Book Of the Week "Mercy & Mayhem"

Book of the Week 

Traveling nurse Mercy Mares needs three things in life: the unconditional love of her daughter, her best friend and mentor's constant wisdom, and a new engine for her twenty-year old car. 

A new job posting halfway across the country promises to satisfy one of those needs, but when her patient's spouse dies within minutes of meeting her, she will soon find out that she's going to need a lot more than car repairs. 

What was touted as the friendliest town in America soon turns on her and it will be up to her to connect the dots and find the true murderer, but doing so will be no easy feat. With memory impaired witnesses, a meddling medical staff, and a cast of characters dead set on keeping their community free of strangers, Mercy will need a little help from her loved ones and a lot of luck to get herself out of this jam or risk losing everything she's worked so hard to achieve. 

Find out what happens when mayhem becomes synonymous with Mercy in this humorous, slightly irreverent Cozy Medical Mystery novel! 

This is book one of "A Mercy Mares Cozy Mystery" series!

Get Your Copy Today!

Author's Corner with Misha Gerrick

Welcome Back to Author's Corner 

Today I will be Interviewing Misha Gerrick 

Misha Gerrick has been creating stories long before she could write and is currently going after her dream of making a living as a writer. She is the Author of The Vanished Knight and The Heir's Choice.  

Now On To The Interview! 

Misha,why do you write?
This is a tricky one for me. I guess the simplest answer would be that I love creating stories. I started long before I even knew how to write, and it just naturally progressed from there.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?A character who appeared in my head while I was reading. I was thirteen and I thought I’d have the writing thing waxed. The first time I sat down and actually decided to finish something I wrote was also when I had a character walking into my head, and after seven failed attempts, I decided to get serious and get it done. That book went on to become the first two books in The War of Six Crowns.

What have you written?
At the moment, my finished draft count stands at nine books in seven genres. Two of those books are now published. I'm hoping to publish quite a few of the others next year.
Where can we buy or see them?
The Vanished Knight and The Heir’s Choice are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Scribd and Oyster.

You can also find them both on Goodreads (see the link to my profile below.)

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?I think the special thing about Callan is that she keeps trying even when she’s hurt and tired. In the first two books, she’s trying to find out about her past. Later on, we’ll see more of her grit as the situation becomes more challenging.

What are you working on at the minute?
Right now, I’m waiting for an Urban Fantasy to come back from my editor. It’s called Endless and I’m hoping to see it published by November 2015. Then I’m currently rewriting a dystopian that I hope to publish early next year. (Rewrites are standard to me, since I rough draft by hand.)

What genre are your books?
The War of Six Crowns is a YA Epic Fantasy series.

What draws you to this genre?
I just loved the idea of being able to go to another world as well as the complexity I could work with in this series.

How much research do you do?
I do quite a bit, but usually I research as I edit so that I can fix things I’ve written. Although that said, if I have a story that’s heavily based on reality (such as a historical) I read a lot of stories from or set in the time period so that I can get a feel for the “world” I’ll be working in.

In The War of Six Crowns, I researched how the foster care system works in England (which made for an interesting detail for later in the series), technical terms for castles, Cumbria, as well as taking Western Martial Arts and horse riding lessons.

Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.
Basically, I wanted something clean, simple and modern but with an old-world feeling since the books are very much about the meeting of the modern world with a more medieval fantasy world.

How do you market your books?
At the moment, I’m taking a more soft-marketing approach, since I don’t think hard-selling helps me do anything except upset the people I’m “shouting” at.

Also, I’m a firm believer in the idea that nothing sells an old book better than a new book, and nothing sells a new book better than an old book.

So with regards to marketing, I’m taking more of a long-term view. (Which includes not screaming “Buy my book!!!” at people.)

Why did you choose this route?
I decided to go this alone because these two books were signed to a small publisher and the experience left me… jaded. Short version of the answer: Why should I give 60% to 85% of all income generated from my hard work? Especially when the people I’m paying aren’t technically offering me something valuable for my money.

