice cake.

Like all things in fiction, balance is key. Marcy is here to work her magic and teach y’all how to use internal dialogue for max effect.

Take it away, Marcy!

Understanding why something is important to our writing lays the foundation for bettering our writing because it…

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Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Meet Authors from Brain to Books Blog Tour Pt. 3

This is continuing feature on Archer’s Aim – Fantasy Authors Unplugged. I hope to frequently share an interview with a fantasy author. If you have authors to suggest and/or questions you’d like to see answered then leave a comment or send me an email. If you are a fantasy author and would like an interview please let me know and we’ll plan one that fits your schedule. Today and tomorrow, I’ll share some partial posts from fantasy authors in the Book to Brains Blog Tour ongoing this month. To see the full posts click the link at the end of the section:

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J. Edward Ritchie

Fast Facts:

Author: J. Edward Ritchie

Genre: Epic fantasy

Book: Fall From Grace from the Fall From Grace Series

Official Site

Bio

J. Edward Ritchie is a novelist/screenwriter specializing in world creation and action epics. A fan of all things genre from films to comics to video games, his work explores the intricate, primal balance between good and evil. He is dedicated to writing stories that embody the fantastical and uncompromising entertainment that has inspired his career.”

Read the extended bio here

Blurb

Heaven: a paradise of all that is pure in Creation. Led by brothers Michael and Satanail, the Angelic Host is a testament to cosmic harmony and love. When an unprecedented revelation threatens to uproot their peace, a schism splits the Host’s loyalties. Every angel has to make a choice: faith or freedom. Good or evil.

Salvation or damnation.

War consumes Heaven in the first and most destructive loss of life that Creation will ever know. As brother turns on brother, the fate of both Heaven and Earth rests in the hands of the Creator’s chosen son, Michael. How far will he go, what will he sacrifice in the name of their Father, to protect his family?

Witness the tragic downfall of a civilization as told from both sides of the bloody rebellion. More than myth, more than legend, Heaven’s war will forever stand as a harrowing warning that even the purest of souls can fall from grace.

Read the remainder of the post.

M.E. Vaughan

Fast Facts:

Author: M.E. Vaughan

Genre: Epic Fantasy, Celtic Mythology, Arthurian Legends

Book Title(s):　The Sons of Thestian from The Harmatia Cycle

Official Site

BIO

M.E. Vaughan was born in England on the 15th of September, 1992 under the full name ‘Madeleine Emily Vaughan’. In her life-time she has lived in an assortment of countries across Europe, the Middle & Far East, as well as a family home in Horsham, built in the middle of a dragon forest. During these travels she discovered a passion for stories which went on to encourage her to overcome problems with dyslexia and pursue her dream of writing.

In 2011 she undertook a Creative Writing degree at the University of Winchester, for which, in 2014 she received a 1:1. During this time, her short story The Seas Own was published in an anthology by Zharmae Publishing Press, who went on to pick up her trilogy The Harmatia Cycle. The first book　The Sons of Thestian　was written when Madeleine was 17, and was published in 2015.

Accomplishments: When Madeleine isn’t writing, she enjoys composing, drawing, reading and practising Washinkai Karate, for which she is a 1st Dan. She leads the local Folk & World Music Choir, runs Creative Writing workshops for Children, and is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Winchester.

Book blurb:

The Prince Jionathan is plagued by visions of death. With the King on his death-bed, and the tyrannical Queen in power, the Kingdom of Harmatia lies in peril. Fleeing the city in fear of his life, Jionathan is shadowed by Rufus Merle, a young, secretive magi tasked with bringing him home. Now, with the help of a fearsome sidhe warrior named Fae, they must traverse a dangerous faerie-wood together. Against bandits, faeries and cursed priestesses, these unlikely friends travel a path fraught with danger, not least from the blood-thirsty Night Patrol and the dark conspiracy that shrouds them.

See M. E’s full post.

If you’re a fantasy author and would like to be interviewed for “Fantasy Authors Unplugged” just contact me via email or one of my social media channels and we’ll set one up.

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Sign up for my Archer’s Aim Digest mailing list to receive the forthcoming edition of my newsletter with announcements about upcoming releases and events (this months volume has already gone out). Want to be listed in The Bow of Destiny credits? Join the Street Team to share upcoming links. Either way, you’ll be the first to have news about my books, especially some free offers this summer related to the upcoming release of The Bow of Destiny, the first novel of The Bow of Hart Saga. Anyone who reserves a copy by 8/7 on Barnes & Noble, or iBooks (via the iTunes app) and emails me the screen-shot of the order will also receive a free coupon to download my e-book short story, The Black Bag containing a sample chapter of The Bow of Destiny. Additionally, August’s free e-book: Trading Knives is now available on Wattpad until the final version goes to retailers (remaining free).

