P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 292

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Published on August 10, 2015 23:00

Scrivener Collections Pt. 4: Cut Those MS Weeds with Searches

Photo courtesy Morguefile.com free photos section.

Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.

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Just like with a garden, your manuscript needs to be weeded and using a collection in conjunction with searches. In my example from last week, I created a collection for my rough draft to structurally edit my book for style. Now I can add the specifics of what I want to do with this collection.

The last few weeks have been dedicated to the use of collections while editing a manuscript, using my ongoing rough draft, An Arrow Against the Wind, as an example. Part 1 was an introduction to collections. Part 2 covered creating a real-life collection from my manuscript complete with meta-data. Last week, part 3 scratched the surface of using multiple collections with the creation of a new one in my manuscript to edit style.

But, it’s important to be clear on the types of collections there are. So far, I’ve used standard collections but there are two other kinds of collections – Search Result Collections and Saved Search Result Collections. The first is used most commonly when you do a search from the upper-right of Scrivener (yes, if you’ve doing searches you’ve been using a collection all along). The next is when you save the search results as a collection.

Let’s take the Search Result Collection first in this discussion. Whenever you do a search it becomes part of the project in which you are working and can be recalled for future use. However, this collection cannot be edited. So in this instance, if you do a search it will return results specified such as finding all dialog tags using the word “said”. Every instance of said will be highlighted in the manuscript.

If I click on View, slide to collections and choose Search in the fly-out menu and the Search Results bar will appear (along with the results in the documents according to the criteria I’ve chosen). Also displayed are all the folders and scenes where the word appears. Incidentally, this also shows only one collection – to view them all in tabs click Collections in the fly-out menu.

However, I want to save this search into my own collection so I can use this whenever I want. Here’s how to add such a search result: with the Search term still in the upper-right at the spyglass icon, click the down arrow and at the end of the menu click on “Save Search as Collection”.

You will see a dialog box appear that allows you to name it and providing information about how to see it. Here’s the final result as I view all my collection tabs with the “said” tab showing.

I can also delete these tabs unlike the regular Search Results Collection tab. I can add as many of these as I need and remove them as I complete editing for them which makes my style editing much easier.

Are you using collections in Scrivener yet? How about searches and saved searches? 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).

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Just as a note: I am not affiliated with Scrivener in any official capacity. For support questions, pricing and other concerns please contact the vendor. However, I am working on becoming an affiliate for Scrivener ads since I like the product so much. I’m not required to write about Scrivener to be an affiliate; I just like it that much. For more about my FTC statement see my sidebar.

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: Blogging, Editing, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Wattpad, Writing Tagged: An Arrow Against the Wind, blogging, Collections, Editing, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Searches, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Smashwords, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, Tips, Twitter, writing

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Published on August 09, 2015 23:00

Lost Your Scratchpad? Here It Is In Scrivener!

Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.

If you read this blog very much then you know I like finding and figuring out how to use the various tools and settings in Scrivener so I can write more efficiently. I also like to share these usage tips so other authors also benefit from Scrivener . With that in mind, I’m sharing another tool in Scrivener that you may not know about: the Scratchpad.

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First let’s find out how to open this tool. Click on Tools and then on Scratchpad (from the keyboard that’s CTR + Shift + 0 (that the numerical zero not the letter O).

Opening Scratchpad gives you this basic window.

But what’s the purpose of this tool? If you use the Inspector you may already use the Document Notes to add various details to a document in progress. But Scratchpad is just what is sounds like – that scratchpad you keep by your computer and take ad hoc notes. Guess what? Scratchpad in Scrivener acts the same way but you can do more like send it directly to a project that you currently have open.

So here’s how it goes – say you are like me and have several projects open. I might be journaling or revising or whatever and a stray thought hits me about something else I’ve got open. This happens to me especially while I’m journaling. I might write the thought down in my journal and there it stays until I want to put it in the appropriate project. Then I have to go searching through my journal trying to remember what day I wrote the note. The same thing happens with that scratchpad by your computer.

