T.R. Robinson's Blog, page 30

Jane Austen – A Life by Claire Tomalin

[image error]Considering the dearth of detailed records or documented occurrences, Claire Tomalin has done an excellent job with this biography. She must be commended for the depth and breadth of her research. It must have taken considerable time to gather so much information and to ‘interpret’ it to the extent it relates to Jane Austen herself. Apparently, when writing any of her biographies, Claire Tomalin insists upon travelling to the places where her subject(s) lived. All very time consuming but also indicative of the thoroughness of her research, which inevitably shows through in the final book.

By focusing upon the lives and history of Jane Austen’s relatives the author has succeeded in bringing out many aspects, which would have otherwise been lost to society. She has certainly succeeded in showing that Jane Austen’s life was not a quiet, uneventful, homespun, existence as has been implied by some in the past.

Thankfully, though the majority have been destroyed, there remain a few, a precious few, letters in existence. The author has used these effectively to draw out some aspects of her protagonist’s character and sense of humour. Jane Austen never shied from exposing some of the incongruous behaviour of the society of her time, especially ‘high’ society. Indeed, she herself occasionally suffered from it. There was her one true love, or so we are led to believe, who was not permitted to marry her because she had no fortune. Then there were members of her own family who looked down upon her because of her poverty. In truth, if it had not been for the charity of one brother who had inherited a large estate, she, together with her mother and sister Cassandra, could have easily ended up on the street subsequent to her father’s death.

Throughout the reader is given the impression of a strong but quiet character. She undoubtedly supported feminine liberty and equality but, probably due to her reliant position, kept within the confines of acceptable society when expressing any opinion. Despite these restraints her satirical wit frequently came into play on such occasions. She also, readily, made friends with female domestic staff. Again this tended to be frowned upon by her peers. Nevertheless, to her credit, Jane never gave up her friends and in fact left a little money to one such domestic friend in her will.

Sadly, it took years to get her books printed and even then she could not be attributed with their authorship. Society was very narrow-minded and largely hypocritical. Even when the books sold and became popular she made little money: the publishers retained most of the profits.

In the latter part of her book Claire Tomalin analyses Jane Austen’s own works and draws out some thoughts regarding what her attitudes and beliefs may have been. She does admit that in this and in the ‘interpretation’ of some letters she has had to speculate to some degree because there is no concrete evidence to support her theories. Nevertheless, the reader is left with the comprehension that she is correct in her conclusions. There are times when it feels she goes too far in the analysis of the books though her ‘discoveries’ are used to good effect.

The reader is also unmistakably shown, though Jane Austen based her plots upon her observations of society she did NOT formulate her characters upon anyone she knew or met. Something she should have been commended for. Nonetheless, her characters are all life-like and contain all the human frailties, and strengths, readers may observe for themselves in their fellow beings.

Without a doubt Claire Tomalin gives a genuine feel for who Jane Austen was as a person.

Even though the outcome is known, most readers will probably form a connection throughout the book and feel the loss of Jane Austen at the end.

Anyone interested in biography or English social history would enjoy this book, even if they are not particularly interested in Jane Austen’s works.

Four stars (4*).

The book is available in various formats from most retailers including Amazon.

Amazon.com                Amazon.co.uk

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

[image error]

As stated on the home page, one purpose for this website is to assist fellow authors with the production of their books. Many are new, or inexperienced, self-publishing authors who have little or no knowledge or experience of computing systems. Considering most will, by default, rely upon such systems for the publishing of their books, it will help to have some understanding of how these operate.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive study but simply a basic introduction to the topic.

 

What are URLs used for?

‘The address of a world wide web (www) page.’ (Unknown)

‘Reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it.’ (Unknown)

URLs are primarily used for:

Referencing a web page (http)
File transfer (ftp)
E-mail (mailto)
Database access (JDBC)

Note: The codes in parenthesis are how these various aspects are shown within computer software programming systems.

What do URLs comprise?

To facilitate the following explanations, the URL for this website is being used as an example: https://trrobinsonpublications.com

Protocol Identifier:

Protocol: ‘A computer language allowing computers that are connected to each other to communicate.’ (Cambridge Dictionary).

N.B. Computers do not have to be physically connected.

The protocol in the above example is: https.

http stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. Anyone who has accessed any computer based information will be familiar with the http protocol that precedes a large percentage of www addresses. However, this is not the only protocol. Others that exist: ftp (File Transfer Protocol); bgp (Border Gateway Protocol); dhcp (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol); etc. The protocol used determines a URLs format however, most, at minimum, besides the protocol identifier, will comprise, require, the following elements:

Resource/Host Name:

The complete address of a resource. In the above example: trrobinsonpublications.com

File Name:

Path name of file on machine. For example, a previous post dealt with the topic of ‘SEO – Keywords’: https://trrobinsonpublications.com/2017/04/04/seo-keywords/. In this case the file name is: 2017/04/04/seo-keywords.

Some protocols will also require the following:

Port Number:

Port number (system access point) to which to connect. The most obvious example is when a user adds an e-mail account to a system. The most popular accounts such as Yahoo, will have the port number entered automatically but lesser known accounts will require the user to enter them.

Reference:

Identifies specific location of content within a file.

Note: As mentioned, host name and file name are usually required whereas port and reference are optional. It should also be noted, even where included, the port and reference are not readily visible to the average user.

Who can create a URL?

Anyone with some computer programming knowledge, experience and skill.

N.B. The creator normally selects programming that displays the ‘human readable’ form rather than the software text characters which include such things as ‘https://trrobinsonpublications.com rather than a string of meaningless characters.

