P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 307
April 13, 2015
Release Announcement: What Is Needed
Just sharing an announcement for an upcoming book release. What Is Needed, which appeared here as a fiction blog series, will be converted to an e-book novella (and possibly a limited hard-cover edition).
This story covers the events around several characters appearing in The Bow of Destiny as a prequel to the The Bow of Hart Saga. I hope to secure a cover design during May. I also intend to begin final additions and editing later this month to have it out as an e-book in early June.
Regarding The Bow of Destiny, I am currently in the middle of a structural revision, followed by detailed editing by my editor during May. After that, I will complete a final revision and have a few beta readers provide their opinions during the early summer. The current target date for e-book release is late-September or early October depending on the amount of changes required. I’ll also spend the summer preparing for the release in detail.
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Photo from the book trailer for The Bow of Destiny
I also hope to have book two, An Arrow Against the Wind, ready for a structural edit by late June thought that may be a bit ambitious with all the other projects (I’m hoping to be quite productive during May while book one is with the editor). I don’t have a release date yet for this book though I should announce that with the release of The Bow of Destiny.
Book three, The White Arrow, will be outlined with the rough draft completed around edits of the other two books and their releases.
It’s a busy year for this fantasy series but it’s time to release it to the world. There are 
many more fiction projects that I want to write. I’ll update progress periodically with posts on the News page and details on this blog.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Amazon, Archer's Aim Digest, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Editing, Fantasy, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Planning, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, The White Arrow, Twitter, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: An Arrow Against the Wind, Announcement, Coverart, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Rave Reviews Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Bow of Hart Saga, The White Arrow, Twitter, What is Needed, writing
April 12, 2015
Keywords & Project Searches 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.
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Recently, I’ve written a few posts about the Inspector and it value as well as using one of its features – Snapshots. Today, I’m following up on those posts with more about the Inspector’s features – this time examining Keywords in a little more detail.
First let’s cover the basics of getting to the Keywords on the Inspector. To turn on the Inspector click on View => Layout and then click on Inspector or use the keyboard shortcut: CTRL + Shift + I.
Next enter Keywords by clicking on the Inspector menu button at the bottom – it’s got the icon of a key as pictured here:
You’ll see Synopsis and a card for Keywords, then the General Meta-Data and next the area where you can work with Keywords. Here you can click + or – to add keywords or the gear icon which has the same options plus the choice to show keywords. You can also access Keywords on the Projects menu and clicking Project Keywords (CTRL + Shift + O).
So what’s important about keywords? These are words that make your project easily search-able and they are subset of managing Meta-Data which essentially is like using Post-It Notes you can color-code, etc. The same goes for Keywords and color-coding. This is a function that’s certainly handy while editing non-fiction. I can also see this function as highly useful in fiction projects – especially like fantasy and science-fiction where custom name usage is very common and important to keep consistent.
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But why are searches important for your manuscript? Easily finding and editing details of keywords is important to all writers. For a fantasy writer like me, editing for consistency and spelling accuracy throughout the project is necessary. For example, I’m currently revising The Bow of Destiny for a detailed edit next month after which I’ll be revising again. Changes in key points may be necessary and I would want to create keywords to make sure I’m consistent throughout the manuscript. Likewise, I have a short story that’s almost ready for submission but needs a final edit. Tracking some keywords can help insure I keep details clear and consistent throughout the project.
In the coming weeks, I’ll discuss more about Meta-Data and its value. I also want to get into other cool Scrivener tools that may just help you as you write.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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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.
Filed under: Blogging, Creativity, Editing, Fantasy, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Formatting, Indie Publishing, Keywords, P. H. Solomon, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing
April 10, 2015
Managing Scrivener Projects & Templates Pt. 1
Scrivener has been a key component to improving my productivity this year. I’ve recently written about various uses for Scrivener such as blog posts, newsletters and even template email messages. Additionally, I’ve shared about using Scrivener templates including some resources for these. In this post I want to delve deeper into template creation and usage. By next week, I intend to create a basic template that I can post for download on my website that I hope may be useful.
Why Use Scrivener Templates
Templates are used for quickly creating projects by type so that you don’t have to configure your new projects from scratch each time you create one. Using templates can be a time saver that allows writers of all kinds to tap their creativity almost immediately. This is important since spending time on minute details can undermine your writing with distractions.