With the Scrivener Scratchpad you can just open it and put the note there. If you have the project open that relates to the note you can send it to that project. Here’s how – at the bottom-center of the Scratchpad is the “Send file to Scrivener” button. Click on this and you are shown all the projects you have open. From there you get a series of fly-out menus that allows you to drill as far down as necessary in your project and send the note to the chosen location. There are 2 choices – sending the note to the location you choose or appending the text to the location you choose. In other words it will either copy the note directly to the chosen location or place the content directly in that location.

How does that work? I just wrote an example note and sent the copy to this post in my Blogs 2015 project. It creates a sub-document to the document in which the text is located. No more lost notes, now it’s in a specific location.

When I choose to append, it puts the text at the very end of the document. This is handy for something like what I was doing last night and should have used the Scratchpad for instead of bouncing around between projects to do. I had placed some notes in my journal about my novella, What Is Needed, regarding a change to the ending. I could have easily used Scratchpad to write that ending and, as long as the project was open, append that content to What Is Needed.

You can write in a document while the Scratchpad is open so if you work on a large screen or multiple montiors you can drag it around and leave it open. Also, there’s a feature to print contents of your screen and save it or even choose part of a document to print to screen like this:

So Scrivener’s Scretchpad is a simple tool for making notes and inserting them into documents or making screenshots that you can save or insert as a note somewhere else. It’s a handy tool I plan to use more often. Since you can use the keyword to turn it on quickly, you can use the same keyboard command to close it so you can toggle in and out of Scratchpad as needed. Give it a try and see what you can do to better track your odd notes, ideas and such and then insert them as necessary into other projects.

Do you often lose track of your notes either on paper or in Scrivener? If you use Scratchpad, how do you make use of it?

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).

Just as a note: I am not affiliated with Scrivener in any official capacity. For support questions, pricing and other concerns please contact the vendor. However, I am working on becoming an affiliate for Scrivener ads since I like the product so much. I’m not required to write about Scrivener to be an affiliate; I just like it that much. For more about my FTC statement see my sidebar.

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: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Scratchpad, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, writing

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Published on August 08, 2015 23:00

Configuring Your Document Templates in Scrivener

Scrivener is a powerful writing tool. I write about it weekly with tips and usage ideas. To read more of my posts click the Scrivener tag or category at the end of the page.

I had a question from a new follower to the blog in the comments section about formatting a document template. She wanted to know how to work with the document template to retain formatting. I’ve answered the question but I thought I’d go a little further with it in a post to add more details.

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As for formatting a document template there are any number of ways to accomplish this to suit your needs. You may simply want to add specific content, fonts, spacing, etc. Depending on what your needs are there are several points to discuss.

1. If you desire the font to be formatted consistently this is a straightforward matter. While clicked into the document template (cursor blinking like you’re ready to type), you can change the font settings from the Format Bar that is usually turned on by default. If yours isn’t turned on click on Format and slide down the menu and click on Format Bar. It will appear at the top of the editor. From here you can change what the font is, the size and whether it’s set to Bold, Itlacs or Underline (or any combination of the three). Additionally, you can also set the alignment and any other miscellaneous settings available.

2. If you want specific space formatted you’ll need to access that by clicking on Format, sliding to Text to get the fly-out menu and click on spacing. From the window that appears you can configure spacing for indention, single/double space, etc.

3. If you work with presets (which appear in the left end of the Format Bar), you can choose one of Scrivener’s default ones or create a new one yourself.

4. If you are adding a table or list to your document template you can format these from the Format Bar

5. Explore other settings in the Format menu or the Format Bar – these may not be needed for a document template since many are for changing formatting in existing documents (more on these another day).

6. Add re-usable content such as a common introduction or ending for a blog post to the document template. Remember what you add as content or formatting to your document template will be automatically in any new documents you create using it. With this fact in mind, be aware of what you add and format. Can you add more content? Think about what you click to change whenever you create a new document – that’s what you want to configure in your document template.

