Archive for May 2016

Indie Book Review – Past Life Strife by Christina McMullen

May 31, 2016 Indie Book Reviews No comments

It’s time for another indie book review!. Read on and find out what Jay thought of Past Life Strife, the first book in Christina McMullen’s Rise of the Discordant series.

‘Past Life Strife’, by Christina McMullen, is the first book in the ‘Rise of the Discordant’ series. This is quite a beginning; welcome to Blackbird, indeed! It’s a town crawling with mysterious characters, many of them in the ‘highly unsavory’ category. Luckily, they have an Observer, to watch over the more mystical goings-on in town; Seth is a great guy, and he seems able to do a lot to help folks with the aid of his…wait, she’s gone? And what was her name again? And who’s this new guy? Oh, it’s Desmond; he’s awful cool…along with Bogie, a demon that seems pretty attached to the giant Warrior. Hmmm…how is this group ever going to sort out more trouble than they cause? With witches, maybe?

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Indie Author Spotlight – The Secret by Karen Mossman

May 25, 2016 Indie Author Spotlight No comments

The Indie Author Spotlight is back! This week we shine the light on Karen Mossman and her book, “The Secret”

The Secret by Karen Mossman

This book is **Free** May 25th-26th-27th! Get your copy at Mybook.to/TS

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Writing a Book Review

May 24, 2016 crew reblog, Indie Book Reviews 8 comments

Book reviews are more important to authors than many readers may think. Just a few years ago, I was not an author; I was an avid reader with a completed manuscript. If you had asked me then how important book reviews are, I would have said not at all. I supposed that those reviews went unread, or disappeared into the ether as soon as the reviewer hit ‘post’. I had no idea that most authors read all of their reviews, even when they get up there in numbers; in fact, many artists scour the internet looking for what folks have to say about their work. It turns out most creative people want to hear that feedback, for whatever reasons they might have. Read more

Polish Before You Publish – Cover Design

May 20, 2016 Polish Before You Publish No comments

Today we’re going to talk about the last step you need to take before you hit the publish button. Cover Design is an important part of the publishing process, and can make or break your book. It’s your elevator pitch when you’re not around, the face of your story. Your cover does all the talking for you; if it’s lackluster, no one is going to listen. Read more

Polish Before You Publish – Formatting

May 13, 2016 Polish Before You Publish 5 comments

Welcome back, everyone. Last week we talked about editing, and why it’s one of the most important steps to take before you publish. This week we’re going to go over formatting, for both print and ebook, and how this is an area you may be able to tackle yourself. Read more

Indie Book Review – Wrapped in the Past by Chess Desalls

May 13, 2016 Indie Book Reviews No comments

It’s time for another indie book review!. Read on and find out what Jay thought of ‘Wrapped in the Past’ by Chess Desalls.

‘Wrapped in the Past’ by Chess Desalls is a cleverly crafted time travel tale. It’s a Christmas story wrapped inside a Christmas story, and a book that is sure to appeal to smart readers of all ages. I have wanted to try listening to an audiobook for awhile; I have also been wanting to read one of Chess Desalls’ books. This was a great opportunity to do both. I enjoyed the voices of the storyteller and the author, and I thought they came together in a way that was easy and fun to listen to. Desalls brought the story to life with her creative look at time travel, and her diverse cast of relatable characters. Janine Haynes added her own unique touch, breathing new life into the tale with her colorful narration. The narrator played her own part in the telling, and it was a welcome addition.

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Indie Book Review – Storm Portal by Michael R Stern

May 9, 2016 Indie Book Reviews No comments

It’s time for another indie book review!. Read on and find out what Jay thought of Storm Portal, the first book in Michael R Stern’s Quantum Touch series.

It’s always fun to read a book that engages the author’s knowledge of a particular subject. Michael R. Stern is clearly as passionate about history as he is about writing. Storm Portal is laid out as the perfect stage for an epic adventure story about to launch. The main character wrestles with his responsibility to everyone around him in this first installment, weighing every possibility before moving ahead with deliberate care. This series promises to be fun to read and full of colorful facts about history and current events.

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Polish Before You Publish – Editing

May 6, 2016 Polish Before You Publish One comment

Welcome back! Last week I gave a brief overview of the three things every self published author needs to do before they hit the publish button. Today I’m going to talk a little more about editing, and why it’s one of the most important steps to take before you publish. Read more