Month: March 2015

Video Trailer: Amira, Immortal Daughter from Penglai

Amira by Lon DeeLeaving a lonely existence on the mythical island of Penglai, young immortal Amira enters the mortal world and struggles to understand and trust others. Are they befriending her because they need her help, or because of her beauty, or do they truly care for her? Can she trust and love a young mortal man, or is he deceiving her? Caught in a battle between well-organized bandits and the residents of a peaceful valley, she ultimately must decide if she’s willing to risk her own destruction to save those who’ve befriended her.

Amira, Immortal Daughter from Penglai, the young adult fantasy novel by Lon Dee, is available from Amazon.com and Amazon UK.


Don’t forget, you can cast your vote for trailer of the month on March 31, 2015 at 5 a.m. Pacific time.

Print Book Proud

print book proudYes, today’s the day we let everyone share their great paperback books at bargain prices. But let’s take one moment to salute the authors who have been baring all and telling their stories of being scammed in our #PublishingFoul series. We’re proud of you indies. Thanks for being so brave. Okay, now, it’s time for the Indies Unlimited Print Book Party.

Want to help readers discover some fine indie writing at reasonable prices? Here’s the deal:

If you have a print book available from a major online retailer at $15 or less, follow the instructions below and post your link. If you see one you like, click over and buy it. This feature is only for print editions priced at fifteen dollars and under.

When possible, we replace some of the links with clickable book cover images. Do not attempt to insert an image in comments on your own. Just put the following information in the comment section:

1. Book title and price
2. Author name
3. A short one sentence book description (140 characters ONLY please)
4. One AMAZON link to purchase the book.

Then let your friends and fans know your book is available here today. Use the share buttons below, or copy the link in the address bar above and share the news on your favorite social media platforms. The more, the merrier, right? So let’s give it a try, shall we? Please make sure to follow the RULES above. Now, go ahead and tell the world about your cheap read.

IU is a safe-for-work site. PLEASE do not post links to erotica, religious, or political books. That’s what the rest of the internet is for.

[Note: if the book cover images below do not display properly, please check your AdBlock settings.]

How can you tell if a book is going to disappoint BEFORE you buy it?

NO crappy booksI’ve been asked two questions recently. One was easy to answer, the second — rather surprisingly — wasn’t.

Let’s just quickly talk about the easy question.  How does a book grab you? What promises it’s going to be a good’un?  Many people probably share the same views: eye-catching cover, a well-written book description that draws you in, a ‘Look Inside’ that makes you want to read more, you’ve already read a good book by that author, and, if applicable, an engaging exchange with the author if s/he’s asked you to review the book. It doesn’t have to be all these things, but basically, it’s all about an immaculate package, isn’t it?

Now, the second question. Why do you turn your back on a book? What makes you think it’s going to disappoint?  My instant reaction was, well, if none of the above applies, then surely the book’s going to go into ‘oh dear’ pile. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised it isn’t quite so cut and dried. Continue reading “How can you tell if a book is going to disappoint BEFORE you buy it?”

Saturday Book Showcase: Searching for Hope

Searching For Hope book cover (web)Searching for Hope
by Michael Joseph
4.2 star average on 17 reviews
201 pages

On a bitter January night, private detective Sam Carlisle steps out of a nightclub and stumbles across a severely wounded man prostrate on the freezing ground. Despite Sam’s efforts to save him, the stranger dies in his arms, uttering three small words before taking his final breath.

Help. Me. Find.

In the days that follow, the tragic encounter plays increasingly on Sam’s mind. Who was the victim? What was he trying to find? With the police investigation drawing a total blank, Sam searches for the truth himself, determined to carry out the dead man’s cryptic final request. However, following in the footsteps of a murdered man brings plenty of danger of its own.

Searching For Hope is the latest mystery featuring former undercover cop Sam Carlisle as he finds himself drawn into a perilous world of unscrupulous characters, dark secrets and a family torn apart by tragedy and betrayal.

Searching for Hope is available from Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

Exclusive excerpt from Searching for Hope by Michael Joseph

Continue reading “Saturday Book Showcase: Searching for Hope”