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).

Just as a note: I am not affiliated with Scrivener in any official capacity. For support questions, pricing and other concerns please contact the vendor. However, I am working on becoming an affiliate for Scrivener ads since I like the product so much. I’m not required to write about Scrivener to be an affiliate; I just like it that much. For more about my FTC statement see my sidebar.

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: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Non-fiction, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Document Template, Editing, Facebook, Formatting, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing

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Published on August 07, 2015 23:00

The Week in Review: August 7th

Here’s another review of the week for those interested in what’s appeared on the blog this week and what I’ve been reading.

Scrivener Collections Pt. 3: Getting at the Facets of Your Writing
The Bow of Destiny News: The Interview & a Special Request
Blog Tour Featuring Jason Zandri & As Life Goes: Elementary
Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Schedule Re-Cap
Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Meet Authors From Brain to Book Blog Tour
Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Meet Authors from Brain to Books Blog Tour Pt. 2

New From Archer’s Aim This Past Week:

Reblogs From The Past Week:

Deleting Dotted Lines in Word
Ten things I’ve learned from my copyeditor

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The Week Ahead:

Tomorrow, I’ll be interviewed on Beyond the Cover by Beem Weeks – join the Thunderclap and then listen in at Noon CST.

One Monday, I’ll have another post about Scrivener collections covering further uses for this tool. I’ll have a few more bits of news regarding The Bow of Destiny and share more authors from the Brain to Book Blog Tour. I’m also working on a few posts that contain some helpful information. It should be a fun week!

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: 4WillsPublishing, Amazon, Arise To Fall, As Life Goes: Elementrary, Author Platform, Blog Tour, Blogging, Brain to Books Blog Tour, C. P. Bialois, Can't Look Back, Carol Marrs Phipps, Chris Kennedy, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Daniel Adorno, David Gilchrist, Doom, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Heart of the Staff, Indie Publishing, Jason Hein, Jason LInk, Jason Zandri, Jenny S. Burke, Mailing List, Marketing, Matt Grawitch, Michael Davies, Mist Falcon, Pangea, Path of the Warrior, Pinterest, Pure Magic, Rave Review Book Club, Ryan Doughan, Self-publishing, Tapasya, The Black Bag, The Blade Heir, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, The Dragon Dreamer, The Legender, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Three Wizards Chronicles, The Varsian Kingdom, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Thy Kingdom Come, Tips, Trading Knives, Twitter, Wattpad, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: 4WillsPublishing, Amazon, Blog Talk Radio, Blog Tour, blogging, Brain to Book Blog Tour, Coverart, Facebook, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Jason Zandri, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Rave Reviews Book Club, Scrivener, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, Week in Review, What is Needed, writing

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Published on August 06, 2015 23:00

Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Meet Authors from Brain to Books Blog Tour Pt. 2

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:

Alexandar Tomov

Fast Fact

Author: Александър Томов　 a.k.a. Alexandar Tomov, Jr.

Genre: Absurd, dystopia, fantasy, fiction, post-apocalyptic, grotesque, and drama.

Books: Beyond the Absurd

Goodreads Author Page

Bio

Alexander Tomov Jr. was born on June 3, 1982 in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. He is freelance writer and film director who is looking for realization abroad. His work consists of short stories and short films. The author creates non standard points of view toward the world and the human existence. Some of his stories are hypotheses for the development of society and civilization and for the evolution of human nature in far future.

Blurb

“Beyond the Absurd” is book for everyone, who is interested about deep soul horizons and grotesque abyss of Absurd. This book contains very short stories in genres Absurd, dystopia, fantasy, fiction, post – apocalyptic and grotesque and drama. In my work there is strange viewpoint about human existence, imagination and mind. I try to describe absurdity of the world and life and also to find some deep, invisible connections in the flow of time.

See the full post.