URLs may be created utilising local (international) language and alphabets. However, to enable these to be read across the whole www, internet software converts them into standardised, anglicised, format. For example, many would be unable to understand Chinese, Japanese or Russian characters to name but a few.

Conclusion

Without URLs locating information on the internet or within computing systems would be difficult, or at least long winded.

For most the structure of a URL is really unimportant. But it helps to have some comprehension of how they are made up.

Again for most, how to create a URL is not an issue. Nevertheless, anyone with any sort of programming knowledge or experience is able to create them without undue difficulty. Worth knowing for those who have self-hosted websites.

Addicted to Dimes (Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat) by Catherine Townsend-Lyon

[image error]This is a very personal, honest, no holds barred, memoir depicting the author’s journey with gambling addiction. Catherine Townsend-Lyon is very honest about all her failings. Though she admits writing the book had a cathartic effect it must have been very hard to recall and put into public view all that occurred on her journey. She has to be admired and respected for having taken this step.

Admittedly the author has endured much but at the same time readers need to be reminded she is anything but alone in this. Many have suffered in their lives; some in similar ways, others very differently. Each person is unique and individual and though there may be similarities in their journeys there will be essential differences.

One motivation for writing this book was to help others who suffer with the same addiction nevertheless, readers should bear in mind this is very much the author’s own tale. No doubt many have and do experience similar circumstances but this is not intended to be a handbook for them. However, having said that, it should help many to appreciate they are not alone; that others have and are going through similar difficulties; that there is hope; that there is escape if they are prepared to truly work toward it.

Throughout, ‘triggers’ are described and talked about but the reader must bear in mind these are personal to the author. For others the ‘triggers’ may be very different. Catherine Townsend-Lyon frequently explains how, through her dysfunctional family, she consistently felt valueless. In addition, and very sadly, she also briefly describes how she was abused by someone outside the family; how she was unable to tell anyone about it; how this also acted as a ‘trigger’ and how the combined resulting mind-set and emotions have continued to plague her throughout life.

Drawbacks:

Before mentioning these it is only fair to acknowledge the author has made clear she is not a writer but has simply decided to share her own story. It is very much told in her own words and expressions which has the benefit of really making this a personal work. Nevertheless:

The book feels too long; much of what has been shared could be condensed. For many time is an issue and it would be a shame if readers gave up because of the length.
Until approximately the sixty percent mark the reader is not really drawn into the story. Of course this may be personal but, up to this point, it is really just a presentation of information and facts. The reader will be able to sympathise but that is all. However, subsequently, there are areas where the reader will empathise with the author; will feel her emotions, concerns, sorrow and disappointment.
Most addiction recovery programmes have a twelve step process. The author frequently refers to these but never really explains what is involved. Of course, it is appreciated this is not intended to be a formal guide but it would be nice for the reader to have a little more understating of what these steps involve; many readers will not be suffering from the addiction but will have selected the book out of genuine and general interest.

This is an interesting book that gives good insight into how an addiction can take hold and how it impacts upon the individual’s life and the lives of those round them.

Four stars (*4). Despite the reservations mentioned above: The author has willingly shared everything, exposing all her faults and failures honestly. She has taken the reader on the difficult journey of her life without drawing back from the realities, prepared to endure the opinions and attitudes that may result.

The book is available in paperback and e-book formats.

Amazon.com                Amazon.co.uk

Vanity Presses

[image error]What is a Vanity Press?

‘Publishing house in which authors pay to have their books published.’ (Alan A. Glatthorn)

‘A printing house that specializes in publishing books for which the authors pay all or most of the costs.’ (Dictionary.com)

Most used terms: Vanity Press; Vanity Publisher; Subsidy Publisher.

Some, rather than identify themselves as ‘Vanity’ or ‘Subsidy’ publishers, adopt the term ‘self-publisher’, which they are not.

Please Note:

Other than the terminology, there is no difference between ‘Vanity’ and ‘Subsidy’.
Vanity Presses should not be confused with Small Publishers. More about that latter.
Vanity publishing should not be confused with self-publishing.

How Publishers Operate

To fully understand the nature of vanity presses, it will help to examine how each type of publisher operates: traditional/small; self; vanity.

Traditional/Small Publishers

First, to clarify, traditional and small publishers are not that different from each other: they adopt similar processes. The primary difference is small publishers publish fewer books and frequently in genres for which there is a limited customer base.

Note: Where the term ‘Traditional publishers’ is subsequently used it should be read as also including ‘Small publishers’.

Traditional publishers (includes the big four: Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Harper Collins but by no means limited to them) take a risk with every book they publish. Before accepting a manuscript, they need to ensure it is of good quality e.g. how written and how tale told/information conveyed. Decide whether there is a viable market for it. Decide if it is worth investing in. Consequently, each one has to go through an initial approval process. After all they usually give authors an advance and invest in the: editing; formatting; cover design; some marketing; administration; etc. all of which they need to be sure they can recover.

Unlike self-publishers and vanity publishers, traditional publishers never advertise for manuscripts. They have no need to. Neither do they ask authors for any money.

Traditional publishers make their money from book sales only. The author is paid a royalty but, due to the amount the publisher has invested, it is usually only a small percentage e.g. 10% – 15%. Actual amount payable depends upon whether the percentage is of the gross or net income. The contract will define.

Self-Publishers/Publishing

There are several self-publishing companies, platforms and systems available to authors e.g. Amazon’s CreateSpace and Kindle (both have been utilized by the writer), Smashwords (utilized by the writer), Draft2Digitial (recently utilized by the writer), etc.

