Monetizing Your Blog

Did you know you can monetize your blog on Amazon? Check out this post by Laurie Boris on Indies Unlimited.

#selfpublishing Gets More Widespread

According to a post bu Heather Greene — In 2011 the New York Daily News reported that 43% of all paperbacks were self-published, with overall publishing up 287% from 2006. The Wall Street Journal reported that self-published books were up by 160% over the same period. Amazon’s publishing arm, Create Space, told the New York Times that “its books increased by 80% from 2009-2010” alone.

Click here for the entire article.

GUEST POST: Lynette Willows

 

 

 

Note: There will be two winners drawn from the commenters at the end of the tour. Winner 1 will receive a lovely pair of colonial era  earrings (U.S. only please due to shipping constraints); Winner 2 will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Certificate.

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Pull your desk up to the edge of a cliff and start typing. You’ll  survive your fear or fall into the precipice. Either way, it’s an adventure.

-Lynette Willows

Carley and I met many moons ago during the beginning days of MSN groups. Remember them? I was running an interactive writing group. It proved to be a great training ground for me, and I think for Carley as well. We instantly clicked. She not only fully embraced the format, but soon became a leading force in the stories, taking on several key characters and both of us mentoring other writers who were struggling with the more basic aspects of writing.

When MSN groups shut down we lost track of each other for the most part. We became busy with family concerns, as most people do, and I started my freelance writing career. Finally, when all our kids were gone and we each had an empty house, Carley contacted me, wanting to write a story in the same interactive manner. I was equally hungry to relive the adrenaline rush and we started a private Google group with just us as members. Within six months we had written four books worth of material set in her favorite time and theme, the American Revolutionary War.

I was reluctant to delve into this theme, being Canadian and not really knowledgeable about American history, but through research I soon became addicted. This era lent itself to mystery, suspense, romance, all the aspects we loved in a story. We are polar opposites in lifestyle, her being a confirmed city girl and me being a country living, city hating Albertan redneck, so it has always amazed me we thought so much alike when it comes to writing. What’s even more amazing is that we have never met in person. I think it’s the dream of both of us is to finally meet and work on a book across the table from each other, complete with lively discussions and heated debates, hashing out details for hours. It’s our modus operandi, since we care so much about our stories.

That’s our brief history. Now I want to get specific and plunge into a subject that may seem depressing at first, but essential if you want to write a book that doesn’t hopelessly bog down and readers abandon you. These are not all, by any means, but ones that particularly irk me.

Backstory: Don’t put the history of your character too soon into the story. They will learn what brought your heroine to this point throughout the book. Also, don’t try to tell their whole life story within a few paragraphs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this, and not only is it annoying but it clogs and, in some cases, completely stops the flow, deadly for any author. Instead, just add a short blip that only relates to what they are experiencing at the present time which may influence how they act or reason, and only if it’s the only way to explain the resulting decision. Tiptoe through it if you think it will help you not get carried away with backstory.

Story: Even if you’re writing science fiction or fantasy, your story has to smack of realism. It has to be believable, where the readers ask, “Could this happen? Did it happen? Will it happen in the future? Yes, I can see it.” Many writers have dove into a fantasy story believing they can write anything with no thought of whether it’s believable; not so. The key phrase, especially for science fiction, is “science”. Do your research. And for fantasy, it has to have some logic at least. If a reader is led to suspend their belief too much, you’ve lost them. They have to be able to visualize what you’re trying to say.

Characters: Two dimensional, no consistency in behavior, too perfect, too evil, no personality; these are the characters that drive me crazy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run across this problem in novels. I’ve especially experienced it in romance novels, where both the heroine and hero are paper dolls, with no depth or personality.  I call them “cookie cutter” characters; great for baking, bad for writing. Another issue is reality. I once started reading a book that had interesting characters and the story drew me in until, early in the novel, the main character had a conversation with a street kid. This child was barely sixteen years old but had the dialogue of a University trained English professor. I mean, seriously? Yes, the author intended the child to be intelligent. But it entered the realm of impossibility. No matter how smart this kid was, there was no way he could converse on such a complicated matter with words that I had to look up in the dictionary, and I’m relatively well educated. This is a prime example of the author’s ego taking precedence over his characters and his story. He wanted to present himself as an intelligent writer, not realizing that realism in his portrayals would make him intelligent. My message is, stay true to the characters and suspend your eager ego to present yourself as a smart person. You’re writing a book, that makes you smart.