Ryan Guy

Fast Facts

Author: Ryan Guy

Genre: YA Humor/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Book: Atomic Aardvark

Bio

After several years with the Royal Military Police, Ryan Guy was attached to the SIB (Special Investigative Branch), the plain-clothes branch of the RMP. He left the military in 2003 and has been working since then in the civilian security ind– wait a minute– this is someone else’s made up backstory for their pseudonym, and it doesn’t add any credibility to the themes addressed in Atomic Aardvark. Let me try again.

In his youth, Ryan Guy was raised by a feral pack of aardvarks which roamed the Midwest, particularly the upper climes of the Rocky Mountains. His tenure with the nomadic animals was his inspiration for Atomic Aardvark. ‘Ryan Guy’ is a pseudonym because people tend to butcher the name his aardvark clan gave him– a name which, unfortunately, cannot be accurately represented with any combination of ASCII characters.

Author Accomplishments: In addition to having written a book, Ryan Guy contributes to the online website YA Love Magazine, where all things YA (including Indie Books) are discussed.

Blurb

The good, the bad, and the Surly.

What do you get when you cross an aardvark, a skunk, and a couple of star-crossed lovers with technology and a series of cataclysmic events?
Atomic Aardvark– An exciting, comedy-action-suspense-with-a-little-bit-of-romance fantasy novel. Guaranteed to be the best one I’ve ever written. Read it! It’s better than this summary. Much longer, too.

Read the full post

Ann Livi Andrews

Just the Facts

Author: Ann Livi Andrews

Genre: Apocalyptic, Superhero, Fantasy

Book: Hollow Towns

Click to find the whole post for more.

Bio

While it’s true that I was the girl who got in trouble for sneaking flashlights and notebooks into my room in case of late night inspirations and that my teachers caught me writing down ideas instead of class notes while in school and college, I’m no longer that young girl.

After self-publishing several short stories in early 2012, my writing career stalled as I realized that I was pregnant and then my son made an early escape from his “jail” and entered the world two months prematurely. This turned my husband and I’s world upside down. But, he was healthy and we were quickly sent home with a 4 lb bundle of joy.

Being a stay at home mom has been a joy that I’m grateful for. Not only do I get to watch my son grow, but I have the time (most days) to work on the ideas sprinting through my head.

Early in 2015, I realized that it wasn’t enough for me to just write. I wanted to offer the help that no one offered me as an indie author several years prior. So I began a Goodreads group called Support for Indie Authors. Almost three months later and we are at 800 members and have a wide range of resources available for indie authors who are overwhelmed with self-publishing. I do my part by featuring Indie Authors on my blog and helping to promote their work. And I have three moderators who are just as excited to help other indie authors as I am: Riley Westbrook, V.M. Sawh, and B.B. Wynter.

My ultimate goal is to open a publishing company that offers the author more control that they’re usually given, with editing, formatting, and marketing options available. It’s a big world full of people who love to read. There’s no reason for so many wonderful authors to be buried under “more popular” authors simply because they don’t have the appropriate marketing budget. There’s no shortage of readers, so why should authors be competitive with one another?

Accomplishments

Initiated SIA #SupportIndieAuthors

Blurb

The end did not come swiftly as media and literature had predicted. There was no deadly virus released to wipe out humanity. There was no meteor on course to collide with earth. There was no Biblical flood or fire and brimstone. And there was no army of the undead to rise up against the living.　 In fact, no one knew where or when it began. It was suspected to have first occurred in some remote village without the means to report what was happening. Even when it began to be reported, no one understood what was happening, so no one was alarmed. They were just lightning storms. First came a thick, gray cloud covering that blocked out the entire sky and all light. Then the steady and unending drizzle of rain that never turned into a downpour, but never lightened up either. Then there were reports of lightning. But no one took notice. After all, who cared about a mild storm? It wasn’t until the cloud bank reached Spain, and then France, that the panic began to rise.　 This installment of the Hollow Towns series includes Hannah and Minutemen, but also introduces two new characters who must choose whether to aid or hinder Charlie in his quest.