Though there is no actual approval process manuscripts do have to meet certain formatting and system requirements, usually fairly basic. Most systems provide good, clear guides though the author does not always have to take note of them but would be foolish not to. The actual content is never checked (editing, grammar, etc.) though some systems will occasionally pick up on a serious misspelling. As a result, some people have a poor opinion of self-publishing. In fairness, it has to be acknowledged the advent of self-publishing has allowed some poor quality books to be published. However, at the same time it would be unfair not to recognise there are many very good, high quality, self-published books in existence. Also, despite all the processes and investments, some traditionally published books have noticeable errors in them.

Most self-publishing systems are free to use, not requiring any payments from the author. Many do offer, for a fee, editing, proof-reading, formatting, marketing, etc., packages but it is the authors choice whether to avail themselves of these. Independent (indie) authors frequently do not have the means to pay for additional services which is why these free systems are popular. Though no actual publicity or marketing is undertaken, without the author purchasing a package, new books are shown on retail website page(s) which act as a publicity facility, even it is minimal and short lived.

Those who provide self-publishing services, as with traditional publishers, take a risk upon the saleability of a book. However, their systems are primarily automated and therefore they do not have the up-front costs of a traditional publisher. They make their money in two primary ways. First, from fees, where authors chose to purchase some of the optional additional services available. ‘Chose’ is the feature; there is no pressure upon authors to buy. Second, by taking a small proton of the royalty payable to authors.  It has to be acknowledge most are very generous in that, on average, they only take between 25% – 35% after the deduction of tax. Naturally, royalties are reliant upon book sales. In essence authors do sign up to a contract but these can be terminated at will.

Vanity Presses/Publishers

There is absolutely no approval process.
There are no checks of any sort: editorial, format, cover design, etc.
Anyone may submit a manuscript (same as for self-publishing).
Usually require a substantial fee up-front.
Require authors to enter into a contact that is often restrictive.
Undertake no publicity or marketing (same as for self-publishing without the purchase of a package).
Simply format a basic digital file.

In an attempt to be fair the comparisons with self-publishing have been included though the resulting quality of vanity publishing is frequently debatable.

Vanity presses make their money from the author; from the substantial fee usually payable up-front. They will not undertake any processing until the fee is paid. They have no interest in book purchasers and therefore no incentive to undertake any action to promote a book and gain sales.

It is usually the requirement for a substantial, up-front, fee that defines a vanity press. Something authors need to be aware of. However, to avoid detection some vanity presses will describes themselves as ‘self-publishers’. Note: Genuine self-publishing companies or those that provide self-publishing systems, do NOT require author’s pay toward the actual publication of a book. Some vanity presses will attempt to avoid detection by not requesting up-front fees but:

Will demand fees for such things as: the set-up process; editing; cover art; publicity; etc. Authors should note, if additional services are offered, they tend to be of poor quality and though the fee is payed, may not actually occur e.g. editing, publicity, etc.
Though additional facilities may be offered as ‘optional’ they put considerable pressure on the author to purchase them.
Include a contract clause requiring authors to purchase a set number of their book, frequently ranging into the hundreds or sometimes thousands.
Withhold royalties until ‘their’ excessive, self-determined, ‘costs’ are recovered.

Of course, there are multiple ways these companies may extract money, the above are just some examples the writer has heard of. It should also be noted, many complain about the poor quality of the end product (book) and of poor customer service (if it exists at all).

Unlike traditional publishers (who have no need to) Vanity Presses advertise for authors. This fact and the demand for a fee, no matter how worded, should alert any author to the possibility of them being a vanity press and for them to be guarded and aware.

As mentioned above, contracts are usually restrictive and it is very hard for an author to get out of them.

Vanity publishing has, understandably from the above information, a bad reputation. Bookstores will usually refuse to carry any so published book and many reviewers and book bloggers will ignore them.

Warning!

Though there are a few reputable Vanity Presses in existence MOST appear to be rogue and simply out to take advantage of inexperienced, naive authors.

They have been described as often being deceptive, exploitive and predatory.

Conclusion

Most authors will acknowledge how difficult it is to get a traditional publisher interested in their book(s). Nevertheless, the advent of self-publishing systems enables them to get their manuscript published at little or no cost. Yes, they need to invest time and energy, and perhaps, if they have it, resources, into the proof-reading and editing of the manuscript but they do not need to pay anyone a substantial fee unless they chose to.

If an author really does require someone else to undertake all the publication work for them, they should, must, carefully research and check who they are. In principle, considering all the poor experiences reported over recent years, they should avoid Vanity Presses. If despite this, they are tempted, they should try and locate someone who has previously used the service and find out what their opinion is.

Disclaimer: Neither T. R. Robinson nor T. R. Robinson Publications have ever utilized a vanity press. The above information is simply a combination of research and notes made from the observations of authors who have either published with one or who have some knowledge of them.

The Gorge by Aaron Blaylock

 

[image error]In this instance it will help to set out the synopsis before continuing with the review.

‘This is the true story of a Venturing Crew’s harrowing journey through Hellsgate Wilderness and down Tonto Gorge. Follow a well-meaning youth leader as he and his boys set off on a backpacking trip that quickly pushes them to their limits and ultimately forges a bond for life.

At the suggestion of their good Bishop, the Priest quorum and their advisor plan a four day backpacking trip down Tonto gorge. None of them completely understood what they were in for until it was too late to turn back.

