Author: Jim Devitt

Jim Devitt’s debut YA novel, The Card, hit #1 in three separate categories on the Kindle Bestseller list in early January and was a finalist in the Guys Can Read Indie Author Contest this past summer. Devitt currently lives in Miami, FL with his wife Melissa and their children. Learn more about Jim at his blog and his Amazon author page.

Getting Started in this Business

This past Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of attending a book signing by one of my favorite authors, Randy Wayne White. Known for his “Doc Ford” novels (over twenty and counting), he has been writing for over thirty years.

What made this event possible is an Independent bookstore, Books and Books, just two or so blocks from a Barnes and Noble. Randy started his talk by remembering the beginning of his career. He had just published his first novel and the publisher had set up a book signing at a bookstore in Ft. Myers, FL. The bookstore had stocked SIX books for the signing. Continue reading “Getting Started in this Business”

You Asked for It: Matt Valenti

Indies Unlimited reader Matt Valenti asks, “My book is a political satire ideal for promoting during the election. Unfortunately, my marketing is entirely from scratch and I’m brand new at this. I want to strike while the iron’s hot but I’m not sure what marketing activities to focus my energies on the most considering my limited time. Thanks for any advice!”

Well, Matt, great question. We’ve had several posts about marketing over the past few months. However, what you ask about is a very different animal compared to the “traditional” (I laugh as I type that, what is traditional in Indie publishing?) long-term marketing plan discussed previously. Continue reading “You Asked for It: Matt Valenti”

Finding that Thing …

While visiting the island of Puerto Rico, several years ago, I was introduced to a small little frog called Coqui. This little critter, only about the size of a quarter, is beloved on the island. The Coqui has been a cultural symbol in Puerto Rican history for centuries.

Anywhere on the island, the Coqui permeates the evening with its song. The clear, crisp call of “ko-kee” from which it gets its name, fills the humid warm night with music. You can find them everywhere, from the rain forests to the shore, singing all night until dawn.

You probably think that you’re reading the wrong blog right about now. What’s this got to do with writing or indie authors? Continue reading “Finding that Thing …”

Five Tips for Writing Action Scenes

Action sequences can make or break your book. We live in a world of action movies, but that doesn’t mean that our writing has to become one giant action scene. So, here’s a little checklist to make sure you don’t go overboard with your action scenes.

Continue reading “Five Tips for Writing Action Scenes”