Writing Tools: This is, by far, the most important beef I have. If you don’t have a basic understanding of writing tools like grammar and punctuation, then you must learn them before you can even dream of publication. You simply can’t write without them. As Stephen King so eloquently states, you can’t be a licensed journeyman carpenter if you don’t even know how to use a hammer. You must learn the basics and keep them in your virtual toolbox, bringing them out and knowing how to use them when you need them. In the last month alone, I have read two self-published books that were so horrendous that I simply couldn’t finish them. I had a hard time knowing when there was dialogue because it seemed the quotation marks were just inserted willy-nilly, with no thought of where they actually belong. Some paragraphs ended in the middle of a sentence and proper nouns were not capitalized where appropriate. It destroyed stories that had a lot of promise, with interesting premises that had inspired me to choose those books in the first place.

Now you’re going to say “That’s what editors are for.” True, to a certain point. But if your mistakes are so glaring and numerous, any publisher or editor will probably throw up their hands in despair. Being a writer isn’t just about typing out words; you have to know what those words mean, how to put them together in a coherent, readable manner, and know the structure of language, as well as marketing, editing, and developing a really thick skin. And even if you possess all these tools, there is always room for improvement. Now HERE is where the editors and proofreaders come in, and not before. No matter how good you are, they will find ways to improve it, if they are good. It is essential to accept criticism in the spirit it which it’s intended. Publishers are in business, and they want your book to be the best it can be because that’s how they make their money. It’s also how you will ultimately make your living, so keep that in mind.

A few quotes:

It is perfectly okay to write garbage–as long as you edit brilliantly.

– C. J. Cherryh

Books aren’t written, they’re rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn’t quite done it…

– Michael Crichton

There is no mistaking the dismay on the face of a writer who has just heard that his brain child is a deformed idiot.

– L. Sprague de Camp

Never throw up on an editor.

– Ellen Datlow

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NO GENTLEMAN IS HE

By

Carley Bauer and Lynette Willows

BLURB:  

Young, adventurous and widowed in a new land, Cassandra Courtney Brooks finds her dream of raising a superior breed of saddle horse slipping away with the death of her husband. Left with four horses, living in a tavern attic, and her scant savings depleting, she resolves to see her vision through to fruition by accepting the scandalous position of steward at Varina Farms.

Born in the image of his native ancestry, Colton Rolfe’s savage blood runs through his veins. Scorned by his father, Colt grew into a man of ill temperament whose only interest is the wild equine beasts on his plantation. His desire to breed his horses with the superior Thoroughbreds of the newly widowed Cassandra Brooks leads him to abandon societal rules. Colt’s growing resentment toward the Crown and his assistance to Sons of Liberty missions is complicated by the discovery that Cassandra’s father is a titled English nobleman.

Cassandra is soon forced to question the wisdom of her decision when she finds herself enamored with her employer. As fiery passion grows between them, Cassandra realizes her own spirit of independence, love of the land, and the savage man who is so much a part of it.

As the threat of war comes ever closer, wills are tested through gunfire, treachery, danger, and kidnapping. Does Colt dare trust Cassandra with Sons of Liberty secrets? More importantly, can he trust her with his heart? And will Colt ever trust Cassandra enough to love her as she longs to be loved?

