Month: April 2012

Sneak Peek: Navigating Life’s Roadways by Deborah L. Parker

Today we have a sneak peek from Deborah L. Parker’s book, Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey:

Deborah invites readers to share her memoir’s travelogue by taking us beyond her rural Virginia hometown, single parent (in the home with extended family), civil rights era upbringing—weaving together a road map of pursuits as an army officer, corporate manager and entrepreneur while bringing in her personal downfalls along the way. Whether its family, career, health or relationship challenges, there’s a narrative in Deborah’s book that readers will find relatable to their own life story.

Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey is available on Amazon.com. Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Navigating Life’s Roadways by Deborah L. Parker”

Kumbaya

A writer buddy of mine was recently lamenting the fact that people won’t shell out 99 cents for his book. Mine are 3.99. If everyone I know (and the people I have come into contact with online) would buy my books, my wife wouldn’t check the bank account with shaking fingers every night.

Come on, people now...

See, here’s what got me thinking.  Yesterday, at about dinner time, a young man showed up at my door and launched into his spiel.  When he got to the ‘before you say no’ part, I smiled and said, ‘I’m not going to say no…we’re pretty broke, but can I donate $5?” I’m not trying to brag.  My 5 crumpled up one dollar bills aren’t going to change his life or break us. And I have sold stuff door to door and it is hell. So, I empathized. But it got me wondering.

I’ve bought peanut brittle to send peoples’ kids on a class trip (I LOATHE peanut brittle). I tip 20%. If you’ve ever been a waiter you don’t tip %15. I’ve bought Girl Scout cookies…sometimes from people my own age who were selling them for their Girl Scouts.

I’ve bought water for homeless people. I’ve given countless bills and handfuls of coins to buskers and various street performers.  But people get downright offended about spending money on BOOKS? Something that is tangible…that they can keep…that took a lot of time and energy to write?

OK, some books suck. Mine don’t. Neither does the book written by the fellow I mentioned who priced his wonderful book at 99 cents (ahem…Antrobus).

Now, here’s the part where I sound like a whiny bitch, but bear with me. I know you have bought Girl Scout cookies and chocolate bars and blah, blah, blah.

Continue reading “Kumbaya”

Meet the Author: Krista Tibbs

Author Photo - Krista Tibbs
Author Krista Tibbs

Krista Tibbs grew up in northern Maine and migrated south to Tennessee. Her former career in the Boston biotechnology industry and stint at the Executive Office of the President in Washington, DC provided the basis for her first novel, The Neurology of Angels.

She has studied people and the fun side of life while playing piano for theater groups, swing dancing, tutoring, and debating politics with family, and enjoys taking up odd projects that make her father sigh and shake his head. She is currently working with an artist on an illustrated book of animal stories for grown-ups, to be released by summer 2012. It will include an ode to sheep. Continue reading “Meet the Author: Krista Tibbs”

Promoting Your Brand With Pinterest

Tim Ferriss, the Sensei of self-promotion.

As a writer you are your brand. Everything you post on-line, the picture you choose as your avatar, and every interaction you have with other bloggers defines you. If you didn’t realize that before, consider it now. You can look at branding as a chore, or you can use the myriad of social networking tools available and have fun showing your readers why you’re the author they want to follow.

Go ahead and Google personal branding articles – you can read these posts for days. Most of these articles will tell you, basically, the same crucial steps you need to take to successfully brand yourself. Take some time and peruse them. It is time well spent. Continue reading “Promoting Your Brand With Pinterest”