There are several ways you can approach creating a template. If you want something for your most common type of writing then you might want to create a template. For instance, if you write short stories, there is already one in Scrivener. However, I’ve downloaded one specific for speculative fiction that’s geared towards magazine markets that are accepted by SFWA. In this case, the template has common traits expected for submission to these short fiction markets which is a great help. I don’t need to think about the specifics of manuscript format so I can get down to business. In this kind of template usage each short story is created as an individual project.
However, if you are working on a larger project of repetitive actions – such as blogging or a regular newsletter – you may want to have a template that covers the whole year. In such a template you can create individual blog posts or newsletter volumes by adding folders and sub-folders in the binder as you go. The point here is saving time by avoiding creation of whole new, blank projects and then trying to keep up with them. Instead, all your blogs, newsletters, etc, are organized in one macro-project.
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Compiling Individual Projects in a Macro-Project
How are these individual projects compiled instead of compiling the whole project? Here are the basic instructions:
1. Click File to expand the menu.
2. Click Compile to open the Compile window:
3. From here I can choose an individual blog to compile by de-selecting everything but the blog I’m currently publishing.
4. Next choose the formatting by clicking the “Compile For:” menu. For a blog post you might choose an html format:
5. Now you click compile to proceed with completion of the function (and yes, I’m compiling this post when completed).
This is particularly helpful if you want to organize your projects differently. Let’s go back to the short story template. You could organize one large project for all your short stories so that all of them are together. Compiling one folder or text container allows you to prepare one story at a time for submission or posting somewhere.
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Creating a Template in Scrivener
Creating a template is a rather simple matter for those who haven’t done so yet. Here are the basic instructions:
1. Open a new project and name it.
2. Since you are making a project you will configure it how you want.
3. Once you have the template setup to the basic configuration you want it is ready to save.
4. Click File and then on “Save As Template…” and proceed to create the template.
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Importing Templates into Scrivener
Once you’ve created your template you then need to import the template. Here are those instructions:
1. Click on File and then New Project to get the appropriate window.
2.Click on the Options menu in the lower left of the pane and choose “Import Templates…”
3. As part of the import process you have the options to choose what category the template should be place in as well as an associated image for the template.
So these are the instructions for compiling individual projects, creating templates and importing templates in Scrivener. For more information consult the Help menu.
Next week, I hope to have completed a template or two to begin sharing for download for those interested. Check back for the post.
Are you using Scrivener and templates? What templates have you created and why? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Screenshot of Scrivener from my own projects.
Also, in no way do I represent Scrivener or sell the product. All questions about the product, its sales, support and licensing for your own computing needs should be referred to the company.
Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Fantasy, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Scrivener, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing
April 9, 2015
2015 Author Cyber Convention – Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to this scavenger hunt and thanks for participating in the convention.
Here’s my question: Who does Coryss meet after delivering her challenge to the witches?
Answer: Enthriel
Now find the answers to the following question by visiting the links below if you haven’t already:
What Element does Ria control?
Who is chosen to lead the 6 Armies?
Back to the convention fairgrounds or back to my booth. You can also stop by Stan Sudan’s site for some cotton candy or chicken soup – if you’ve been sick like me!
Please visit the convention scavenger hunt section with your answers. The prizes are listed here on Rafflecopter. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: 2015 Author Cyber Convention, A New Dawning, Autumn Birt, Blood Moon Sacrifice, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Ed Ireland, Fantasy, Fiction, Fire At Dawn, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Self-publishing, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Social Media, Stormrider, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, The Broken King, The Last Ranger of Sarn, Twitter, Writing Tagged: 2015 Author Cyber Convention, Coverart, Ed Ireland, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Giveaway, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Rafflecopter, Scavenger Hunt, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag Autumn Birt, Twitter
Blog Tour: PROGENY OF A KILLER
Today, I’m happy to host Jean Shorney and her newly released book Progeny of a Killer. Take it away, Jean!
Overloading Plots and Tangents
Without the steadying influence of my proofreader, I can become a wayward writer. That is I tend to write everything that pops into my head. I go off on tangents. For example Progeny Of A Killer began life as two stories (and two different genres). Basically the book was intended to be a terrorism thriller, which is what it became. Thoroughly focussed on that one theme, but there was so much other stuff going on in Aidan McRaney’s life. His problems with his young bride. Her insecurities that all the women he had previously dated were tall, sexy redheads or sophisticated blondes. Whereas Caitlan was short, with mousy dark hair, and barely twenty when he fell in love with her. Her hang-ups lead her, beneath the jealous influence of one of her husband’s ex girlfriend’s, to try and change her appearance, much to Aidan’s disdain.
