Author: Stephen Hise

Stephen Hise is the Evil Mastermind and founder of Indies Unlimited. Hise is an independent author and an avid supporter of the indie author movement. Learn more about Stephen at his website or his Amazon author page.

Caring Enough to Try

It has been one of those weeks. This and that and some other thing goes wrong. Then some wackadoodle goes off in a Facebook thread, sets up a fake account and starts attacking everyone who disagreed with her, and extends the venom to include members of their families. That sort of thing leaves a bad taste in your mouth and puts you in a crappy mood.

Then I got a message from my friend Catherine Mahoney. She’s asking for a little help to draw attention to some authors who are out there trying to do a little good.

Indies Unlimited does not support or endorse any specific charity or cause. This isn’t just about that though. This is about people who see others suffering and decide to do something about it.That deserves to be applauded, and it reminds me of the greater good in this wonderful community of indie writers.

So, here are three projects aimed at extending a helping hand to those in need. You can click on those covers and buy the books.

Angels Cried – 40 authors and artists who contributed to create the anthology “Angels Cried.” This inspiring collection is a wonderful way to make a difference for those who truly need it the most. The proceeds from this book go to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund, managed by the United Way. Thank you for sharing hope. http://indiesinaction.blogspot.com

April Rains benefits victims of the West Texas plant explosion and the donations go to the United Way of Texas which will distribute them to the first responders, their families, and others injured in the explosion.

United We Stand – This anthology was created by compassionate individuals who desired to assist the victims and survivors of the Boston Marathon Tragedy. All the proceeds will be donated to Wounded Warriors.

I know there are lots more examples of this kind of goodness in the community, like our own K.S Brooks heading up the Indie Authors for Hurricane Sandy Library Relief, and Matt and Danielle Drake, who established Kourageous Kids Storybooks for children with cancer. So, if you’re involved with an effort to help others, or know of an author who is, go ahead and slap a link in the comments. We salute you.

10 Things That Can Harsh Your Book-to-Movie Buzz

The biggest hope of many authors these days is having a book adapted to film. Screw the Big 6/5/4 (whatever) Publishers. When there’s a starburst on your book cover that reads “Now a major motion picture,” you’ve really made it.

Still, few authors are going to have the kind of clout needed to call the shots about translating the book to the screen. That is very likely going to mean the movie will be different from the book, and WAY different than you imagined it.

An author’s artistic integrity is a precious thing. We also hope that a great movie will drive book sales even higher.

Sadly, Hollywood doesn’t always get it right. Here is my list of the top ten different ways Hollywood can snatch failure from the jaws of success in making an adaptation: Continue reading “10 Things That Can Harsh Your Book-to-Movie Buzz”

The Interview

Imagine for a moment that you are a businessperson conducting interviews of two candidates for an important position in your company.

The first candidate shows up for the interview on time. She is appropriately attired. She is clean and well-spoken. Her resume is well-organized and provides you with the information you want. She seems well-prepared and handles your questions with poise and professionalism. At the end of the interview, she thanks you for your time and leaves you with a very favorable overall impression.

The second candidate shows up late. He is dressed in a slovenly manner. He mumbles a lot. He brought a sort-of resume on some crumpled paper that leaves a lot of questions unanswered. He looks like he might have forgotten to shower this morning. He seems unprepared and disorganized. His answers are rambling and indirect. At the end of the interview, he leaves and you hear him say as he skulks away, “Man, this company sucks.”

Unless you’re looking for a way to sabotage your company, you’d hire the first candidate. Continue reading “The Interview”

Natural Selection

[Indies Unlimited is brought to you in part by the fine people at Natural Selection, a solutions-oriented company.]

Summer vacation season is under way and soon the mountain country will be filled with city folk looking for an opportunity to connect with nature.

In the old days, things sorted themselves out. The city-dwellers would come out in their Bermuda shorts with backpacks full of Zagnuts wanting to pet the bears. It generally made for a short season and happy bears.

Then the park service started in with their “don’t feed the bears” campaign. Now we have four months of karaoke music and tofu weenies.

Real outdoorsmen know that tourist season is time for Natural Selection. Make sure your local souvenir shop is well-stocked with our “Bear Repellant.” Three new scents are available: Bacon, Salmon, and Chocolate.

Natural Selection: short season, happy bears, peace and quiet.