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Joshua Robertson

Just the Facts

Name: Joshua Robertson

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Book: Melkorka of the Thrice Nine Legends series Official Site

Bio

Joshua began crafting the world for his dark fantasy series, Thrice Nine Legends, in 1999. Melkorka, the first book of the series, was published in 2015. The sequel, Dyndaer, will be released in January 2016. He is also the author of the A Midwinter Sellsword and Gladiators and Thieves in the Hawkhurst Saga. His story, Grimsdalr, is inspired by the tale of Beowulf. Joshua　currently lives in Alaska with his wife and children.

Melkorka Blurb

Kaelandur was forged by the Highborn to slay one of their own, Nedezhda Mager. As their slave, Branimir Baran never thought to question his cruel masters until he is forced to take part in the execution. His actions begin a chain of events that will lead him to confront demons, cannibals, and himself as he is forced to question his own morality and the true meaning of good and evil.

Book Synopsis

Melkorka

Branimir is a slave to the mighty Highborn. Unwittingly, his masters forge a copper dagger capable of destroying the Ash Tree. Drawn along on the quest to remedy the mistake of his masters, Branimir becomes the most unlikely of heroes in an inimical world of magic and mayhem.

Read the entire post here.

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

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, Author Platform, Blog Tour, Blogging, Brain to Books Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Mailing List, Marketing, Pinterest, Science Fiction, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Alexandar Tomov, Amazon, Ann Livi Andrews, Blog Tour, blogging, Brain to Book Blog Tour, Coverart, Facebook, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Joshua Robertson, Pinterest, Ryan Guy, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter, writing

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Published on August 05, 2015 23:00

Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Meet Authors From Brain to Book Blog Tour

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:

Marco Marek

Fast Facts

Author: Marco Marek

Genre: Fantasy

Book: Hyperearth

Read the rest of the post including the excerpt.

Bio

Marco Marek was born in Turin, Italy. He always had a fervid imagination and a passion for fantasy stories, medieval magicians, ancient history, and unexplained mysteries. While he was visiting a castle in Eastern Europe, he had the idea of writing Hyperearth.

Apart from writing, Marco is also a painter and photographer, he likes digital artwork on Photoshop.　The cover of Hyperearth is his creation. He loves traveling when he has some free time.

Accomplishments

To sign a contract with a publisher

Blurb

Mary and Martina alone in this unknown dimension, they will succeed to go back home safe and sound? Read it to discover it !

Review

Enticing cover and story, June 24, 2015

By susanne leist, author of The Dead Game

This review is from: Hyperearth (Kindle Edition)

The story is as enticing as the book’s cover. It is full of fantasies and creatures. Perfect for children and adults. Mary and Martina, two teenage girls, find a portal in a castle to a new dimension. There they must fight an evil wizard named Sathon. Their adventures are unlimited in scope like the author’s imagination.

Dexx Peay

Fast Facts

Author: Dexx Peay (Pronounced P)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Book: The Revealing from the　The Chronicles of Fire and Ice series

Read the rest of the post here.

Bio

Dexx was born in Germany, grew up in Tennessee, educated in Alabama, and now residing in Texas. As a child his imagination was forever running rampant, spending time with imaginary friends and getting lost in fantasy and mystery books. When he was inducted into an elite writing club at his elementary school, he knew then he wanted to be a writer and novelist as an adult. As he got older, he suppressed his creative side and studied biology in college. It wasn’t until the voices of Marcus and Dylan began talking to him day and night that he decided to pick up the pen again.

Accomplishments

Dexx works in the medical field and spent seven years as a soldier of the Army National Guard. He came up with the idea for the plot while deployed to Iraq in 2010.

Blurb

Marcus and Dylan were born right into the middle of a three thousand year old war. Only problem, they didn’t know it existed.