So I needed to combat this. The novel was either a thriller or a Romance. There was only one option left to me. The novel needed to ‘rest’. ‘Progeny’ did just that. I left the draft alone for four months until I was ready to try again. This time I was ready to prune. Progeny Of A Killer became a terrorism thriller, with Aidan McRaney working for the underground Agency, infiltrating fellow Irishman Danny Corrigan’s lair.
Overloading plots are another problem for me. While writing one novel, other ideas spring up and I have difficulty keeping them in. The resting period helps, but there is nothing worse, than getting halfway through a story and you really want to start another. Should the time come when you have to force yourself to continue, then you need to either rest your book, or give up the story altogether.
Your book maybe your baby. You’ve spent solitary hours writing it, but your best friend has to be a good proofreader/editor. There are some bad ones out there, who’ll charge you a fortune for their services. I was once charged over a thousand pound for a forty chapter book only to be told the editing was bad. Let’s just say I trust my proofreader more than I trust myself.
Coping with Rejection.
I was far more anxious at being rejected by a publisher than ever being rejected by a man. Let’s face it, the baby you’ve nurtured and loved those past few weeks/months/years, is finally sent into the outside world (well, at least in the form of an enquiry letter and three sample chapters). What about those enquiry letters hey? One I sent a few years ago, was discovered two years later, and replied to only after they moved offices. I did however succeed in grabbing the attention of an agent, which I’ll enter into more in the post on My Writing Journey.
So how did I cope with knowing my novel might have landed on the slush pile, was used to swat a persistent fly, or did not fit into their lists?
I cried buckets. What else? But I was reminded of the old song ‘Brush yourself off and start all over again’. Like falling off a bicycle or a horse, you climb back into the saddle, while a few tears never go amiss.
Rejection doesn’t have to mean failure. Apparently Kathryn Stockett, who wrote ‘The Help’ now a major film, was rejected one hundred times. J.K. Rowling rejected fifteen times. The crime writer Raymond Chandler practically two hundred. Do we have that much patience? Thank God for self-publishing. So there are good independent books and bad ones but, it’s fair to say, I’ve read some traditionally published books that should have been put to better use in swatting the office fly than placed in a bookstore.
A short word on Self-Publishing and Marketing:
Although we are unfortunately swamped with the world, his wife and his cat, writing books, with the advent of self-publishing, at least we are all in with the same chances. The hardest part of course is marketing. Letting the world know we exist. A good, and I stress a good, publicist will help of course. This was certainly true for me, when sales of ‘Progeny‘ really skyrocketed in the wake of the e-book release. But there are some exploitive so-called publicists whose only interest is charging you six grand for a package that you know will never be recompensed in book sales.
Social Media is an excellent platform, but blowing your own trumpet, as it were, too often can irritate rather than attract. Creating a web site is also an excellent vehicle for attracting people to your existence. Whichever way you do it, if you have a strong enough voice, folk will listen and (hopefully) buy your books.
Author Bio:
I live in a country village called Thatcham, in rural Berkshire, England. I am a widow with two sons and a granddaughter. My granddaughter also writes and is training to be a dance choreographer. I love music, especially old Country, as I have since I was a child. I enjoy listening to Irish Country music, which I also write to. When I’m not writing, I work in a care home for the elderly with dementia. I enjoy watching movies and collect old gangster and horror films. I once owned over two hundred and fifty books on supernatural accounts, but was compelled to give them to charity shops as I had run out of room.
I own over five hundred movies, and enjoy old anthology series such as The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. My favourite writers are Elliott O’Donnell, Robert Bloch, MR James and HP Lovecraft. I also enjoy the Irish terrorism thrillers of Jack Higgins.
I would like to post an acknowledgement to the lovely Helen Treharne, @Tea_Talks on # Twitter for recommending Rave Reviews Book Club, and for her continued support. She’s read all my books to date. Bless her.
