Michael Timmins's Blog, page 2

Are you seeing this?

"Are you seeing this?" Malcolm asked Alex as he stared at the screen on his tablet. The sounds of yelling and screaming poured out from the small electronic. "Seen what?" Shuffling over towards Malcolm, he struggled to look over his shoulder at the video. "This!" Thrusting the tablet into Alex's hands, his eyes bright and wide, nodding, encouraging Alex to watch the video.  They were always showing each other videos on their tablets. Usually they were crazy videos of people doing incredible feats or they were videos of people failing to do incredible feats. This video wasn't like that. The scene on the video was taken by someone's cell phone and it was an impossible scene. Like something from a movie. A monster, some boarish looking thing, huge and fierce-some was fighting a humanoid looking tiger.  Watching their battle unfold, Alex looked up at Malcolm. "Is this a trailer or something?" Malcolm shook his head and pointed to the side of the video. Thumbnails of other videos relating to this one could be seen. Swiping up, Alex saw dozens of similar videos. Different angles and different moments from the battle. "It happened in Chicago." The excitement in Malcolm's voice was tangible. Chicago wasn't all that far from where they lived. "What does it mean?" Alex asked to no one in particular. Malcolm just shrugged. "Isn't it awesome?" Alex didn't think it was awesome, he thought it was frightening.The world is Awakening. Creatures of myth and folklore now live among us. Find out how it all began in this exciting first book in the Lycan War Saga. "The Awakening: Part One," and continue the saga in "The Awakening: Part Two" now available on Amazon, and for free on Kindle Unlimited.Black Friday Deals now available. From now until Friday night at midnight. Visit my on-line store and use the promo code: blackfriday and get 35% off all merchandise, including: Signed copies of both books and 18" X 24" posters of the cover art from either book.BUY NOW

Happy Holidays!

With the holidays approaching I didn't want to miss out on a bit of what makes America so great... Capitalism! So, I've opened my on-line store!That's right! The on-line book store is now open! Wanted to get one of my books buy wanted it signed? Well, now you can buy a signed copy on my on-line store. Love the artwork from the covers of my books? Now you can purchase a poster of Part One, or Part Two! With the holidays approaching, now is the time to pick up some great fantasy reads for the reader in your family... Or perhaps, just a gift for yourself... It's o.k. You deserve it. So take a moment and stop by the store and see what we have available. Thank you, and happy holidays!On-line store

Everything I Have

As an independent author, or even, just an author. There is so much work that goes into putting a book in front of a reader. There is, of course, the writing. This is the part of the work that is a joy. You have an idea, you take the time to expand that idea till it becomes a work of art. You mold it, like clay, until it becomes something truly recognizable and appreciated... or at least you hope. After you have written the book, then you release it into the wild, and great things happen! ...Not so much. Writing the book is only about 40% of your way to get that book in front of your reader. After writing, comes editing. Sure, you could skip this part, but nothing kills a book as quickly as a badly edited manuscript. If it's disjointed or has apostrophes in the wrong place... well, it can really turn a reader off, and while, a lot of readers won't leave reviews if they enjoyed the book. They will definitely leave them if they paid for a book and it ended up being crap. So editing. Check. O.k. now it is ready to release into th... not so fast. Editors aren't perfect. If you missed all of your mistakes, you can be sure they are going to miss some too, so even after you shelled out a pretty penny to get it edited, you are still going to want to go back through it and edit it yourself, one more time...at least.So now you are about 50% done. I know right. You are thinking... wait, what??? I wrote the book, I got it edited, I even edited it another dozen times already... how am I not done? Well, you still have cover art to work out. You need to write and re-write your blurb (possibly re-write it for the third time). You need to narrow down which actual genre you are in, this may be easy, but also, it may not. There are genres, sub-genres, and even genre styles like grimdark. Don't forget to know your target audience. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there are people who study these things for a reason. Once you have all that done, well then you can release your book into the wild.Nope. Sorry.You never release your book. Your book isn't going to go out into the world and find readers for itself. You need to guide it along. You need to go over to the neighbors house and knock on their door and introduce your book to them. You need to take that book everywhere you go and make sure people know it is there. You will be holding your books hand till the day you die. You will give that book, and any future book you might write, everything you have. Because it can't do it alone.So, let me introduce you to my work.This is my first novel, "The Awakening: Part One." It is about four individuals who discover they have the power of lycanthropy and now must learn to live their lives after they shift for the first time. Beyond that, they learn they are part of an ancient war, between two Druidesses. They must learn to control these new powers as they are thrust into a battle for the fate of civilization itself!"The Awakening: Part One"$2.99 on Amazon or for free on Kindle Unlimited$11.99 for soft cover book"The Awakening: Part Two"This is the second part to, "The Awakening" as you are introduced to the remaining new True lycans. Now, all eight of the original bloodlines have awoken. Sides have been chosen, and lines have been drawn. It will be only a matter of time before the world becomes aware that these creatures of myth and folklore now walk among us!"The Awakening: Part Two"$3.99 on Amazon or for free on Kindle Unlimited$11.99 for soft cover book"Intellect"This is the first short story in what will be part of an Anthology entitled, "Prelude to the Shards"Quint Linksill stands accused of murdering his love after being found with her body and a bloody knife.Innocent, Quint fled the scene and the country. His only hope, to seek counsel of the Witch of Time, whose ability to view someone's timeline would allow her to determine that Quint did not commit the murder, and the Witch's word is law. Though the Witch can see he did not murder his love, she wouldn't be able to tell him who did. He would need to discover that on his own.To do this, he must escape being captured by a man who pursues him for his own dark purpose.This short story is available for free on Instafreebie.com. So pick it up now!"Intellect" 

Why virtual?