The group must make their way from Little Green Valley, up and over Apache Ridge and down through Tonto Narrows outside of Gisela. This twenty five mile excursion, within the confines of a canyon, tests their mental and physical resolve. They must pull together to insure that everyone makes it out alive.’

~~~~~~~~

As stated in the synopsis this is the true story of some young men and their leader who venture out on an outward bound experience for a few days. It does have the feel of an accurate and detailed account.

The reader’s enjoyment of this book will more than likely be impacted by personal experience. Those without any outward bound experience may well find it of interest and amusing. However, those who have participated in any such venture may find it a little boring in places.

The author has been honest about his own feelings and abilities and portrays the young participant’s attitudes very well. They do undergo some difficult and uncomfortable situations with some suffering further because of their own naïve and perhaps foolish ideas. But it would be wrong to be judgmental; everyone was young once.

There is the occasional, very occasional, attempt to impart a moral lesson. No doubt resulting from the author’s own background and the fact this particular outing was undertaken with the blessing of their bishop. As said these are occasional and therefore readers who do not relish such matters need not be over concerned.

For anyone contemplating such an adventure this book does provide a realistic and practical warning. Namely, the need to invest proper time into the preparations for such an undertaking.

Depending upon the reader’s own life experience the rating for this book may well waver between two or three stars. In this reviewer’s opinion it, overall, merits three stars (3*). See Assessing Book Review Ratings for further understanding of the rating system.

This is a short book of only 18,790 words and is FREE.

It is only available as an e-book (.mobi; epub; pdf; etc. formats) from Smashwords.com.

It may also be read in the author’s blog.

Stress and Creativity

[image error]Though the following is primarily intended for authors most will apply to all walks-of-life and professions.

In modern society ‘stress’ is a much used word; some may consider it overused. Nevertheless, it is a recognised psychological/medical condition that a majority will suffer or have suffered with at some stage in their life.

The following is not intended to be a dialogue upon the various possible meanings, concepts or understandings of stress. The aim is simply to provide some comprehension of how stress may impact upon creativity no matter which field the reader may work within.

What is stress?

‘Pressure; mental or emotional strain.’ (Little Oxford English Dictionary)

Synonyms: ‘Strain, pressure, tension, worry, anxiety.’ (Little Oxford English Dictionary)

Most will undoubtedly concur. However, it should never be assumed one person’s concept is identical to another’s. Each person is unique and may well use the term to define differing circumstances.

‘Stress is body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat.’ (Unknown)

As a rule, most consider stress to be harmful but sometimes it can have a positive impact. Provided not excessive, it can help perform under pressure and also motivate. For example: It can keep someone focused when undertaking something like a talk/presentation. It can motivate study/research when the individual would prefer to be doing something else. Etc. But it should be understood if the stress is constant it can take a serious toll.

What causes stress?

Naturally, to large extent, this tends to be personal however, there are some generally accepted causes. The following are just some examples and are in no particular order:

Finances.
Relationships.
Health.
Career.
Fear.
Responsibilities.
Emotions.
Negative thinking.
Etc.

In some instances, these may not apply to the individual themselves but to those they care about, upon whose behalf they are concerned and anxious.

What conditions may result?

Depression.
Tiredness.
Poor concentration.
Lack/loss of interest.
Loss of appetite.
Comfort eating.
Drinking.
Drug use.
Etc.

Of course this is by no means an exhaustive list. Many other conditions may result and can be personal to the individual.

What impact may stress have upon creativity?

As previously mentioned this is primarily aimed at authors consequently, the following is based upon that understanding. That does not mean it will not apply to others. Again the following is by no means exhaustive and in no particular order.

Loss of interest in the work to hand.
Inability to concentrate.
Slapdash writing: grammar; context; dialogue; etc.
Lack of attention to detail: plot; character development; world building; etc.
Undermining, negative viewpoint: constantly considering the work is poor quality.
Over critical: nothing ever right.
Overwhelming desire to abandon project but at the same time feeling guilty at the thought.
Etc.

The combined result may lead to some degree of depression; to be a creative who feels they cannot create is truly a frustrating and serious condition. They may well be aware of what is happening but feel unable to prevent the outcome. There may also be occasions when a person will not recognise their condition, simply attributing how they feel to: tiredness; over exertion; busy lifestyle; multi-tasking; etc. Of course, it is possible these are the causes but if they persist without respite it can become very serious.

Can stress be utilised in the creative process?

In many instances stress can, and frequently does, have a negative impact upon an individual’s creativity. However, as with most things there are exceptions to the ‘rule’. For example: Some artist’s stress/depression is considered to have had a beneficial impact upon their art. Some had their ‘Blue’; ‘Dark’; Surreal’, ‘Abstract’; ‘Fantasy’ periods that critics have acclaimed long after their demise.

Authors can, as with all life events, utilise their stress in their writing. Most books are about people and the events they encounter and face. About the conflicts and ‘stresses’ of life. ‘Write what you know.’ is a maxim often heard. Though, naturally, an author uses their imagination their writing will have a ‘truer’ ring if they call upon their own experiences or those of others who they have contact with. In addition, as already mentioned, stress can act as a motivator and keep a person focused.

In essence, authors need to try and understand what is happening to them and to turn that into material for their writing. Perhaps, initially, it will simply be a matter of making notes that detail how they are feeling and how their physical and mental systems are responding. It is possible, such an activity may even help them break the psychological barrier stress often creates.

How may stress be dealt with?

Just a selection of ideas. Again by no means exhaustive.

Examine the underlying circumstances to see if anything may be done about them. And, it there is – do it.
Accept the circumstance if it cannot be changed. Though some degree of the ‘stress’ may remain acceptance can help alleviate its intensity.
Adhere to any commitments made. This provides a degree of motivation that can help overcome some of the effects of stress.
Break usual routine: change when things done; go out; visit new places; etc. A change of scene or routine often refreshes and stimulates.
Exercise: A gentle walk is frequently beneficial though sometimes something more aggressive is needed. Exercise helps circulation that usually helps stimulate the brains activity.