To give you an idea of what I mean: I got 40% royalties on The Vanished Knight when I was with the publisher, but after Amazon or equivalent’s costs. The Vanished Knight now costs a fifth of the price the publisher charged. I generated more royalty income from The Vanished Knight five days after its re-launch than I did in five months with my former publisher. So what exactly did I pay 60% of my book’s income for?

What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?
Basically, I do my social networking things (Note: Passive Marketing) in the quiet times of my day-job. I don’t see it as lost time because during my day-job hours, I can’t afford to be sucked into writing my stories. Because once I start writing, I basically go blind and deaf to everything else.

What do you do to get book reviews?
I just ask everyone offering reviews if they’re interested in my books. If they say no, it’s okay, but the number of people who say yes are still more than I would have had if I didn’t ask. Also, I’m seeing a lot of people leaving surprise reviews, just because they enjoyed my book, and I like those books.

What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
So far, my story is (mercifully) bad review free, but I try to take a philosophical stance toward it all. The War of Six Crowns does play around with a lot of things that fantasy readers might consider rules, and that means I’m due to get someone who hates it at some stage.

The thing is, I made an artistic decision on more than one occasion, and that’s fine. But it also means that I must keep my big girl pants on when people don’t like what I decided. I made the call, I bear the consequences.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Don’t compare yourself to other writers. It’s completely senseless, because you don’t know what went on behind the scenes. It’s destructive, because trying to emulate someone else ruins your own style and voice. It’s hurtful, because if you think you’re so far behind compared to someone, you don’t see how far you’ve already come.

So just look at the next thing you need to achieve and focus on that. And overall, don’t focus on being the next J.K. Rowling or something like that. Focus on being the best you that you can be.

Where do you see your publishing going in the future?

I’m planning on releasing between four and six books per year for the next five years, with the stated goal of earning a sizable income from my writing. It’s actually a purposefully huge goal, so that even if I fall short, I still make a living from my writing. (A tenth of my goal is equal to my salary.)

I truly hope that one day my books will be widely read, but to be honest, I’ll be happy with a loyal if small fan-base who writes me letters to squee with me about my characters.

As for huge publishing deals, I won’t say I’ll never sign one if it was offered to me, but it had better offer me something worth it before I do.


How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Website: http://mishagerrick.tumblr.com
Blog: http://Sylmion.blogspot.com
Twitter: @MGerrick1 (if you’re not interested in the nitty gritty of writing) @MishaMFB (If you are.)
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Misha-Gerrick/e/B00NHAQTW8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7325569.M_Gerrick

Thank You For Stopping By!

Make Sure you Check Out Her Work! 

Book's of the Week!

The Veiled Truth 

There’s a hit out on her life. This is all sixteen-year-old Sasha Delant thinks about, as she journeys to the aunt she never knew, for safety she was not aware she needed. Her mother’s lifelong secret has come back with a vengeance, sweeping Sasha and her best friend, Cassie, into a life they never expected – or wanted. Unsure who to trust, and forced out of the only home they have ever known, Sasha and Cassie must rely on each other to stay alive.

 FREE  Until December 8th!

The Unraveling 

In the Search for answers into her mother’s secret Sasha uncovers a truth no daughter ever wants to hear. She experiences the ultimate family betrayal as the very ones that are supposed to love and protect her are the very ones trying to kill her. Now Sasha and her best friend, Cassie, along with her new found cousins Devin and Danny, collaborate with new allies to uncover a way out of their dire situation. As their options dwindle and time begins to run out, Sasha must harness her uncooperative powers and make a decision that will determine the outcome of all their lives. In the end they know either they will save Jasmine and expose the truth, or die in the attempt.

 FREE Until December 9th! 

Author's Corner with W Lawrence

Welcome Back to Authors Corner

Today I will be interviewing  W Lawrence

Why do you write and when did you decide to become a writer?
I initially wrote Syncing Forward based on a lucid dream I had a few years back. At the time I had no plans to do anything other than get it onto paper and move along. As I was going through the process, however, it dawned on me I wanted to do more of it.

So, what have you written? 
Syncing Forward is my first novel. Although about eight years ago, I did publish a game supplement called Epic: Raiders which contained short stories. Epic is a tabletop game (read: grown men playing with toy soldiers) I used to play frequently – it was my obsession at the time.

