Day: May 20, 2014

Book Brief: Laying Claim

Laying ClaimLaying Claim
by Paty Jager
Genre: Historical Romance
Word count: 92,000

Jeremy Duncan commits to haul one last load of supplies across the great interior of the Yukon before heading home. But, he has to trade his pack animals for sled dogs and leave Skagway in the middle of a blizzard due to one strong-willed, business-minded beauty.

Determined to find her older brother, Clara Bixbee doesn’t care how she gets across the pass, as long as she does, and soon. Hiring handsome pack guide Jeremy Duncan seems to be her best choice. Especially after she saves a young girl being beaten by the local gang leader and needs to escape Skagway fast.

This book is available at Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Continue reading “Book Brief: Laying Claim”

The 1,000 Words a Day Project – The 1000/2000 Pledge

martin crosbie writing machineOne hundred and eleven days ago I undertook a personal challenge. I made a pledge to write one thousand new words a day. Every day. No matter what. I described how I was going to try to accomplish this in an article for Indies Unlimited right here. I’m pleased to tell you that as of today I have over one hundred and eleven thousand new words written. Since it’s gone so well I decided to expand on the challenge, which I have now renamed the 1000/2000 pledge.

In the past one hundred and eleven days I’ve written twenty blogs. Because of this accumulation of articles I’ve been able to blog for the BC Editor’s Association, Whistler Writers group (soon to be published), Book Reader’s Medallion (twice) and several others. I’ve offered my opinions on pricing, social networking, paying it forward (my favorite topic), the glut of eBooks on the market, and I put together a list of places where authors can access hundreds of thousands of images and photos for free. I referenced Rob Ford, the ex (I hope) mayor of Toronto. I wrote about how it felt to turn fifty last month. And, I even wrote a blog when the manager of my favorite football team, Manchester United, was fired. It’s been fun and it’s given me a break from the other stories I’ve been working on. Continue reading “The 1,000 Words a Day Project – The 1000/2000 Pledge”

Party Time: I Have a Big New York Agent!

chicken pot pieMany authors think signing with a literary agent means they’ve hit “the big time.” Sure, the potential for huge success is there – but so are the odds of wasting away in obscurity.

I managed to sign with a well-known New York City literary agent. All my friends wanted to celebrate. I tend to be a little more cautious. “When you have the contract with a publisher, will you celebrate then?” they asked. “No,” I answered. “I won’t celebrate until I have the print copy of the book in my hand.” (Yes, back in *those* days, there were no eBooks, kids.) I’m a staunch follower of I’ll believe it when I see it.

Having an agent taught me a lot. It taught me about taking chances and taking control. It also taught me that, no matter how you slice it, who you know really does make a difference. Step back in time with me, and I’ll explain. Continue reading “Party Time: I Have a Big New York Agent!”

What NOT to do on CreateSpace

Fisheye Scorn - You're in Deep TroubleWhen you’re getting ready to release a new title, it might seem handy to hop onto CreateSpace first to craft your print version and then hit the big magic button allowing them to format your e-book. Automation is more awesome than videos of tap-dancing kittens, right? Um, in this case, not so much. Allowing CreateSpace to make an e-book out of your print version is asking for trouble, and here’s why. Continue reading “What NOT to do on CreateSpace”