Follow Blog via Email

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Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information – including email addresses – with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies (which is a WordPress.com function and not mine).

You can turn off the use of cookies at any time by changing your specific browser settings.

I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission.

This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on July 2nd, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: ph at phsolomon.com (replace the “at” with @, it’s written that way to avoid spammers).

 

Filed under: Amazon, Blog Tour, Blogging, Books to Brains Blog Tour, Brain to Books Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Reblogs, Reviews, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Amazon, Angela Chrysler, Arthruian Legends, Blog Tour, Book to Brains Blog Tour, Celtic Mythology, Coverart, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fall From Grace, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Indie Publishing, J. Edward Ritchie, M. E. Vaughan, Marketing, Pinterest, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Sons of Thestian, Twitter, writing

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

You’ve often heard the simple notion expressed, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” It has a meaning that if you do nothing don’t expect anything. When it comes to building your email list, this is still true. But how you approach it can make a difference between gaining and losing people from your list.

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I recently approached my email list growth with some trepidation. Why? Well, none of us want to be, or feel like, we are being spammed. However, I was faced with a particular problem – converting blog followers to email list members.

For many self-hosted site owners followers and email list members are synonymous – whoever subscribes is a part of both sets. However, for someone like me who is hosted on WordPress, people can follow my site as a member of the WordPress community without subscribing to my email list (and there are those who do follow by email too who are email list members).

Clip Art Image Copyright by Microsoft. Clip Art Used by Permission of Microsoft

Some of my site members have made their email address available so I’ve collected these over time but resisted using them for my email list. However, I realized that these followers are valued members of my site community just as much as those on my mailing list who receive my newsletter, Archer’s Aim Digest. With that thought, I wanted to provide these WordPress followers the opportunity to receive my newsletter but I did not want to come across as a spammer and lose followers to my site.

This is a delicate issue and here’s how I approached it. I wrote a sincere email to these blog followers, thanking them for their time and loyalty to my site. The message also indicated that I was including them on my newsletter list but it also offered them the opportunity to opt-our of the subscription. However, I also indicated that anyone who did opt-out was still an appreciated part of my little area of the blogosphere.

What were the results? I had a good message open rate. Interestingly, there were less than 10 followers who chose to drop the newsletter subscription. However, most interestingly, none of those who stopped subscribing dropped off my site. Why? Well, obviously the act of opting-out is personal but these followers likely did so due to time which is very understandable. But the reason they stayed with the site is loyalty. I was careful to express that everyone matters and they still felt that they receive useful information through this site. They could easily have gotten upset and bailed on my site. However, they continued to feel welcome and valued as followers.

So when handling your mailing list, make sure you express your gratitude to your subscribers and make sure that they feel welcome. Approach each message you send with the sense that you respect each subscriber’s time as if it were your own. This, along with solid content, will build trust along with your list.

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Sign up for my Archer’s Aim Digest mailing list to receive the forthcoming edition of my newsletter with announcements about upcoming releases and events (this months volume has already gone out). Want to be listed in The Bow of Destiny credits? Join the Street Team to share upcoming links. Either way, you’ll be the first to have news about my books, especially some free offers this summer related to the upcoming release of The Bow of Destiny, the first novel of The Bow of Hart Saga. Anyone who reserves a copy by 8/7 on Barnes & Noble, or iBooks (via the iTunes app) and emails me the screen-shot of the order will also receive a free coupon to download my e-book short story, The Black Bag containing a sample chapter of The Bow of Destiny. Additionally, August’s free e-book: Trading Knives is now available on Wattpad until the final version goes to retailers (remaining free).

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information – including email addresses – with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies (which is a WordPress.com function and not mine).

You can turn off the use of cookies at any time by changing your specific browser settings.

I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission.

This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on July 2nd, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: ph at phsolomon.com (replace the “at” with @, it’s written that way to avoid spammers).

 

Filed under: Amazon, Archer's Aim Digest, Author Platform, Barnes & Noble, Blogging, Choices, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, iBooks, Indie Publishing, iTunes, Kobo, Mailing List, Marketing, Pinterest, Planning, Pre-order, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Smashwords, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Wattpad, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: An Arrow Against the Wind, Barnes and Noble, blogging, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, iBooks, Indie Publishing, Kobo, Launch, mailing list, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Smashwords, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Twitter, What is Needed, writing