Where can we buy or see them?
Syncing Forward is available all over now: Amazon, Apple, Googleplay, Barnes & Noble, etc. I have gotten fan mail from Australia, India, Germany, and Belgium; proof that the internet is the greatest invention since language.

What genre are your books?
Science fiction, or speculative fiction to be precise. It regularly falls into Top 100 lists for time travel, genetic engineering, and techno-thrillers. Although I do want to say the larger story is really about family, about choices, and about consequence. To me, the science fiction is the tool to tell the story.

What draws you to this genre?
My father raised me on Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, so writing scifi came naturally. It’s practically genetic.

What are you working on at the minute?
A book called One Way Window. It’s another time travel story, albeit very different from Syncing Forward.

Do you mind telling us about it?
It’s a twisty tale involving ghost stories, old houses, moonshiners, and a window that peers ninety years into the past. I hope to have it out by Christmas.

What do you find is the easiest thing about writing?
I don’t find anything easy about it, honestly, other than the desire to do it. In the movie A League of their Own, Tom Hanks tells Gina Davis “Of course it’s hard… If it was easy everybody would do it. It’s the ‘hard’ that makes it ‘great’.” To be able to write is a reward in itself, but it is a lot like exercising – you appreciate it after you’ve accomplished something.

How are you publishing this book and why?
I self-published on the advice of my editor, C.S. Lakin. She has published traditionally and on her own, and recommended maintaining control of my own work. And Lakin wasn’t the only person to say this. Other writers I know said the same thing. Funny that one reviewer said that she didn’t know why a publishing company wouldn’t pick up my book, when the true answer is I never sent it anywhere. Ever.

What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around?
Self-publishing is all about control. Win or lose, my fate is my own. It also feels like pioneering, reaching into areas that still remain uncertain after all these years. There are few hard-n-fast rules about self-publishing, and staying engaged is a challenge.

How successful has your quest for reviews been so far?
Great! Syncing Forward has over a hundred fifty reviews. It didn't start out great, but there were some strategies that worked.

Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers?
The first best thing was to reach out to bloggers, especially smaller blogs that were hungry for material. Yes, it is important to get seen, but you can’t be a snob and hold out for the NY Times to contact you. Little mentions snowball into big visibility.

I also hired a publicity manager from Aintwrite.com who is affordable and wise. Bunny set up a free giveaway for my book which I initially fought, but the reviews that poured in were well worth it.

Goodreads is vital for communicating with your core audience. Do book giveaways both on Goodreads directly and through the groups. DON’T be a pushy dog and hassle the moderators into allowing you to use their reading group as your marketing platform. I read their posting rules and never violated them. Instead I participated in discussions and eventually I had a moderator contact me and offer to do a book discussion on Syncing Forward.

What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
I read every single review at least twice. They are incredibly helpful because it is your customer communicating with you about your product. Most businesses would beg for the type of feedback authors get. Sure, some of it can be harsh and my first 1-star review stung. Oh well. You suck it up and move on, but always remember the critical reviews – they will help you improve your craft.

Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you?
I twitter-followed a fella called The Sample Reader who does reviews based solely on your Amazon sample, then reviews it. He took notice and reviewed Syncing Forward on Goodreads, and gave it a 2-star. Ouch! I was pretty bitter about it for a few days, but I followed my own advice and reread his review, trying to pin point what his problem was. Turned out that the cut-off point for my Amazon preview was in a terrible spot and it really didn’t give readers motivation to continue; a point The Sample Reader made. I went and lengthened the preview and got immediate positive feedback from new readers. That 2-star review probably saved my bacon.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
#1 – get an editor. Yes, I know you have your degree in English Lit and never misspell anything and are a human autocorrect. It doesn’t matter. Your book needs an editor to compete. An editor is not your friend or your mom or the college student looking for an extra buck. An editor is a professional who will make your writing better, and you NEED that to stand out in this highly competitive market. Even after I had two editors work my book over, I had 5 typos in the book and customers noticed every single one of them, making comments in their reviews. Had it been 15 typos, or 50, I would have lost a lot of business and received poorer reviews.