Talk the situation through with a trusted person: relative; friend; colleague; etc.
Self-discipline: Perseverance will often result in a break through, though it may prove difficult to start with. Achieving any goal will result in a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction which in their turn may break the impact of the stress.
Try to channel the stress into creating something different: adopt a different approach to the work in hand; put the work in hand to one side and commence a new one.

Conclusion

Stress, though usually viewed as negative is not always so.

When stress hits, try to understand the underlying cause. If possible, change the circumstance but if it cannot be changed try and accept and work through it.

Persevere: pushing through and achieving a set goal, no matter how small, can be liberating and lead to a lighter sense of being.

Try and channel the stress into either furthering the work in hand or by creating something new. Seeing something positive coming out of it provides an upbeat sense of achievement.

Understand, as with all situations, the problem resulting in the stress will eventually dissipate.

There is a lot more that may be said but, as already stated, this is not intended to be an intensive, all-encompassing dialogue on stress.

Walking Over Eggshells by Lucinda E Clarke

[image error]This is a book the majority, if not all, parents would do well to read. It clearly, and uncompromisingly, depicts how a parent’s behaviour may impact on their off-spring for life.

Lucinda Clarke is an excellent author whose writing carries the reader along with ease. She incorporates: humour along with distress; emotions with thoughts; clear headedness with uncertainty and so on. Her writing is so smooth there are occasions when the reader may be surprised by how many years have passed in the tale though there are occasional references to age which help establish chronology.

In essence this is an autobiography, though many follow the modern trend to refer to such works as a memoir. Nevertheless, this book encompasses, in chronological order, a substantial proportion of the authors life.

The tale commences with Lucinda as a very young child. There is the amusing yet sad account of how at three years of age she packs her little suitcase and leaves home. This opens up the underlying river of emotions, abuse (mostly mental) and self-doubt that underpins the whole story and most of Lucinda Clarke’s life.

The reader is presented with clear insight into the author’s battle to get away from home; to escape from abuse; to be her own person; to obtain further education from the places of her choice; to get to know the opposite sex. Then there is her marriage to a man who would prove unreliable and dishonest but whom she loved. The author’s life subsequently takes a path that would lead to many adventures; wealth; poverty; civil unrest; etc., most of which occur in a variety of different African countries where her husband initially found employment. But then comes a time when she has to fend for herself and her daughters in countries that hold women in low regard. This is where her remarkable abilities come to the fore and, despite the years of being, and consequently feeling, undermined, she discovers abilities that surprise not only her but also the reader. She truly draws the reader into the tale with her excellent writing. The reader feels with Lucinda; the joy of success; the fear of destitution; the fear of homelessness; concern for her children; how to make ends meet; the turmoil of deciding what action would be for the best. And all of this is without any of the support that should have been hers. No doubt, many readers will have lived through difficult times themselves. Nevertheless, the majority have probably taken for granted there will be some support from relatives, friends etc. but this was not the case for Lucinda.

Lucinda Clarke is indeed an excellent writer; the style, flow and accuracy really do carry the reader through with ease and comfort without detracting from the intenseness of the dramatic moments.

Five stars (5*)

Note: Some readers may recognise the book title but not the cover, which was changed to the one seen here a little while ago. Be assured it is still the same book just packaged differently.

Walking Over Eggshells is available in paperback and as an e-book.

Amazon.com                  Amazon.co.uk

Publishing with Smashwords

[image error]Disclaimer: Other than utilising their systems for the publication of books, neither T. R. Robinson nor T. R. Robinson Publications are employed by, personally connected with or affiliated to, Smashwords.

Note: The information contained below is primarily intended for new and inexperienced authors. Those familiar with self-publishing will probably not find anything they do not already know. However, some of the formatting requirements to publish with Smashwords are different to those for other systems.

Readers, please note; this is only intended to be an overview of the processes for publishing with Smashwords. Further, detailed, information and guidance may be found within the Smashwords publishing site. Nevertheless, to provide an adequate overview, the post has to be longer than normal. The writer hopes, new, inexperienced, authors will find the following helpful.

Why Smashwords?

Most indie (independent) self-publishing authors will be familiar with, or at least have knowledge of, Amazon’s self-publishing systems and platforms (CreateSpace, Kindle). In fact, many never consider publishing their books elsewhere. So why even consider Smashwords?

Amazon is probably the world’s most popular and active on-line retailer that sells a complete range of products besides books. It therefore makes sense for authors to ensure their books are there. However, there are limitations: Amazon only retails from its own sites. They do not permit authors to make the CreateSpace or Kindle edition of their book available through other retailers. There are also limitations when it comes to putting books on offer.

In comparison, Smashwords, provided a book is accepted into their premium catalogue (more of that later), distributes to multiple retailers including: Apple (iBooks); Barnes & Noble (includes Nook); Overdrive (enables libraries to obtain the book); Baker & Taylor (one of their branches also facilitates library discoverability); and many more. It is therefore worthwhile for authors to consider also publishing with Smashwords.

Account

Naturally, as with all services, an author needs to open a Smashwords account. The following will be required: e-mail contact address; username (they will be requested to enter one of their choice. Rather than a full name these are usually short terms that have some baring.); name (actual or pen); state whether a person or company; age; location (country); password (for security best if not one already used elsewhere).

There is also the option to add: profile information: profile photograph or image; author biography and to complete an author questionnaire. Of course, anything that gives the author greater visibility is useful but there is no requirement to add any of this at this stage. They may return at any time to add the information, if they wish.

Book Setup

Title: Simply enter the title the book will be published with.

Release Date: The author has the option of confirming immediate publication or of selecting a future date. For example: If the book is to be available for pre-order, the date when the book is to be made available for purchase should be entered.