EXCERPT

Bertie took the corner chair, and rubbed her knees, continuing. “Now, Mr. Rolfe made the excuse that the wagon wheel broke. He supposedly had to fix it and Miss Elvira helped. But she showed up with him next mornin’, muddy and with her dress ripped. She was ruined for good.” Bertie pursed her lips, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. “He refused to marry her, too. Just laughed and scoffed while the town waited to see if she grew big with child. Now, what do you think of that?” Bertie continued before receiving an answer. “If I were you, I’d be careful. They say he’s murdered many a man what crossed him, too.”

The word “murdered” hung thick in the room.

“I am merely taking a better position,” Cassandra said, determined to hide her doubts. Despite her casual air, she had to ask, “I trust this Elvira Gregory was as slim as ever after a few months?”

“Aye, she was, good luck to that savage man. Well,” Bertie shrugged, as if casting off any responsibility on her part, “then I wish you good luck.” She bobbed her head, her thick chin jiggling. “But remember, that man takes what he wants, missy. No one says no to Colton Rolfe, and no one crosses him. No gentleman is he.”

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

Lynette Willows

I’m Lynette Willows. I live in rural Alberta, Canada. My debut novel, “No Gentleman Is He”, the first in the Sons of Liberty series, is co-written along with my partner in romance, Carley Bauer.

Some have mentioned I have a very interesting past. Not only was it unusual, but some would even say reckless. I’ve lived on an Indian reserve in a teepee with my young son for three months in the winter, I’ve chased storms, and worked as a social services aide on one of the most troubled and dangerous reserves in Canada, where I met great friends as well as made a few enemies.

I enjoy camping, movies, especially historical bio dramas, strange dogs, stranger cats, exclamation points, coffee mugs with stupid sayings, friends, the crazier the better, family, as long as they are crazier than I am, and I have a huge collection of shiny, outrageous earrings. Yes, I’m a magpie. I’ll only play chess with my husband because he’ll let me win.

If you’re curious about my favorite reading material, it’s very eclectic and varied. I’m extremely picky about what I read, so check out my “to read” list on Goodreads. You can also follow me and Carley, my talented, patient, and illustrious co-author at our fan page on Facebook at “Lynette Willows & Carley Bauer”. I’m also on Twitter under @LynetteWillows, as well as Pinterest, though I’m still figuring that out. You are welcome to also visit me and chat at “Lynette Willows, Author” at http://lynettewillows.blogspot.ca/.

“I have enormous respect for the reader. They are able to take symbols from a page that an author has invented, and turn them into images in their minds that create an enduring story. If that’s not artistry, I don’t know what is.”-Lynette Willows

 

Carley Bauer

 

Carley Bauer enjoys life on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. with her husband and their blue eyed feline, Noelle. After 30 years as a state contractor in a self employed capacity, she decided to try her hand at her first love, writing.

She loves being an empty nester, free to travel with her husband. Still involved with her children and grandchildren, Carley loves big family events. Some of her other hobbies are home decor, fashion, graphic arts, and the occasional bite of the Big Apple where the excitement feeds her natural love of city life.

 

 

LINKS:

 

Email: carleybauer210@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carley.bauer.3

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynette-Willows-Carley-Bauer/278323855613717?ref=hl

Blog: http://fromcarleyslaptop.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarleyBauer210

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cscrawley/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6981224.Carley_Bauer

Tirgearr Publishing: http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Bauer_Carley/index.htm

No Gentleman Is He available for purchase at:

smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=No+Gentleman+Is+He+Carley+Bauer

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/No-Gentleman-Sons-Liberty-ebook/dp/B00BPY7UJO/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_62DX

Eros Books: http://www.ebook-eros.com/item/SW00000292998/Bauer-Carley-No-Gentleman-Is-He/1.html?fb_action_ids=10151368097972005&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-gentleman-is-he-by-carley-bauer-and-lynette-willows-carley-bauer/1114915852?ean=2940044389540

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/no-gentleman-is-he/id617170488

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/No-Gentleman-Is-He-Carley/book-K5zSZmr2cESUwBs4vrrYBQ/page1.html

Tirgearr to Author Carley Bauer
www.tirpub.com/cbauer

Tirgearr Publishing:
http://www.tirpub.com/NGIH