Link to Blog: https://jmshorney.wordpress.com
Twitter: @jmshorney
Stalking Aidan
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stalking-Aidan-JM-Shorney-ebook/dp/B00FL0I35S
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stalking-aidan-jm-shorney/1116997236?ean=9781909878662
Progeny Of A Killer
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/progeny-of-a-killer-j-m-shorney/1119687532?ean=9781910223055
This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.
Thanks for 4WillsPublishing for presenting the tour and Jean Shorney for sharing her latest book. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process.
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Filed under: Uncategorized 
April 8, 2015
Strategic Usage of Snapshots 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 don’t normally write about Scrivener more than once a week so I won’t bore everyone with the same topic. But a situation arose that I thought I should really address.
Yesterday, someone who reads this blog asked for assistance with a Scrivener problem via Twitter. I was very humbled to be asked so I responded with a few suggestions as to what might be the fix (not knowing the precise details). In the end, the issue was resolved on the other end which was great.
However, the problem brought up a subject I had planned on addressing in the near future regarding snapshots. Basically, the snapshot function works as a point in time backup of a document in which you are working. While Scrivener does make backups when you exit (unless you change this setting) and you can make backups whenever you want, a snapshot serves a more immediate purpose – a quick backup of current work to which you can easily rollback if necessary.
So, if you are going to make big changes to a document it might be worth your while to make a snapshot before doing so in order to get back to where you were without much trouble. Likewise, when adding blocks of content or trying to fix a problem it might be wise to make a snapshot to prevent lose of any current work.
So how does it work? First turn on the Inspector by clicking on View, sliding to Layout and clicking on Inspector in the flyout menu. You can also turn it on via your keyboard with this command: Ctrl + Shift + I. The Inspector will appear on the right side.
There are six buttons on the lower border, click on the second one from the right the get to Snapshots.From there you click on the + button to add a snapshot of the document in which you are working. It will show the snapshot with a date/time stamp. This is important should you make more than one snapshot. Before attempting to fix a problem it 
might be good to take a snapshot. Should the fix work a second snapshot might also be good to have just in case it is needed. In that case you would use the – button to remove the oldest snapshot after highlighting it. Finally, you can use the Rollback button to go back to a previous document version.
So next time you’re about to make major document changes, take a snapshot. Then if something unexpected happens you don’t need to panic, just rollback to the original version.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Indie Publishing, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Backup, Coverart, creativity, Facebook, Fixes, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Problems, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Snapshots, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, Usage, writing
April 7, 2015
Starting an Author Platform Pt. 6: Why You Should Start Now
So you’ve been writing your book. Maybe you’ve had it edited already and you’ve set your release date. But you’ve held off on building any platform at all. Marketing will take care of itself once your well-polished book is ready. Maybe you’re hesitant to put effort and money into marketing when you’re not even finished with your book.
Most every writer today has had these same thoughts at least in varying combinations. I know I was reluctant to put effort and money into an author platform when I didn’t even know whether I would make it or not.
However, every new author should consider establishing their brand as early as possible. That’s right, don’t wait, start with something. Here are four reasons why you should begin branding yourself and your content today with at least plans and keep working at it as much as you work on your book(s).
1. If first books usually don’t sell, having little or no foundation for it definitely won’t sell your book. Ads to not sell books and never have. Word of mouth sells books. Reader discovery is important and without something to begin building a following you won’t discover readers and sell books. In fact you may not sell much until around the third to fifth book you release.
2. It takes time to build a following large enough to sustain sales. That’s right, people are not waiting to flock to the next big book. You have to cultivate an online tribe of followers and it takes time. It may take a minimum of two years to gain enough of a following to have a foundation for sustainable sales.
3. You can’t go live with the platform and a book and expect to present a good brand to readers. There is so much to do that you won’t have time to do it all and release a book at the same time. If you think you just need a webpage and some social media accounts and people will just notice you then you’ll be in for a rude awakening. The internet is busy with a 
lot of writing voices and there are thousands of new books released each month. How will you differentiate yourself? You won’t without word of mouth and that takes building a following.
4. If readers don’t begin to hear your name now, they won’t find you when your book is out. Again, it’s a busy internet with lots of books for readers to choose. You’ll need a solid foundation in addition to a solid product and solid reviews as well as some people who like you enough to influence others to read your book.