Book release parties are nothing knew in the world of publishing. They are often grand events with food, book readings and Q&A sessions at some large book store, or cafe. However, these are events for well-known or award winning authors. Those who have name recognition. An author whose name gets people to go, "Oh cool, I always wanted to meet him/her. I love their books!" For the rest of us that have yet to break into that level of stardom or book release parties are usually filled with friends and family...and nobody else. Not that being surrounded by friends and family that support you is a bad thing. But, we want those who would support us by default to be interested and more importantly, show up! For this to happen it takes a lot of work, and quite possibly... a lot of money.For my first book release I hosted an event at at a local indie book store, "Gathering Volumes." It was a great place to go. They were big enough for a decent crowd, they provided chairs and even provided the food and drink. There really was very little expense for me out of pocket. Of course I posted a facebook event, which I paid to have boosted. I printed flyers and distributed them. I did press releases and just about every other thing you could think of to get people to come. I had several dozen people who said they would be there, above and beyond my family and a few friends... They didn't show up. I was disappointed to say the least, and what was supposed to be a exciting and happy occasion was marred by the fact that after all of my hard work, no one came. I'm not trying to take away from the love and support I received from my family and some close friends. They took the time out of their schedules to come share this wonderful moment with me, and I am eternally grateful. But, they know me. I wanted those who didn't know me, to get to know me.I decided at that moment that I wouldn't do that again. I am not a fan of maximum effort with little results. So what is left for those of us in the indie book publishing world to do? Those of us with little to no name recognition to get people excited to come and see us? We make it easy for them.Virtual book release parties are become the thing. With mediums like facebook live, instagram live or youtube, we now can reach people we could never reach before with little to no effort. People have a natural curiousity that seems to peak when you throw a live feed in front of them. They will take a second or two just to see what it is about and that is when, if you are entertaining enough, get them to stay and perhaps even buy something. I'm not saying there isn't work involved. You still need to promote it... get the word out. But there is a lot less man hours, imo. Personal touch, without being in person.That is the beauty of a virtual party. It is personal, but you don't have to be there in person. You can do it from the comfort of your home without having to invite strangers into your home. You reach many more people than you could have ever reached on your own. People from other countries can stop by and it doesn't cost them a thing.This is a new age and as authors we must embrace it as much as possible. So, if you are interested, I have a little event coming up next Wednesday, November 1st. My virtual book release party for, "The Awakening: Part Two," from 1-7pm eastern. There will be book readings, Q&A sessions, two guest authors, and book giveaways. You could even win a four fantasy book bundle! Just click on the link below and show your support for three independent authors and come have a great time.https://www.facebook.com/events/1740956049543430/

It's finally happening

IT'S HERE!Finally it is here! Well, almost here. "The Awakening: Part Two" is now on Amazon, available for pre-order. Are you excited? I am. This is part two of Book One of the Lycan War Saga. If you haven't picked up Part One yet... well that's o.k., I forgive you.But honestly, what are you waiting for???Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret as to how you can get the first book, the second book, or both books... for free!Join me, and two other great authors, on Facebook November 1st, from 1-7pm eastern, for the release party of "The Awakening: Part Two"! All you have to do is show up sometime in the broadcast, and let us know you are there, and you will be entered to win! You have a chance to win, "The Awakening: Part One," "The Awakening: Part Two," Both at the same time! Or you have a chance to win the Grand Prize, a four book bundle including both of my books, and the books of the guest authors!I look forward to seeing you there! Just click on the link below and let us know you will be there!BOOK RELEASE PARTY!The Awakening: Part TwoThe world is awakeningThe monsters of myths and fairytales walk among us.While Clint, Shae, Kat and Blain awaken to their powers, the others have too. Realizing that they are not like everyone else, and that they are not alone.Samuel, who was once known as Syndor, has managed to survive all these years preparing for Kestrel’s spell and her arrival. Five of the original eight bloodlines have awoken, but what of the others? How will their awakening happen?Sylvanis continues to grow at a rapid rate, much to the bafflement of her parents, but her body recognizes the need and responds. Now she must make a desperate gamble to call out to her Lycans, knowing Kestrel will be able to find her if she does.Blood has been spilled already, but the war has only just begun!The Sand DwellerIn the ancient mountains of the Sinai desert, a child is born. The half-demon son of the devil’s greatest general, Malachi grows up with one foot in the human world and one in the darkest pits of Hell itself. Soon, a power struggle will force him to choose. Will he claim the dark heritage promised to him by Lucifer? Or will he learn firsthand just how far evil will go to destroy mankind? Caleb Glass is a young priest with a flourishing flock and a successful church. Plagued by strange visions and a tragic past, he’s also beginning to question his faith. When he’s suddenly thrust into an ancient feud, Caleb must decide whether wearing the collar is a part of God's plan, or an excuse to hide from his pain. Is it possible for a broken priest and a sand dweller to achieve redemption, or are they both doomed by circumstance beyond their control?Alice: The Wanderland ChroniclesEver since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath. Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote - if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.If you don't want to wait for a chance to win mine or any of these books, click on the links below!"The Awakening: Part One""The Awakening: Part Two""The Sand Dweller""Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles"

