Ed’s Casual Friday: Indie Author Off Day

6:58 AM. Wake up and try to remember the tail of that dream which may have held the key to resolving that scene in chapter 14 of the WIP. Fail to do so.

7:05 AM. Turn on computer on way to kitchen to start coffee.

7:07-7:29 AM. Check sales, use bathroom, check sales. Continue reading “Ed’s Casual Friday: Indie Author Off Day”

Have others promote your book – How to get Reviews

Fellow Indies Unlimited Minion Ed McNally had a great post the other day about self-promotion. We all hate it, but it is a necessary evil. I want to shift gears a bit from where Ed led us and examine a method to allow others to promote us—reviews. Reviews are more important than just getting feedback about your book. It’s common knowledge that Amazon figures reviews in their ranking system. So the more reviews you have, the better ranked your book could be.

Please stay with me until the end of the post where I’ll divulge a super million dollar secret for book promotions (I’m not selling anything, just in case this sounded like an infomercial.) Okay, maybe not a million dollars, but it sure helps.

Reviews are one of the best methods to generate buzz about your book, without you being the one shouting from the rooftops. We’ve all spent countless conversations begging our friends and relatives to “post a review, please!” It’s frustrating and many times, a fruitless endeavor. So, how do we go about getting reviews? Continue reading “Have others promote your book – How to get Reviews”

Spotlight on…Lia Fairchild

Reviewer Cathy Speight

Lia Fairchild describes herself as ‘a native Californian who loves reading, writing, movies, and anything else related to the arts. She holds a B.A. degree in Journalism and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Her most enjoyable moments are spent with her family, traveling, spending time outdoors, or simply laughing and being together’.

Despite her busy schedule, she manages to find time to write and has written a novel – her first – In Search Of Lucy; short stories; and a series of short murder mystery stories called A Hint of Murder, which she has compiled into an anthology. Continue reading “Spotlight on…Lia Fairchild”

Review: How about some non-fiction?

Reviewer Cathy Speight

Why do we read? For all sorts of reasons: to learn, for pleasure, for relaxation, for inspiration, or for stimulation. What do we read to furnish us with these delights? Fiction? – thrillers, sci-fi, romance, erotica, horror? To each, his/her own – we all have our own ‘fixes’. So where do non-fiction, true-life accounts figure in all this? Personally, reading for me is balm for the soul and fiction is what provides it. However, two books came my way, each written by a woman who had undergone an extraordinary, near-fatal, life-changing illness. I wouldn’t normally pick up a book written by the sufferer of a particular disease or illness unless I too was suffering from the same condition, but these two books were compelling reads.

The first of these books is Heartaches and Miracles by Greta Burroughs who relates her experiences of a blood disorder called ITP, an autoimmune disease. Greta writes children’s books, two of which have been published. The second is In a Flash – Miracles Here and Beyond by Kim Justus, who survived an aneurysm. Kim works in the Financial Services industry and writing and photography are amongst her many hobbies. Continue reading “Review: How about some non-fiction?”