Month: September 2014

Making Indie Inroads at Libraries

Author Aron JoiceGuest Post
by Aron Joice

I just had my first book signing, and it was a bit different from the signings and launches previously shared by some of the IU family. The signing was held at one of my local libraries.

So many changes are taking place on a daily basis for writers that I decided to go back to a grass roots mentality. Chewing my cud (now there’s a disgusting mental picture), and thinking things over, I went back to the place that I called home: the library. I used to practically live there, doing research, using the computer lab, and receiving help from an unbelievable staff. This particular day, my objective was to see how many bookmarks they would allow me to leave. Free promotion, right? The assistant director expressed more excitement than I could imagine, and kept asking me for more. She put them everywhere. It was then that my old gray cells told me to hit every library around. Eureka! I hit gold, well, at least fool’s gold. Now I was ready to put my plan into action. Continue reading “Making Indie Inroads at Libraries”

How Do You Define Credibility and Legitimacy as an Author?

approved-29149_640I read an article recently where an author discussed the benefits of purchasing a review from Kirkus. He felt it lent credibility to his work. He claimed that there was no boost in sales from the paid review, so it did not help him connect with any new readers, but he thought it gave him credibility. Yes, credibility. Stay tuned, I have more; it’s been a busy month.

I attended a meeting a short while ago at a major library. The library management invited a group of local authors to participate in a think-tank and discuss how the library could connect with the self-publishing community. It was a really powerful meeting. Some of the authors were both self and traditionally published and I overhead a couple of them talk about how they felt legitimized by signing with an agent and being traditionally published. I heard the same comment when I taught a workshop recently. There were authors who felt they needed to be legitimized, and having an agent or publisher would deem it so. Continue reading “How Do You Define Credibility and Legitimacy as an Author?”

Don’t Let Fear Stand in the Way of Your Success

success by conquering your fearsLook around Indies Unlimited and you’ll find lots of good writers. Some of them are even very good writers. In fact, I would be willing to bet that there isn’t a lot that separates the best of us from the worst of us. So why does it seem that a few do better than the many?

Fear.

Fear of rejection. Fear of success. Fear of … well … just about anything outside of writing. Continue reading “Don’t Let Fear Stand in the Way of Your Success”

Featured Book: 809 Jacob Street

809 Jacob Street809 Jacob Street
by Marty Young
4.4 average rating
Available on Amazon.

Old homeless Joey Blue must confront a town’s corrupted soul after a terrible warning comes from a dead friend, while newcomer Byron James finds himself involved in the dangerous games of two outcasts. And out on Jacob Street lurks the monster house, the house that calls to them all…

Excerpt:

“Dad reckons the place is haunted because of the murders that happened there,” Hamish added.

Byron didn’t believe in ghosts or anything supernatural, but murderers were a whole different ballgame. That was real – and dangerous.

“The family who lived there was killed, and when they were found, their faces were all black and distorted, their necks swollen and purple with finger marks around their throats.”

“Imagine what it would take to kill someone like that,” said Hamish.

“You’d be looking into their eyes as you slowly murdered them,” said Iain, looking into Byron’s. “Watching their horror grow as they realized this was it.”

“Watching their life drain away,” said Hamish.

“Their eyes growing dull.”

Byron stared at them, dumbfounded. Who were these freaks?

Then Iain laughed again and Hamish joined in.

“It’s okay, B. We’re not going to kill you. It’s just hard to imagine how anyone could do such a thing.”

What others are saying:

“Although this is Marty Young’s first novel, believe me it’s anything but amateur. 809 Jacob Street is as well written and well crafted as anything the master, Stephen King, ever penned. I can say with confidence, if you enjoy the kind of stories woven by King, you will definitely enjoy 809 Jacob Street. You’re in for a wild ride.” by Gary Val Tenuta