...Of Things To Come.

Well, I have some very exciting news for you! Two new developments on the horizon. First, I will be revealing the cover for, "The Awakening: Part Two" next Wednesday at 6pm eastern. I have given you a little taste of it on your right... To see the full picture, join me on October 10th for the cover reveal!https://www.facebook.com/events/1481911395219489/Second, I will be having a book release party for, "The Awakening: Part Two" on November 1st, from 1-7pm. I will be talking about the book, doing a reading and answering questions live on Facebook. I will be having two guest authors who will take over the feed for a bit. There will be giveaways as well. More news to come!https://www.facebook.com/events/1740956049543430/Please visit my facebook page to sign up for my upcoming eventshttps://www.facebook.com/LycanWarSaga/And don't forget to visit my website, www.michaeltimmins42.com to find out about all of my upcoming and current projects!In the meantime, enjoy my book trailer.

Crossing the Finish Line

After months, no years of hard work, I am on the verge of publishing my second novel, "The Awakening: Part Two." This is exciting to me for two reasons. The first being that the culmination of the story that I started with in Part One will be wrapped up in Part Two. The book was never initially intended to be a two parter but I chose to break it up into two parts due to length and to create a break in the stories of the characters awakenings. With the publication of Part Two we will see the conclusion of the introduction to the new Trues and the background for the past and impending conflict. That leaves us with what happens next?Which leads to the other reason as to why this is exciting to me. For the past six months I have been editing...re-editing...editing some more...finishing up editing...realizing I wasn't done editing, so edited some more and then finished editing.Then edited more. If you are a writer, you know what I mean. If you aren't a writer than you will never truly understand the joys of that soul-sucking neccessity which is editing. But I digress. After all that time of editing... I haven't been really able to write! I miss it and I am excited to really start delving into Book Two of the Lycan War Saga. "The Gathering." I have started it, but I have barely scratched the surface. I imagine that this will be a much larger undertaking than, "The Awakening" was as I will be dealing with all the characters at once and some new ones to boot! It will be a lot more to juggle, but I look forward to it, as I hope you do too!Til next time.

Cast of... Stephanie Boles

Stephanie Boles is a normal college student. She is what you would expect from a twenty something living on campus and studying hard. What's more is that she has finally connected with the boy that she has been crushing on for the past few years, only to find out he has been crushing on her for a lot longer. For the first time in her life, she is in love, and this love is about to go through it's ultimate test, because Stephanie is about to shift for the first time. The boy she loves will come face to face with the monster that she will become. Will he survive the encounter? Now you have met all of the new 'Trues' For a more in-depth view of these characters, pick up your copy of, "The Awakening: Part One" available on Amazon today, and then, "The Awakening: Part Two" which is due out soon!

Six months and not stopping!

Six months ago I published my first novel, "The Awakening: Part One" since then I have garnered a four star rating on Amazon. I have sold upwards of 50 books(may not sound like much, but when you are one of several thousand that release a book monthly, unless you are a big name, this is good), I have run a successful Kickstarter campaign to publish Part Two, and I have completed and are working on the final touches of the next book.It has been an interesting and sometimes grueling process, full of ups and downs and learning many new things that I didn't even know that I was ignorant about.Self publishing is a very rewarding experience as all of the ups an downs are as a result of what you put into it. If you got published by a publishing house, you would never know if the reason you weren't selling books was because of your book, or because of their lack of interest in 'selling' you. Sure, there has got to be a feeling of satisfaction when you walk into a Barnes and Noble or a Books a Million and see your book, there on it's shelf. But, when you self publish, it is you who has to make that fight, and it makes the shelving of said book, all the sweeter. I have many more stories to tell, and I am not stopping at this one, or even the next. So please, join me on this journey into my minds eye, take a swim in the river of my creative juices and let me take you on a journey to another world, another time, another presence.

Cast of... Gordon Sands

Gordon Sands- Gordon lives in Sydney, Australia. He is a very successful doctor, rich and handsome. But he has a secret. He is a Lycan, and he loves the power it gives him. An insatiable appetite for women and control, being a Lycan has allowed him to pursue both. His dark secret though is about to be revealed.Be sure to stop by Amazon and pick up, "The Awakening: Part One" it's on sale right now for $1.99!