#2 – see #1.

Where do you see your publishing going in the future?
I’m excited to announce that I signed a deal with Podium Publishing in July 2015. Podium does not take solicitations – they reached out to me and asked me to come aboard. After listening to their marvelous work on Andy Weir’s The Martian, I couldn’t say no.

In addition I am pitching my book to Lakeshore Entertainment on August 8th along with a few other companies. I hope I come back from Hollywood with some good news.


How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: syncingforward.com
Blog: syncingforward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Syncing-Forward/414677125335199
Twitter: @syncingforward
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/W-Lawrence/e/B00L2C9QVY/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22619416-syncing-forward

Thank You For Stopping By! 

Make Sure you Check Out His Work!

Book Of The Week "The Eyes of The Sun"

Book of the Week! 

New Orleans certainly has no shortage of vampire legends and after a few months in the French Quarter, Lucy Soriano was sure she had heard them all. But when a date with a handsome stranger takes a deadly turn, she quickly discovers that the truth is more terrifying than fiction. The real monsters are the creations of evolutionary advantage, not vivid imaginations. 

But vampires aren't the only ones with evolution on their side. An anomaly in her blood is found to be fatal to vampires and Lucy is swiftly recruited into shadow organization hell bent on eliminating the vampire problem once and for all. Vampirehunting does not come naturally and Lucy's dangerous improvisations are quickly called out by Andre Garnier, a hunter who makes no secret of the fact that he opposes Lucy's recruitment. 

Soon it is discovered that The Eyes of The Sun, the oldest and most dangerous collective of vampires, are once again gaining ground and have infiltrated the very organization that is trying to stop them. The hunters have become the hunted and no one is to be trusted. Lucy and Andre are forced to set aside their differences for the sake of survival, but The Eyes of The Sun have an agenda that no one expected.

Make sure you show the Author Some Love! 

Author's Corner with Peter Difatta

Welcome Back to Author's Corner 

Today I have the pleasure of Interviewing Peter Difatta 

Peter is the Author of Finding Pluck. While it was in the manuscript form, Finding Pluck won the William Faulkner Literary Award in 2014.

It has recently been reviewed and recommended by The American Library Association. See the review here.

Now on to the Interview!

Why do you write Peter?
I write mainly because I enjoy it, and I think I have something creative and interesting to say. Plus, writing is a powerful force in changing the way people think, and I think I can offer up some important insights that perhaps not everyone has.

When did you decide to become a writer?
I've always appreciated the art of storytelling even when I was in grammar school. While I was in my first year of Literature class in college, I was recognized as having some skill with writing and was put in a special creative writing class. At the end of the semester, a novella I had written as an assignment was highlighted and read in its entirety to a large gathering of professors and students. While this was happening, I was extremely nervous about this and fortunately was sitting in the back of the room. However, it was well received, and from then on, I wanted to do more writing.

What genre are your books?
The latest book Finding Pluck, is difficult to place. In one regard, it is a coming of age novel. However, it does have a paranormal twist, it includes some romance, it has some mystery, and it is set in two historical time periods outside of the present. So, it could fall in any of these categories. However, if there was a genre category called “social agenda” genre, I would put it in there. It is because the novel addresses the culture of prejudice in our society—how prejudice is formed and how it is reinforced in our religions, culture and our laws. My previous novel was a paranormal (supernatural) thriller. The novel I’m working on now is set in the future so it will be in the Sci-Fi category.
What draws you to this genre?
Above everything else, I consider myself an entertainer. I may have a message to get out, but unless I get an audience to read my book, I’ve accomplished little. So, my goal is to entertain while at the same time delivering my message. I think a lot of people are drawn to the paranormal, as I am, so I use that genre to convey my message.

What have you written?
My first novel was a supernatural thriller entitled Utility. Finding Pluck is out now. Presently, I’m working on a anthology of my short stories, mostly paranormal and also working on my first attempt at sci-fi.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special?
Um! Taylor is really not so special as a person. I tried to make him into an ordinary high school senior (when the book starts) who has a loving home environment, yet one facing numerous setbacks. Taylor desperately wants to go to college and is accepted, but financially his father can’t afford to send him. Taylor lies, saying he is gay, in order to receive a fully paid scholarship. What he does that is special is that he learns from this experience of being exposed to prejudice by walking in other people’s shoes, and he becomes a better person.

