

What Book Reviewers Look for in a Good Book by Dianne Bylo, Tome Tender Book Blog
I met Dianne Bylo by chance on Twitter one day. We were discussing books and how to get the attention of a potential reader. Little did I know that she is the force behind the Tome Tender Book Review Blog. If you have ever looked at Dianne's site you wonder, how can this woman read and review so many books? Well, she claims to have multiple kindles standing at the ready, which I believe. Since she has read and reviewed a million books, I wanted to see if she had any insi


#LifeBooksWriting - Character Inspiration
This week we are talking about character inspiration for our #LifeBooksWriting Challenge. What inspires me to create a character? I have three different ways I deal with characters. Inspiration type 1: When coming up with the storyline, I decide who may main characters will be and figure out who they are. When I have an idea for a character, I picture them in my mind because I am a very visual person. I decide what they look like, what kind of clothes they wear, and what


What it is about Paranormal Romance by Ariel Mathis
I recently had one of my books reviewed by Ariel Mathis, owner of the blog, Always Love Me Some Books, so I started chatting with her about her site the types of books she likes to read. In doing so, I learned that she is an aspiring writer. I was privileged enough to hear about her intriguing new book concept. I believe that she will be a successful author in years to come, so don't forget her name. I asked Ariel to write a guest blog and talk about her favorite genres to


Author Spotlight: Anna B. Madrise, Multi-Genre Author
I had the pleasure of meeting Anna B. Madrise a few months ago and immediately came to adore her. There aren't many truly open and friendly people in this world but Anna is one of the previous few. She has become a good friend of mine and a source of inspiration and strength as we navigate the often confusing and exciting world of book publishing. She is a writer of Fantasy, Romance, and Mysteries. She is a busy bee and has no less than eleven books in production or in he


How the Voice and Tone of a Story Can Make or Break an Author, by Elizabeth Mays
Today, I want to do something a little different. As you may have noticed, I have been spotlighting a number of authors this month to help promote self-published and independent books. I decided that I wanted to branch out and speak to a few bloggers I have met and get their perspective on books that they have read, or topics they have written about on their blogs. In today's spotlight, I am featuring Elizabeth Mays, who not only writes a blog about her life and other inte


#LifeBooksWriting - 6 Book Marketing Tips
Every author has asked the question how can I market my books and every author will give you a hundred different answers. The problem is no one has the same success doing the same thing as the author sitting next to them. Every author is different and every book poses a unique challenge. The most important part about marketing your book is to know your book and know your audience. Understand your book - You have written an Adult Fantasy novel, or so you thought. Once reade


Author Spotlight, Ripley Patton, author of the PSS Chronicles
I recently met Ripley Patton and became interested in her PSS Chronicles, Ghost Hand and Ghost Hold. I wanted to learn more about her and her intriguing Paranormal Thriller series. Find out why she likes writing Young Adult Novels and the craziest thing she has done to promote her books. Book Genre: Paranormal Thriller Suggested Reading Audience: Young Adult Content Warnings: Swearing, Violence Book blubs: Ghost Hand: Book One of The PSS Chronicles: Olivia Black has a rare


Author Spotlight: Cameron J Quinn, author of the Starsboro Chronicles.
I had the pleasure of meeting Cameron J. Quinn, author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Starsboro Chronicals at a recent event. One of her Works in Progress caught my attention, so I decided to learn more about her and her series. Interview What is your book, The Starsboro Chronicles, about? Each chronicle is about a new situation my main character’s find themselves in. The first one is about a case involving missing women, while the second is about a changeling. The third i

#LifeBooksWriting - My Bookshelf and Latest Reads
I am an instant gratification book buyer, I admit it. If I see a book that looks interesting, I buy it. I may not read it for a year, but I have it on my bookshelf. As an indie author, I review other authors to give back to the community, and to see what kind of books are out there. I try not to bash anyone's book, so I only review books where I can give helpful critiques. I don't review the books where I want to say, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Odds are, the adv
Author or Social Media Wizard
I was looking through my previous posts on my old blog site and I found this one from March 2015. Since I believe it still has important advice for authors just starting out, I wanted to repost it. Keep in mind that not every author will take the same approach to marketing their books. You need to find what works best for you. Mar 2015 - This post is geared toward self-published, indie authors who self-promote, or established authors looking to expand their social presence