Synopsis: Enter the standard, long version, of the book’s synopsis e.g. as it would appear on the back cover of a paperback edition. N.B. Smashwords only publishes digital editions but does provide for the insertion of a URL to the paperback edition if one exists.

Short Description: A one or two sentence version of the synopsis. This, rather than the full synopsis, is usually displayed in the initial index of books. The full synopsis will be available if the reader clicks through to the actual book page.

Language: Language the book has been written in.

Price: The author choses how much they wish to charge for each individual book. Please note: Smashwords is based in the USA consequently, all prices are entered and shown in US Dollars ($). Please also note: to meet the requirements of other retailers the price needs to end with .99c e.g. $2.99; $5.99 etc.

Sample: To enable readers to decide whether the book is for them or not, as with other on-line retailers e.g. Amazon, they may select to download a sample before deciding to purchase, or not. This usually defaults to 20% but the author has the option of changing it. Authors need to bear in mind the sample comprises everything in the initial pages e.g. title page, copyright statement, preface, dedications, acknowledgments etc. Less than a 15% sample is therefore not recommended.

Categorization: This is the equivalent of the BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications) used in other systems. To gain the best indexing, the author should select both a Primary and a Secondary category.

Adult content: Important this section is completed. If not, a child, or reader who objects to such content, may purchase the book and understandably be upset. This would not reflect well upon an author and may in fact lead to them losing sells or even finding their books blocked or banned.

Box Set: Self-explanatory.

Tags: Up to ten tags may be entered. Provided they are relevant tags may help considerably with a book’s discoverability.

Ebook Formats: In order to make the book suitable for all the various digital readers available e.g. tablets, kindles, iPads etc., Smashwords enables a broad spectrum of formats. This is where the author selects the options for the book. The more there are the more available the book is. Why would they not select all?

Cover: This is where the author uploads the completed digital book cover. The cover has to meet specific requirements but, unless it has been created by an inexperienced amateur, most designs usually meet the requirements by default.

File: This where the book file manuscript is uploaded. Note: Smashwords’ formatting requirements are different to those for other systems. But there is no need to panic.

Mark Coker, the founder of Smashwords, has provided an excellent Style Guide that details exactly what is required. Provided it is followed, step by step, the correct formatting is easy to achieve. Note: if the manuscript has not been formatted in accordance with the Style Guide it is unlikely the book would be accepted into the Smashwords premium catalogue. This means distribution to other retailers, as mentioned above, will not occur though the book may still be available through Smashwords own site.

N.B. The Style Guide contains a lot more useful information besides describing how to format the manuscript document.

Publishing Agreement: To meet legislative requirements as well as Smashwords own terms and conditions, the author will need to agree and confirm by ticking the ‘Yes, I agree’ panel at the end:

They agree to the Terms of Service.
The work does not violate the Terms of Service
They are the original author and hold the copyright.
They authorise Smashwords to publish and distribute the work.

Publish Immediately: Presumably whether or how this panel appears will be influenced by what the author entered under ‘Release Date’ in the initial stages of the set up process.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number): Smashwords offers a free ISBN for each book published. Authors need to remember, though for most it is not an issue, acceptance of a free ISBN will result in Smashwords being shown as the publisher. As said for most this is not a problem but if the author wishes to identified as the publisher they will need to utilise an ISBN they have purchased. This does not affect their author status: they are still shown as the author. Note: Book identification within the Smashwords system does not use ISBNs. A unique ‘view’ URL/code is provided.

Metadata Details

When the ‘Publish’ button has been pressed Smashwords quickly publishes the book on its own website. Acceptance into the premium catalogue takes a few days: the manuscript has to be carefully checked to ensure it meets requirements before it may be distributed to other retailers. The following information is, almost immediately, provided on screen:

Word Count: Total for book.
ISBN: Whether a Smashwords free one or an author’s own.
Title: As on book.
Author: As shown in the book.
Publisher: Shown as Smashwords.inc when a free ISBN has been utilised.
Date and time of submission: This will be shown with the book details.

Roundup

The above is only intended to be an overview to assist new and inexperienced authors to get going with the publication of their digital books. Besides Mark Coker’s excellent Style Guide, the Smashwords system has many helpful guidance notes that authors may avail themselves of. Provided they do not try to rush matters, and carefully follow the Style Guide, the process is reasonably straight forward and within the grasp of most.

Due to Smashwords extended distribution to multiple retailers, authors are advised to consider publishing with them.

Tax: No matter where an author is based or a book sold, tax is always payable. The author will have to complete a tax form. Further information and guidance regarding tax and tax forms may be found at ‘Avoiding US Tax Withholding’.

Offer Campaigns: Unlike Amazon, Smashwords permits authors to put their books on offer without having to withdraw them from other retailers. A very distinct advantage if the book has been published through various channels.

More information may be found in the Smashwords website: https://www.smashwords.com

[image error]

Sue Julsen – Interview

[image error]

Welcome:  Sue Julsen

Author of Bitter Memories; and

Ten other books.

(Links for books are at end of this interview.)

Please tell us a little about yourself.

Born in Dallas, Texas, I was kidnapped by my father when I was three years old. After living a life I wouldn’t wish on any child, I began writing as a means of escape from the emotional scars and repetitive nightmares from my childhood.

I believe the experiences from childhood led me to become a true crime author, with a passion for writing crime fiction and inspirational fiction.

Today I live in Nevada with my husband and our two dogs. I enjoy reading, writing and going for short walks with the dogs.

I currently have eleven books published, with more to come.

What first inspired you to write?

I started writing poetry after leaving home to express feelings I never could share with anyone.  Finding some healing in this type of writing I started the long journey of writing my memoir, admitting to and reliving the abuse suffered as a child in order to continue healing and find forgiveness, not only for the abusers but for myself.

In what genre(s) do you prefer to write?