My parents gave me up for adoption, and left me with nothing. Eighteen years later, I collected my inheritance: a set of ancient journals, the power to shoot fire from my hands, and the secret to who I really am—a Xarponian. My name is Marcus Peterson, the kid who plays with fire… It was cool when I found out I could shoot ice particles from my hands. Something like the Avengers —until the attacks started. Having random people try and kill me was not on my list of things to do. I don’t even know why they want me dead, I am not like them. I’m not even marked. I don’t know what I am. I’m Dylan Perry, the coolest kid in town…

With the War of the Xarponians and Qihar taking place on Earth, Marcus and Dylan must learn to harness their new found abilities while balancing being sons, students, but most importantly, best friends.

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Les Lynam

Just the Facts

Author: Les Lynam Genre: YA Science Fiction (Time-Travel) Book: …Before You Leap from the Time Will Tell series

Bio

Les Lynam (1954- ) was born in Creston, Iowa, into a farming family which also included an older brother and two older sisters. The family farm was near the tiny community of Corning, Iowa, (birthplace of Johnny Carson). After graduating from Corning High School, he attended Central Missouri State University (renamed University of Central Missouri in 2006), graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. After a short, mostly unsuccessful, attempt at running a print shop, he refocused and returned to a life of studies at the University of Missouri. He received an M.A./M.L.S in 1986 and began a new career as a librarian at Ward Edwards / James C. Kirkpatrick libraries at UCM. He took an early retirement on December 31, 2012 to pursue his lifelong dream of writing Science Fiction. His premier novels, “…Before You Leap” and “…Saves Nine”, were first published in 2014 with hopes and dreams of many more to come. His favorite sub-genre of Science Fiction is Time-Travel, with Martian Colonies a close second. He has one son and three grandchildren.

Blurb

Two teens from two centuries apart, one the direct descendant of the other. Einstein’s Theory didn’t cover THIS relativity.

Sean Kelly considered himself an average 16-year-old, living in an average neighborhood in a small University town. Nothing too exciting ever happened in Grover’s Corners, Missouri; some might even label it boring. His ordinary life was disrupted when a distant relative dropped by at the beginning of his Junior year in high-school. A distant relative from the 23rd Century.

Read the full post here.

Deidre Mapstone

Just the Facts

Author: Deidre Mapstone Genre: YA Fantasy

Book: Sigrun of the Bandamann Saga Official Site

Bio

Deidre Mapstone grew up in Rochester, New York. She’s a city girl who spent her summers on Canandaigua Lake. She had the best of both worlds, and a most cheery childhood.

She married her high school sweetheart right out of college, and a few years later started their family. They now have three children, the first to soon attend college.

Being busy raising three children, Deidre didn’t discover writing as an occupation until later. She wrote things throughout her life, but didn’t think she’d ever have anything published. That is, until self publishing came along.

The self publishing world opened up possibilities to Deidre that before, she just thought of as dreams and ideas.

With encouragement from her writing daughter and her husband, Deidre wrote a dream down that spun into a story and blossomed into her first novel, Sigrun, the Bandamann Saga.

She has discovered and fallen in love with the world of writing, and hopes to bring many of her ideas to others!

Blurb

The Lundgrens own and operate Sigrun:

A family restaurant on the shores of Mount Desert Island, Maine. They are a hard working, every day, American family. But like every family, they have their secrets, some stranger than others. The way these secrets unfold may surprise you.

Their tale begins with a familial ease considered unique to most, but their seemingly perfect relationships are ordinary compared to what hides beneath the surface.

See the rest of the 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).

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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, Author Platform, Blog Tour, Brain to Books Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Pinterest, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter, Wattpad, Writing Tagged: Amazon, Angela Chrysler, Before You Leap, Blog Tour, Brain to Book Blog Tour, Coverart, Deidre Mapstone, Dexx Peay, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Hyperearth, Indie Publishing, Les Lynam, Marco Marek, Marketing, Pinterest, Self-publishing, Sigrun Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Social Media, The Revealing, Twitter, writing

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Published on August 05, 2015 11:49

Ten things I’ve learned from my copyeditor

PHS:

Very interesting insights – reblogging on Archer’s Aim.