Where do your ideas come from?
I’m sure I’m influenced by everyday happenings one encounters in the news. I find myself clipping interesting newspaper stories. Real life is often stranger than fiction. And everyday actions with people are a source of inspiration. But after I have decided on the premise of my book, my most creative thoughts come when I’m swimming laps. It is a wonderful way to block out the rest of the world. All you hear are the bubbles from your breathing and the rhythmic sound of your strokes. This is a time when my mind can work best. It is a time when I can solve narrative problems.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just seeing where an idea takes you?
I outline using a database. Each chapter is one record. Each record shows a synopsis of the chapter, a time frame, people in the chapter, which draft (1, 2, 3, final), a rating of the quality of the chapter, notes on problems, and notes on things to add. New chapters can easily be added when needed. There are probably commercial writing programs to do this, but I just created my own database. It is extremely useful for examining your narrative arc, making sure time frames are plausible, and makes it easy to experiment with re-arranging chapters. When I am actually writing the chapters, they often go in a different direction than I originally intended. This may or may not result in revising the outline. Also, the outline is not fixed and definitely changes as the novel progresses.

How do you think you've evolved creatively?
I think I am much more demanding of myself. The narrative becomes more complex, and the characters become more developed, all hopefully making a more interesting read.

How do you market your books?
Marketing is a never ending challenge. First I seek out as many reviews as possible. I do this by contacting bloggers, and giving away my book on various sites in exchange for reviews. I've done press releases, opened a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a Pinterest page, advertised on Facebook and Google Words (neither worked) and had price reduction promotions. And, I enter contests. I am very selective about which ones, choosing only not for profit contests.
Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures?
The price reduction with promotions by far worked the best. The paid sites are the most effective, but you have to weigh the cost to benefit results. I've spent money on sites only to receive half that amount in royalties. Others are free and were quite beneficial.

Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future?
Google Adwords, Goodreads ads, and advertising on Facebook did not work for me, and I felt was a waste of money. Possibly other genres might work, but I have my doubts. I've heard the same comments from other authors who are a lot more successful than me.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Be very devoted to your craft. Write as much and as often as you can. And truly believe in yourself and what you want to say.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?
Yes. Marketing is a never ending process that builds on itself. As an example, when I first published Finding Pluck, I contacted local media stations seeking air time to talk about my book. The only one that responded was a NPR (National Public Radio) affiliate. I posted an edited version of that interview on my website. Through Goodreads, I requested an honest review and a blogger, who saw the request investigated my book, and after hearing the NPR interview was convinced she wanted to review it. When she did, she loved it and has heavily promoted it through her blog, twitter and Facebook. See her entire review here.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8LYQZW
Website: FindingPluck.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25033769-finding-pluck


Thank You for Stopping By! 

Make Sure you Check out his Work! 

Book Of The Week "FOEHAMMER"

Book of the Week 

Twenty years from now a virus breaks out in a couple of Arctic naval bases, and then, even more strangely, inside the White House. The guards become animated corpses, and rescue teams are rendered helpless by a mysterious trance effect. Underpaid academic Dr. Weaver has documents that refer to something similar happening in the time of Christ, and a group of billionaires seek him out and immediately set him to work. With the help of a super-hacker, he manages to track down a veteran who’s not susceptible to mind control. But this Sean “Jester” Solberg character is a wild card—an aggressive loner who lives with the immigrants outside the cities. The next recruit is even more unusual. Curtis Ferguson is the son of a couple of anthropologists and reportedly the world’s most powerful witch doctor. Into this bizarre, dysfunctional group is thrust Jodie Goodwin, a down-to-earth Texan girl with exceptional shooting skills. The newly formed team creep into the bunkers deep under the capital and encounter mankind’s ancient enemies. They end up fighting for survival and soon discover that their lives depend on the powers of the young, but untested, shaman.

Make sure you Check Out His Work!