I’m sure other writers can add more reasons than I’ve listed here (feel free to comment with these). Take your time, build the platform sooner rather than later. While your building, take the time make your content worthwhile and prepare to release several books – even small ones – to build a base of readers. With lots of followers, once your several books into writing, you’ll find reader discovery is much easier. Lots of people start with optimism only to meet harsh reality but it’s a long race that’s largely uphill so start now.
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: Author Platform, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Author Platform, Coverart, creativity, Facebook, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing
Blog Tour: Will O’ the Wisp
Today, I’m happy to host C. S. Boyack and his latest book release on tour this week. Take it away Craig!
Will O’ the Wisp is the newest release from C. S. Boyack. It involves a mildly handicapped girl facing a mysterious threat. The wisp has been killing off Patty Hall’s family for generations, and she’s next on the list. It is suitable for young adult readers.
***
We have a real treat for everyone today. Joining us is an honest to goodness Greek Muse. Lorelei, many of our readers think Muses are simply fables. Why do you think this is a common belief?
Lorelei: There are many Muses, be we are selective about those we inspire. Most people will never encounter a Muse, so we become something of legend.
Host: You work with an author, C. S. Boyack. Why did you choose him?
Lorelei: Craig has always been a creative guy. I first approached him in the 1980s. He wrote a few things that showed promise, but he wasn’t committed. I parked him in my watch list for decades, because he wasn’t ready. He needed a wife and children. Those led to a certain comfort level, and that’s when his mind really blossomed.
Host: Is this a matter of seasoning, or just available time?
Lorelei: A bit of both, actually. He’s a very driven fellow, almost a workaholic.
Host: What inspiration did you provide for Will O’ the Wisp?
Lorelei: Craig doesn’t always get everything the way I provide it. Sometimes I whisper on the breeze or appear in his dreams. He was watching a cartoon with his grandchildren about these benevolent forest spirits. I blew into his ear about the beautiful artwork, and wonders of nature. He came up with a story about witchcraft, survival, and revenge.
Host: Does that mean he really doesn’t listen to you?
Lorelei: He listens, but he’s wired a bit differently. He’s a creative fellow, and that’s why I chose him. Some of the things he comes up with are surprising.
Host: This book says it’s suitable for young adults. Is that something you helped him with?
Lorelei: No. He doesn’t work that way. He writes stories the way he feels them. If the end product has adult themes, so be it. Will O’ the Wisp didn’t need adult themes and simply came out that way.
Host: The story is a first person point of view, and the main character is a 15 year old girl. How did that come to pass?
Lorelei: I had a lot to do with that. Craig and I chatted about his personal challenge for this book. I always make him push his limits in one way or another. He improves as a writer by trying new things. We came up with the idea of something in first person. He agreed to try it, knowing it was part of his growth as a writer. The readers will decide if he did a good job, or not.
Host: I never knew Muses helped with promotion. I think that’s fabulous. Tell us what promotional effort you’re putting into this project.
Lorelei: My job is to inspire. I do it very well. I also take responsibility for Craig’s growth as an author. To be honest with you, I don’t care if he ever publishes something. I want him to grow and improve his skills.
Host: Then why are you out stumping for him today?
Lorelei: He’s such a whiner. He thinks I’m more charming than he is, and begs until I give in. It’s true that I have more social skills.
Host: Will O’ the Wisp is more than a paranormal story. It’s also a coming of age story. How much influence did you have here?
Lorelei: Quite a bit. When I looked at Craig’s storyboard, it was very meat and potatoes. It told the story, but that’s about all. We shared a drink one night, and I helped him flesh things out.
Host: How does this book compare to Boyack’s other novels?
Lorelei: They’re all different in some way. I think they’re all good stories. Will O’ the Wisp is the kind of story that could put him on the map as a writer. If you’ve been waiting to read one of Craig’s stories, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.
Host: Thank you for joining us today, Lorelei. Can you tell us what we have to do to attract our own Muse?
Lorelei: Keep working on your craft. You never know when one of my sisters has you on her short list.
***
Patty Hall is perfectly prepared for the wrong problem. She is enamored with the space race, and knows the history of NASA by heart. She is faced with an ancient threat that has been targeting the Hall family for generations. Hampered by an overprotective mother, if Patty can’t figure it all out in time, she may be the next member in the Hall family cemetery plot.