Originally posted on AnaSpoke.com:

Despite being the single highest cost of self-publishing so far, the copyedit will be the one expense I will never regret.

That would have been the list if this article was entitled “A single most important thing I’ve learned”. But it’s not, so there are ten more below. Which I guess makes it eleven…never mind! Anyway, after getting eight quotes and four samples from Australian and American editors, I chose Lu Sexton of A Story to Tell to copyedit Shizzle, Inc and I’m blown away with the results. To be honest, I had a lot of reservations about paying for editing. After all I’ve already had a structural edit; I’ve revised the draft no less than a hundred times myself; I speaka English real good. Handing over cash for a promise of making your draft better is scary, even if that promise comes with a professional reputation and an exceptional…

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Published on August 05, 2015 08:50

Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Schedule Re-Cap

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.

There’s no one on the schedule this week for Fantasy Authors Unplugged so here’s a recap of the last several months of authors:

At the end of April, Tamie Dearen shared about her YA fantasy novel, Alora: The Wander Jewel

For May, the following authors appeared on Archer’s Aim for Fantasy Authors Unplugged:

Michael Davies – Path of the Warrior which has since been released.

Carol Marrs Phipps shared, Doom, the latest title in The Heart of the Staff series

Harmony Kent also appeared for her book, Elemental Earth.

Last in May, Nicholas Rossis was interviewed for Virgil – the third book of his Pearseus series

June was also a busy month with fantasy writers:

First up was Ryan Doughan sharing Mist Falcon.

C. P. Bialois appeared and discussed his writing including The Winter Creek Hunter.

David Gilchrist also made an appearance for his book,Tapasya.

And rounding out the month was Matt Grawitch with his Rise of the Dead Magic.

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July was equally busy with five fantasy authors interviewed:

Chris Kennedy lead off the month with Can’t Look Back.

J. S. Burke appeared the next week with The Dragon Dreamer.

Jason Link paid Archer’s Aim a visit with his book, The Legender.

Jason Hein shared his first book of The Varsian Kingdom: A Rise to Fall.

And last week, Daniel Adorno made his second appearance for which releases today.

All of the authors did a great job with their interviews. I appreciated them all taking time out of their busy schedules to answer questions. I hope all the readers will take a look at these authors and consider supporting their writing efforts.

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

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, Arise To Fall, Author Platform, Barnes & Noble, C. P. Bialois, Can't Look Back, Carol Marrs Phipps, Chris Kennedy, Cover Reveal, Daniel Adorno, David Gilchrist, Doom, Elemental Earth, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Fantasy Fiction, Fiction, Goodreads, Heart of the Staff, Indie Publishing, Jason Hein, Jason LInk, Jenny S. Burke, Jenny S. Burke, Mad Water, Marketing, Matt Grawitch, Michael Davies, Mist Falcon, Nicholas Rossis, Pangea, Path of the Warrior, Pearseus, Pinterest, Pure Magic, Rave Review Book Club, Rise of the Prince, Runaway Smile, Ryan Doughan, Schism, Science Fiction, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tamie Dearen, Tapasya, The Black Bag, The Blade Heir, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, The Dragon Dreamer, The Dragon Dreamer, The Genesis Saga, The Glade, The Legender, The Sword and the Flame: The Forging, The Three Wizards Chronicles, The Varsian Kingdom, The Winter Creek Beast, The Winter Creek Hunter, Thy Kingdom Come, Trading Knives, Twitter, Vigil, Wattpad, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: Amazon, C. P. Bialois, Carol Marrs Phipps, Chris Kennedy, Coverart, Daniel Adorno, David Gilchrist, Epic Fantasy, Facebook, Fantasy, Fantasy Authors Unplugged, Goodreads, Harmony Kent, Indie Publishing, Jason Hein, Jason Link, Jenny S. Burke, Marketing, Matt Grawitch, Michael Davies, Nicholas Rossis, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Ryan Doughan, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tamie Dearen, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, writing