I prefer writing true crime, crime fiction and inspirational fiction.

Are you working on another book?

Unfortunately, all research and writing my next book is currently on hold until I get cataracts removed from my eyes, which I hope to do sometime this year, 2017.

Where any of your books have required research: What do you consider the best resources?

The best resources are to talk to people who were around during the time, but that doesn’t happen very often, leaving the internet the best resource.  Of course this leads to more research to verify what’s found on the internet.  It’s a vicious circle, but it’s also a lot of fun.  When answers are found it makes it all worth it.

Do you consider your books convey messages to readers?

Because of my childhood most of my books do have a message for my readers.

That message can be to get involved and help the ones who cannot help themselves — mainly children being abused, while other books relay respect and caring for others to not taking all you hear or read at face value. Know your sources and do your own research when searching for the truth.

What advice would you give to authors who are just starting out?

My advice to people in general is to follow your dreams and never give up. This same advice goes even more so for authors.  If a writer has a message to share but gives up, a story that needs to be told remains a secret and people who could have been helped continue to suffer in silence.

I’ve been asked many times if a writer should use their real name or a pen name. Unfortunately, no one can make this decision other than the writer of the story.

When writing about your own life you’re putting yourself out there for ridicule and this is scary.  I use my real name on all my books now but when I first started writing, some 50 years ago, I used a pen name because I had no confidence in myself.  The few things I published under the pen name have now been republished under my real name.

If the problem is a lack of confidence, the best way I know to gain that confidence is to share your work with a published author you admire. I don’t mean a New York Times bestselling author. They wouldn’t have time for writers just starting out anyway. A self-published author you like to read is an excellent source to go to. Contact that person ask if he or she has time to read your story and give you their honest opinion. If it’s not what you expected, learn from your mistakes, but never give up on yourself or your dreams.

Do you self-edit or do you think a book should only be professionally edited?

I read a lot of books and professionals don’t always catch all mistakes.  I self-edit multiple times before I send my project to several proof-reader friends. Once they’re done, I proof at least three more times before I consider it ready to publish.

How do you go about marketing your books?

Word of mouth has always been the best marketing for me, but I also use social media and a blog. I have three author pages on Facebook and those have been good, but I also use Google +, Pinterest, Goodreads, and LinkedIn.

How important do you think reviews are?

Good reviews are great, but I’m not sure how important reviews really are.  Everyone is not going to like what they read and those who don’t like a certain book for one reason or the other are likely to give a bad review — although not a fair review.  People should make up their own mind after reading the back cover written by the author.  If they like what’s written on the cover, they should get the book and see for themselves if the writing is good or not.

Do you have a preferred genre for when you read?

I have my favorite authors but I like most any book with a good plot, great characters, excellent writing, and very few mistakes.

This is an age old question but one I consider of interest. If you were stranded on a desert island, which three books would you like to have with you?

Only three? Yikes! Well, those would be The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul, The Body Box by Lynn Abercrombie, and Ghost Walk by Heather Graham. But in order to survive on that island, I’d better have a ton of paper and lots of pencils to write my own books!

Please share with us links to where readers may obtain more information and insight into who you are.

Website: http://sj2448.wix.com/suejulsen

Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4093695.Sue_Julsen/blog

Facebook pages:

https://www.facebook.com/sue.julsen2/

https://www.facebook.com/MemoriesBookSeries/ (Have to be signed into Facebook to view this page.)

https://www.facebook.com/RevengeBookSeries/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueJulsen

Google +: https://plus.google.com/+SueJulsenAuthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suejulsen

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/suejulsen/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Sue-Julsen/e/B00494W39O

Please tell us where we may find your books:

Since I have eleven books my website is the best. http://sj2448.wix.com/suejulsen

You can watch a slide show of the covers, read descriptions of each book, and see the formats available with links to order each one.

Thank you very much Sue for sharing your authoring experiences and knowledge with us. We all have much to learn from each other.

[image error]

 

Amazon.com

 

Amazon.co.uk

 

If interested, T. R.’s review of this book may be read here.

SEO – Keywords

[image error]Definitions

‘A significant word mentioned in an index.’ (Little Oxford English Dictionary)

‘A word used in a computer system to indicate a document’s content.’ (Little Oxford English Dictionary)

‘A term used as a keyword to retrieve documents in an information system such as a catalogue or search engine’. (Unknown)

‘An index term, subject term, subject heading or descriptor.’ (Unknown)

In essence Keywords are either individual words or short phrases that help identify and retrieve stored information.

Importance?

With the millions of websites and blogs and consequent multi-millions of web pages now in existence finding relevant information and content is no easy task. This is where keywords come into their own. In fact, they are vital to discoverability. The importance of keywords, to both a website owner and a user, cannot be over emphasised. Neither can the importance of ensuring they are clear and relevant.

Website Owners

Note: The term ‘website’, as used in this post, includes: website; blog; pages; posts and content and should be read as applying to these wherever appropriate.

With very rare exception the whole purpose of a website is to attract readers by providing content (information and products) that will meet a user’s need. The aim: to turn readers into contributors; fans; clients; customers. To facilitate that aim website owners should consider the following.

Placing:

Naturally, including keywords in a heading or title is advisable as search engines consider these first. It also makes sense to, if possible, select an appropriate keyword for each page. These should be relevant and on-topic to the content. If the content includes sub or section headings it may also help to see if keywords may be included in them.

There is also advise available suggesting keywords be included within the actual content. A couple of times in the first paragraph, if relevant, and then wherever possible without falling into the trap of ‘keyword stuffing’ (Abusing the facility by inserting an excessive number of keywords including ones not relevant to the content. The aim of which is to get the website or content to show up in multiple search results even when the content is irrelevant to the topic searched. Search engines will block and often ban such websites altogether.)

Including, relevant, on-topic, keywords as often as possible, without abusing the facility, will enable search engines to find and index the content more easily. This results in increased discoverability/visibility for the website.

Length:

Apparently sixty percent of keyword searches comprise two or three words. It therefore makes sense to try and replicate this trend with the keywords selected.

Links:

When ‘crawling’ through content, search engines give greater value to links as opposed to the text. It will therefore help if keywords can be included within the link name. If this cannot be achieved, an alternative is to include keywords in the text surrounding the link.

Images:

Any ‘appropriate’ method that facilitates a search engine’s indexing of a website should be considered. Keywords in image file names and captions may assist.

Block Quotes:

There is some thought, though not entirely proven, that search engines ignore anything in block quotes. Of course, keywords may be included but these should not be relied upon for discoverability.

Finding Relevant Keywords

Keywords are vital to discoverability and visibility. It is therefore essential the best possible ones are utilised. Most will acknowledge how difficult it can be to find those that will ensure not only search engines index the website/content but also place them in the high end of search results. A result that appears on third or subsequent pages rarely gets attention: users are busy people and, unless determined to find everything available on a topic, are unlikely to read beyond pages one and two.

Types of keyword

Before considering how to find useful and relevant keywords it will help to understand the intention behind them. Essentially there are three types:

Informational: The user is looking to: learn something; solve a problem; be educated. These focus on question type keywords e.g. How to ……..; Different ways to do …….; Why is …… important; etc.

Navigational: User wants to find relevant information regarding a brand; product; book; etc. These indicate they already know what they are looking for. They tend to be included in: homepages; product pages; brand pages. Also, book titles; author names; etc. can be their own keywords e.g. Charles Dickens.

Transactional: The user intends to take an action: purchase; follow; subscribe; etc. Usually found in: category pages; sale pages; landing pages e.g. ‘Books for Sale’; ‘Subscribe to ….. (The Times)’; etc.

Methods for checking/finding keywords

To discover appropriate, relevant and effective keywords the website owner should first consider the popularity of, and competition for, a keyword. This should be combined with learning what people are looking for. Some statistics indicate thirty-nine percent (39%) of on-line shopping begins with search engine search results.

Some understanding may be achieved by simply reading magazine and newspaper articles and/or taking note of advertising. However, though these may help they do not provide the more detailed statistics that help determine the effectiveness of a keyword. Thankfully, there are some available services to assist in these considerations.

Wordtracker: This allows a user to check up to five keywords a day before requiring them to sign up for a paid account. For most indie (independent), self-publishing authors these accounts are not a viable or realistic option. There are three account types available but, though there is a free one-week trial, they do come at a cost which most indie authors will find beyond their means. In addition, would they really need to check keywords frequently enough to justify the monthly outlay. The daily option would more than likely be sufficient.

The user inputs the keyword (single word or short phrase) they are considering. The system will then display a table that: lists variations; shows volume of searches made against each within the selected time period (users may select the period e.g. month, year); the number of web pages the keyword appears in; the competition for each; how popular each is. The latter takes into account the competition.

Google Adwords: This is Google’s advertising facility. To be able to access their ‘keyword planner’ the user must first have a Google account i.e. Gmail and then sign-up for a Google Adwords Account. Contact e-mail and website/blog addresses are required. The advert has to be created and the billing section completed. The writer has yet to utilise the facility but, from the information available, it appears to probably provide similar information to that supplied by other systems (e.g. Wordtracker above).

Keywordtool.io: There is no free option. Nevertheless, a user may still input a keyword and a useful list of variations will be displayed. The statistics for each are greyed out (only available for paid accounts) but users may still find the displayed variations helpful.

Yahoo! Buzz Index: Yahoo closed this facility in 2011. Mentioned here in case some have heard of it and wondered why it had been omitted.

Trends

Naturally, understanding current trends will assist in determining keywords.

Google Trends: Upon first entering the site a list of real-time current trending topics is displayed. This includes graphs of how popular particular categories are and a map of where the current trends are most popular. There is also the option to refine the information by category and country. In both there is a limited drop down list.

The user may also enter a word or phrase in an ‘Explore topics’ search bar. The result page will display the trends over a given period (usually defaulted to five years). Again a graph showing how popular the topic has been over the selected period is displayed. The user may refine the search further by: country (this provides a far more comprehensive list); period (hours, days, years); category (comprehensive list); areas of the web.

Social Media: Many sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc. also provide information upon current trends.

Ranking

The popularity of and competition for a keyword directly impacts upon where a website will appear in a search result. Where a website: is not sponsored (paid advertising) or popular; does not regularly receive multiple visits; is not the only one uniquely dealing with the topic, etc., it will, if at all, most likely appear a long way down a search result. Website owners should therefore consider the alternative and varied keywords the systems referred to above display. The more unique (but still relevant) the keyword the more likely it is the website will be displayed earlier in a search result.

Roundup

The term ‘website owner’ rather than ‘webmaster’ has intentionally been used because many websites/blogs are managed by ordinary people with no computer programming knowledge or experience. Consequently, it falls to them to select keywords.

Keywords are crucial to discoverability.

Time and care is required for the selection of relevant and appropriate ones.

The popularity of and competition for keywords should be taken into account.

Real-time, current, trends should be taken into account.

Wherever possible more refined (less popular) options should be considered.

Keywords should, carefully, be included wherever relevant and appropriate

‘Keyword stuffing’ must always be avoided.

Keywords should always be considered in website design and content preparation.