It’s not hard enough to be a fifteen year old girl, and a social outcast. As she watches her friends mature and grow, she has to face the idea of never turning sixteen. Please consider joining Patty on her incredible adventure.
You can pick up a copy on Amazon using your Kindle or a free reading app. Download it here:
North American version: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B00UPH6BNS
International version: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B00UQNDT2C
Follow Craig at the following locations:
Follow my blog: http://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com
Check out all my novels here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ILXBXUY
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Virgilante
On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841203.C_S_Boyack
Author Bio:
I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction. I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet. I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.
This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.
Thanks to 4WillsPublshing for arranging the tour and to Craig for sharing his book with us today. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email.
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Filed under: 4WillsPublishing, Blog Tour, Craig Boyack, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Will O The Wisp, Writing Tagged: 4WillsPublishing, Blog Tour, blogging, C. S. Boyack, Coverart, Facebook, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, Rave Reviews Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter, Will O' the Wisp, writing 
April 5, 2015
Why You Should Begin Using Scrivener Today & How
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’ve seen several comments from other writers indicating they got Scrivener but just didn’t have time to learn it. I understand the feeling. When I first started with Scrivener there was so much to learn and I needed to do other work that I didn’t have time to work with it. It wasn’t until I read several posts in which other authors described how they used Scrivener that I began to understand.
Why the confusion and reluctance in engaging with Scrivener? It is fundamentally different from just using a text editor. It is a robust development software for the whole project. We’re used to just sitting down and typing in Word all the things that we are developing, creating any number of files and trying to track all the details somehow. But once you develop a project in Scrivener or convert an existing project into it you begin to understand just what you can do and how it benefits you. The important point is to take the time to learn it somehow and there are great how-to videos as well as lots of reading material that help with Scrivener.
But why start using it today? There’s no time like the present to make the transition. If you have a writing project that needs starting why not make that the point where you begin learning. Why else should you begin in the middle of a busy schedule? You will learn through usage and then understand the power the design of this software brings to writers. Here’s 5 good reasons to make the change from Michael Hyatt.
It’s as easy as this: click File => New Project to show the New Project Window. Here’s a screenshot with Fiction selected:
Choose the category for your writing on the left and then what it will be on the right. Not picture here but below all this just type in the name of your project and then browse to the folder on your computer where you will store the project just like in Word.
What else should you learn? Begin by understanding the Editor and Binder as well as how to manage projects, project templates and document templates. Just knowing what you can do with these elements gets you much further along. Try to find authors who write what you do and find out how they use it. Once I found how other fantasy authors use it to develop and track details of a fantasy world it really helped me get started. Likewise, other bloggers who use Scrivener have developed templates for organizing your whole blogging year. It’s a bigger scope creative tool but it makes writing much simpler by allowing your to spend more time being creative.
Where’s your snag in beginning with Scrivener? What tips can you offer other people who are starting with Scrivener? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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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.
Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Editing, Fantasy, Indie Publishing, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, Templates, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing
April 2, 2015
2015 Author Cyber Convention Via Goodreads
It’s just a week and counting until it’s here! The 2015 Author Cyber Convention on Goodreads. Reader visitors are welcome to visit and peruse all the virtual booths authors from a wide spectrum of genres of setup in the fairground. Come find new, up and coming writers who would love to meet you.
The three day event runs from April 10th thru the 12th. Authors are planning giveaways of all kinds. Links to interviews will be posted. Ask question of authors and just mingle. A variety of events are planned throughout the three days.
Just click the link above to enter the group. Are you an author and want to join the fun? There’s no cut-off time so join the author side of the convention and setup your cyber booth.
Not a member of Goodreads? Well click on over and sign-up then attend the convention next week. All the authors are 
looking forward to plenty of visitors.
I’m looking forward to this event. One of my goals this year was to attend more conventions so this is a great way for me to do just that. I’m ready to mingle with fellow authors and find out more about them and their books. This should be a lot of fun and a wonderful experience for all. The chance to interact with readers is one of the main reasons Goodreads exists.
I’m counting the days and hope to meet plenty of readers and writers. Mark the dates and make time to visit the cyber fairground to meet authors in your favorite genres. See you there!
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
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Filed under: 2015 Author Cyber Convention, Fantasy, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: 2015 Author Cyber Convention, blogging, Coverart, Facebook, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing
