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Jan Hurst-Nicholson (the pitfalls and pratfalls of being an author)
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Mainly Port Elizabeth.
It's on my tbr list (on the Kindle) so I'm looking forward to it even more now. Well done, Jan.
Gingerlily - Elephant Philosopher wrote: "Mainly Port Elizabeth."I haven't been to PE but did go to East London (which is not too far away) for an MG reunion many years ago.
Anna wrote: "It's on my tbr list (on the Kindle) so I'm looking forward to even more now. Well done, Jan."Hope you enjoy it :)
I'm having a countdown on Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the kidnapped mouse
A humorous, animal detective story for 7-12 year-olds.
"When Mr Woodland Mouse mysteriously disappears, Constable Mole is quick to enlist the help of Leon Chameleon, Private Investigator, whose expertise enabled the Pigeon Valley Police to solve the case of the missing canary eggs.
After organising a search, Leon realises that there is only one creature in the valley who can spring the captured mouse from his prison. But just when he thinks Mr Woodland Mouse is safely on his way home, the plan goes horribly wrong..."
All the animal details of food, habits, and lifestyle are true to nature (apart from Constable Mole’s sunglasses!) and the animals solve the crimes using their own natural abilities. Children will absorb much knowledge of the small creatures of Africa without being aware of it.
A section of interesting facts has been added to this second detective story in the Leon Chameleon PI series. It provides valuable and little-known information on chameleons, moles and other creatures featured in the story.
(Not sure if it's 99p or 77p)
This sounds great, Jan. I love the idea of the animals solving the crimes using their own natural abilities.I remember my son bringing a chameleon in to the house and placing it on something white 'to see if it could do white'!
Hi Anna,Thanks. It took quite a bit of research about the various animals to come up with the stories, but it was great fun. I had an animation company interested in making the books into a TV series and I did outlines for about 20 stories, but unfortunately they could not get funding.
I believe it's quite difficult keeping a chameleon in captivity as they need 'live' insects.
This is a friend's son sharing a joke with 'Leon"
Had to bow to pressure and change the cover for With the Headmaster's Approval as the original one was being mistaken for BDSM erotica! (had to Google that)New cover (I wanted it to convey a 'feel-good' story)
A sign of the times, eh, Jan? New cover looks good.
Thanks.Yes. I think the 50 Shades.. covers had a lot to do with it!
I'm doing a countdown on
99p until 16th March. Hope you can take advantage of the offer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drink-Water-D...
Follow the hilarious lives of the naïve Turner family as they emigrate from Liverpool to sunny South Africa. Laugh out loud as they encounter ‘crocodiles’ on the wall, strange African customs and unintelligible Afrikaans accents. Cringe with them as their visiting in-laws embarrass them in front of their new SA friends.
If you enjoyed Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine you will recognise Mavis Turner.
Review
With a droll, witty, utterly British voice, this manuscript tackles playfully and sincerely the age-old fish out of water tale. What sustains this book, however, is the narrative voice, the dry and self-deprecating humor, and the ability of this author to tell a story simply and well.
Publisher’s Weekly reviewer for the ABNA semi-finals.
Set in the 1970s, BUT CAN YOU DRINK THE WATER? uses subtle observational humour with an underlying pathos to portray the upsets, hurt and changing family dynamics that emigration brings. (The story is based on a 13-part sitcom)
Just done a combined children's book promo with several other writers. One writer managed to get a Bookbub ad and put links to our books in the back of his book. There were 25 books altogether. We all promoted like mad. I had over 1000 free downloads, but unfortunately not many follow through sales or reviews. But at least the books are out there and might eventually be read!
Bringing in the family to help with advertising.
Hi Jan - just found But Can You Drink the Water? on iAuthor (I've just uploaded my 4 there) and have recommended it!
Hi Philip - Thanks so much. I've got my books all over the place.Have you tried http://booksonline.directory/index.php ? You can upload for free and then pay for promotions.
Jan wrote: "Hi Philip - Thanks so much. I've got my books all over the place.Have you tried http://booksonline.directory/index.php ? You can upload for free and then pay for promotions."
No, I haven't Jan but thanks - I'll give it a go!
Hi Philip - just had a borrow of But Can You Drink The Water? Might have been your recommendation that did it!
Have you got BookReport linked to your dashboard? Fantastic info and it even goes ka-ching when you have a sale. That's enough to get me running to the computer if I'm watching the telly. You can read about it here, and it's free if you earn less than a certain amount a month.:)
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topi...
Jan wrote: "Hi Philip - just had a borrow of But Can You Drink The Water? Might have been your recommendation that did it!Have you got BookReport linked to ..."
I'll have a look. Thanks Jan. I don't think the 'ka-ching' feature would get much use with me ;-)
It's worth having just for keeping a record of your sales.Just sold another But Can You Drink... but missed the ka-ching! Must have been out of earshot.
Jan wrote: "It's worth having just for keeping a record of your sales.Just sold another But Can You Drink... but missed the ka-ching! Must have been out of earshot."
I'll certainly use it during the free trial, but I think the cost of the thing itself would exceed anything I might hope to earn over a year ;-) It's a clever program.
Like the iAuthor site a lot though.
The program is free if you earn under $1000 a month (I think that's the amount). I doubt if I'll ever get to the stage where I have to pay. The guy who wrote it wants to help fellow writers. He's always open to suggestions for improvement - hence the ka-ching!I also like the info on iAuthor. Will have to take another look at it. Are you also on Readers in the Know?
http://www.readersintheknow.com/home
Jan wrote: "The program is free if you earn under $1000 a month (I think that's the amount). I doubt if I'll ever get to the stage where I have to pay. The guy who wrote it wants to help fellow writers. He's a..."Thanks Jan. I've just joined the Readers in the Know thingy. I'll now need to get around to adding some content!
Just got a new cover for Mystery at Ocean Drive Waiting for the proof of the print copy to arrive and if all is ok I will also have print copies available for sale :) .
It's worth Googling your name now and again. I discovered that With the Headmaster's Approval
was the winner of the best Chick Lit/Women’s Lit category in the 2015 eFestival of Words. It was peer-nominated, so I didn't know about it until after I had won. Nice surprise.
If you enjoy feel-good stories then grab a copy of With the Headmaster's Approval while it's FREE until 30th April.
Winner of the best Chick Lit/Women’s Lit category in the 2015 eFestival of Words.
I'm doing a freebie 8 - 10th May onMYSTERY AT OCEAN DRIVE a Hardy Boys style action adventure set in South Africa.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Ocea...
Hi,I've finally got With the Headmaster's Approval: A feel-good story of secrets, scandals and second chances into print.
I'm doing a Goodreads Giveaway of the paperback from 12th Feb until 12th April.
Lust shouts. Love whispers. Only the heart knows the difference.
When handsome American, Adam Wild, takes up the position of head teacher at St Mary’s Academy for Girls in England, he knows he’ll have his work cut out for him. The governing board thinks his background as an officer in the US Navy makes him well suited to restore much needed discipline to the school. But some of the all-female teaching staff disagree.
Jenna feels the position should have been hers and undermines his attempts to reform the troubled school. Barbara (Babs) sees him as a romantic challenge, but Lisa, his confidant, believes she knows where his heart truly lies.
Adam’s strict new rules and sometimes cavalier approach set him on a collision course with a contingent of sullen and rebellious students who set out to manipulate and embarrass him in ways that only teenage girls can.
Still recovering from the tragic loss of his wife and two young children in a car crash, Adam is not in the market for new romance. But that does not prevent him from becoming the target of several predatory, repressed, or love-hungry libidos. His virile presence acts as a catalyst that upsets the entrenched order and stability of the school world, and proceeds to pull more than one dark, scandalous secret into the light … And then Nicole, his late wife’s tearaway kid sister returns from Africa - and she is hiding secrets of her own.
Intrigue, scandal and suspense simmer beneath the surface of this light-hearted and humour-peppered romance, where one man’s influence on a school full of wayward girls and their teachers changes their lives in ways none of them could imagine – and eventually his own.
Winner of the best Chick Lit/Women’s Lit category in the 2015 eFestival of Words
If you enjoy feel-good stories then don't miss this happy-ever-after read.
You are invited to enter my Giveaway on With the Headmaster's Approval: A feel-good story of secrets, scandals and second chances It ends on April 12th.Lust shouts. Love whispers. Only the heart knows the difference.
When 40-year-old former US navy officer Adam Wild takes up the position of head teacher at St Mary’s Academy for Girls in England, he knows he’ll have his work cut out for him. But what he doesn’t realise is that his greatest challenge will be in managing the all-female staff.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Hi,I'm doing a FREEBIE on Leon Chameleon P.I. and the Case of the Missing Canary Eggs from 13-17th September. It's the first in the Leon Chameleon PI series.
Amazon UK link https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leon-Chamele...
Selected as one of Bookchat Magazine's 1993 South African Books of the Year.
When Mrs Canary’s eggs mysteriously disappear, a frantic Mr Canary dashes straight off to the Pigeon Valley Police for help. Unfortunately, Sergeant Loerie and Constable Mole’s hasty attempts to make an arrest lead them to the wrong suspects. Leon Chameleon PI, who has quietly kept an eye on developments, decides it is time to step in and offer his services – after all, isn’t he the best Private Eye in Pigeon Valley? He puts all his skills to work and finds vital clues which Loerie had overlooked. Now a daring plan is needed to trap the suspects and bring them before Spotted Eagle Owl’s Court, where Leon springs his final surprise…
Janet Hurst-Nicholson draws on the habits and characteristics of the small creatures living in Pigeon Valley, Durban, to create a thrilling detective story. Barbara McGuire’s illustrations capture the story’s humour, while portraying the animals as they really are.
A humorous, animal detective story for 7 – 12 year-olds, and great fun for parents to read to younger children.
Hope you'll grab a copy while it's free.
Recently released my non-fiction book. It's the book you didn't know you needed.Would You Rather Be in the Coffin Than Give the Eulogy? how to take the terror out of public speaking and advance your career and social network
Whether you’re just starting out in your career, an expert in your field, an author or retired sports star suddenly catapulted onto the speaking circuit, you will need some basic skills in public speaking – and some practical advice. Here it is.
The ability to speak in public is probably the most rewarding skill you will ever learn. It will not only improve your career prospects, but it will also boost your self-confidence at social functions (you may never become the life and soul of the party, but at least you won’t have to remain a wallflower!)
Have you ever:
• Been nervous about a promotion because it involved public speaking?
• Been afraid to speak up in meetings?
• Turned down an invitation to speak at your garden club or similar (or choked horribly in the attempt)?
• Been unsure about proposing a toast, or introducing and thanking a speaker?
Then you will benefit from the tips and guidelines in this book. Self-confidence comes from knowing the correct way of doing things - and how to avoid the pitfalls.
As you advance in your career you might be expected to:
• Give presentations
• Deliver farewell speeches
• Compere functions
• Do media interviews
• And yes, give eulogies.
This book provides a step-by-step guide for giving these, and many other speeches, with examples that show you what to do, what not to do – and what can go hilariously wrong! (Some things can only be learned by experience.)
Jan Hurst-Nicholson has used her 35-year involvement in public speaking training, and her experiences giving talks at numerous events and organisations, to compile this practical guide. Uniquely geared towards the average person who does not aspire to become a professional speaker, (although there’s good stuff for them as well) but merely wants practical advice on speaking in public, (don’t drink anything fizzy before a speech) it is packed with meaty information that provides the tools for a better, confident you. Use them and you will soon have those butterflies flying in formation – and it might even change your life.
*Makes a great graduation gift.
August 13th is left-handers day. To celebrate I am doing a FREEBIE onThe Race: An Inspiring Story for Left-Handers
It's available at all Amazon stores from 13-15 August. You can use this universal link getBook.at/TheRace
Makes a lovely gift for a leftie, or the print version for a school library
Calling all parents and teachers.
Join us for this back-to-school blog tour. There will be author interviews, giveaways, and book discounts.Featured authors and their books will be posted from Sept. 10-14.
My ebook version of 'Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the missing canary eggs' will be free for the tour.
Leon Chameleon P.I. and the Case of the Missing Canary Eggs
I'm also offering study questions to go with the book. Please share the link with anyone who might be interested.
https://crystalkeeper.wordpress.com/
EVERYONE will have to make a speech at some time in their lives, whether it is birthday, wedding, workplace or social. Anyone beginning their career will benefit from knowing how to give a presentation. Get ahead of the pack by learning the vital skill of public speaking by taking up this FREE offer.FREE 17-20 October Would You Rather Be in the Coffin Than Give the Eulogy? how to take the terror out of public speaking and advance your career and social network
A Choker's Guide to Public Speaking
Link to worldwide Amazon stores http://getbook.at/Wouldyou
Link to Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FJVP47B
Thrilled to have received some good reviews for my book on public speaking, especially from a career public speaker.As a career public speaker, I can say that this book was an awesome little breath of inspiration and renewal. Good, common-sensical tips are presented in a practical way. Very helpful and refreshing and full of good ideas that I wish I’d had when I was just starting out. I especially enjoyed the asides of actual experiences “on the road.” I recommend this book especially to those that find themselves having to speak up and speak out at public gatherings of any kind! There is even a section regarding being chosen to say grace before a public meal.
Link to Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FJVP47B
To celebrate Read a Book Day on Sept 6th I've made ALL my books FREE from 5-7 Sept. You can check them out on my Amazon author page. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jan-Hurst-Ni...
There are a varied number of genres to suit all tastes, but my bestseller is But Can You Drink the Water?
Good to see you back on here, Jan. The titles of your books are so thought- provoking!
Have been remiss in not keeping up this thread. Decided to go back to basics.
In the past I have always advised new writers to hone their skill by writing letters to the editor. It helps to focus on the topic, to cut out unnecessary words and to ‘know your audience’ i.e. the type of letter the magazine or newspaper tends to publish (often in praise of itself ).
Over the years I have had the ‘winning letter’ in various magazines and even won an expensive Mont Blanc pen, so I decided to give it another go with a popular magazine – and won R400.
Sometimes it pays to take your own advice :)
Wow! Brilliant. I love reading the letters to the editor and I've retained (unusually!) some very good advice from them. But it never occurred to me that it's good training for authors. Thanks, Jan, and I'm glad you've been rewarded.
I spend a chunk of time in the mornings reading and commenting on blogs - hadn't thought of letters to the editor intended for publication.But I wonder if any of those 'opportunities' lead to the only thing I care about right now: finding readers. Without readers (and reviewers), I don't feel as if the work is complete. After all, I knew the story end to end - all half-million words worth of plot (but not the words) - before I started in 2000; it's been a long time, and I'm not through the third trilogy volume.
Anna wrote: "Wow! Brilliant. I love reading the letters to the editor and I've retained (unusually!) some very good advice from them. But it never occurred to me that it's good training for authors. Thanks, Jan..."I also enjoy reading the letters page. I buy The International Express and there are letters from readers across the continents, which makes interesting reading. Occasionally the letters page is missing (the person compiling it probably goes on holiday) and I feel quite cheated and very disappointed.
Alicia wrote: "I spend a chunk of time in the mornings reading and commenting on blogs - hadn't thought of letters to the editor intended for publication.But I wonder if any of those 'opportunities' lead to the..."
If readers find your letter interesting, and you use your writing name, they might Google you, especially if you find a way to allude to the fact that you are a writer. :)
A bit of a stretch - but you never know.I have resisted a lot of things because I always use my full name, and that's my author name, and I've felt comfortable on author blogs and such, but haven't pushed out into the 'real world'.
I say that, having been in the New York Times a couple times quoted in an article on senior living choices, and nothing bad happened.
I comment frequently - in our bookish world, but that involves only me, and family is not likely to see these.
I would have no trouble adding something like, "as a novelist" to a letter, to explain a point of view on a topic. Or, "in my novels"...
I'll consider it - and you're right about it being good practice - but don't want to waste my 'debut' in letters on something trivial - or polical. The internet is forever. Thanks!
Alicia wrote: "A bit of a stretch - but you never know.I have resisted a lot of things because I always use my full name, and that's my author name, and I've felt comfortable on author blogs and such, but haven..."
Yes, you have to be a bit careful when using your writing name. I never write about anything controversial, or even anything that someone could disagree with as it would be easy for them to write a bad review on one of my books. I use my 'real' name, or even a pseudonym when writing letters to the editor.
Jan, can you post about your free book here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... please, and not start a new thread. I have deleted your other one
Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "Jan, can you post about your free book here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... please, and not start a new thread...."OK. Thanks
Just re-launched my book with a new title and cover for the print version. 
Public Speaking: Banish the Butterflies
Whether an accomplished speaker or a nervous novice, you'll acquire invaluable insights from seasoned speakers. Discover practical techniques on what to embrace and pitfalls to avoid. Witness how they conquered their fears and mastered the captivating art of public speaking, transforming trepidation into triumph.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D7SXBTCX link to PRINT version.
(Previously titled "Would you Rather be in the Coffin Than Give the Eulogy?")
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
Public Speaking: Banish the Butterflies (other topics)Public Speaking: Banish the Butterflies (other topics)
But Can You Drink the Water? (other topics)
Public Speaking: Banish the Butterflies (other topics)
Leon Chameleon P.I. and the Case of the Missing Canary Eggs (other topics)
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Lovely to hear that you've read and enjoyed the book.
Where in SA do your friends come from?