Uniting readers, writers, and authors to build better books.
No matter how you write your novel, we all start with a deadline in mind. Realizing the reality of reaching that deadline can cause anyone to panic, procrastinate, and feel hopeless. We even spend days pulling all nighters at the last minute to make sure the first draft published is perfect. At some point we... Continue Reading →
What first sparked your desire to write? My first real desire to write stemmed from dissatisfaction! I had read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and hated the ending. I just knew that Jo and Laurie were meant for each other, so, 9-year-old me decided I would rewrite the ending I wanted. Of course it... Continue Reading →
The year is 1962 and this small west Tennessee town has been turned upside down by a labor strike at its main manufacturing plant. It seems that, as result of the strike, some very serious underworld crime problems have surfaced in Humboldt. A small town sheriff and small town Chief of Police have their hands... Continue Reading →
Lights flashing and snapping apertures sounded in the darkness. Her body was a beautiful mess of punctures and blood, dress tore from hooking on the tree limbs that tried to save her, but it was all futile. The vessel that was her body let her soul escape through the gaping holes blood had once used... Continue Reading →
I know your jumping at the bit to know what readers actually want as freebies and memorabilia, but as always, before we share this list, there are a few things you should know. Cheap is bad. Not that shopping for a good price isn't a great idea, but if it seems to good to be... Continue Reading →
I think this is the 4th marketing article I've composed in my 5 years of blogging, this tells me its a severe struggle for indie authors. The hardest part is keeping up with the ever changing world and the needs of our readers. So today, let's talk about marketing and how you can keep up... Continue Reading →
Tell us a little about yourself please. Wow…that’s kinda tough. Hmmm…I’m 59, been married, been divorced. I have 3 kids, all grown. 1 grandkid in California. My son (who’s 25) has Down Syndrome and other issues. He’s fully dependent and lives with me at home, so he’s pretty much the center of everything I do.... Continue Reading →
Awesome indie books to rock your world!!! Stories, drabbles and sample chapters; the Dreamtime dragon authors are a collective of storytellers brought together by their love of Fantasy in all it's guises. Travel the Wyrde Wood with a giant wyrm or defend a pod of humpback whales with a dragon, explore the deepest goblin caverns,... Continue Reading →
In the wayward, icy wind, blowing the city fumes in all directions, Miss Plenty tucked in the errant locks that had escaped from her wool cap and pulled it tightly over her ears. Warming her freezing hands, framed in fingerless gloves over the heat of the fire, she scrutinized Mr. Nothing. "I see a pensive... Continue Reading →
The Scriptease Writing Workshop: In an expansion of its popular and exciting Scriptease play reading series, and as an initiative to nurture state and regional playwrights and screenwriters, Iowa Stage is launching the Scriptease Writing Workshop. This workshop will offer a series of courses to area writers to help hone their skills and bring their... Continue Reading →
At what point did you decide to start writing? I really don’t know. I don’t remember a kid, but I was already writing stories (fanfic, mostly) by the time I do have a clear recollection of anything. In a box in the attic, my mom has a flashfic story I wrote when I was 7... Continue Reading →
As Marai makes plans to return to Ineb Hedj, he knows not all is settled. Old and new foes position themselves, each seeking control of the Children of Stone. New allies find strength and wisdom from beyond the stars, while older foes emerge from that which is hidden. Each destiny interacts and becomes a lotus... Continue Reading →
Took ages to find him. I’d ask at writer’s conferences, libraries, weird old book-stores. Searched online. Most said Thoth quit, he’d died, never existed. Or sold out to Amazon, was running a bed-and-breakfast in Thebes. I gave up. One more god crossed off the list. Then at a bus stop, I notice this bag lady... Continue Reading →
With the 4th annual IABE just a few weeks behind us now, I feel the need to talk manners once again. We had an author steal a purse on camera from a shop owner at the mall. Now the cops have settled everything, and I know I said I was over it, but fact is... Continue Reading →
It's not just an autograph It's your name, and with it is usually some well wishes. But what do you write, if you choose to write the reader a message? Do you add a little message at all? Why does this even matter? Well, your readers come to your signing because they want to meet... Continue Reading →
When did you realize you were born to write? At 9 years old! My fourth grade teacher liked reading my stories and was a great encouragement to a girl who was usually rather shy. What got you into historical reads? I first started reading the old Gothics from the 60’s and 70’s in high school... Continue Reading →
Here are your must reads for July! Celebrate with indie authors and the USA! “This is what we’re here for, this is what Fate made us to be – a force to stand between the enemy and the innocent.” The first battle is over and the people of the realms grieve for the fallen. Meanwhile,... Continue Reading →
The power of words. Our pen- our sword. What life to breathe into an empty space, and what love to feel through the magic of black symbols spread over the white sheets. Our power. The glorious, beautiful, infinite power of words... Light in a darkened room and the air to breathe. I’ve been in the... Continue Reading →
LGBTQA Characters: Tips for doing it well. LGBTQA books are a big right now, so writing you character correctly is a must! Getting it wrong could not only insult someone, but poor research make an author look extremely unprofessional. So know your stuff when writing, especially in the LGBTQA community. As authors we tell stories,... Continue Reading →
What got you into writing? I’m not really sure where it all began, but as a kid I remember writing out all these crazy little stories for my little sister and I to laugh at. Even though they weren’t great by any means, I just enjoyed putting my thoughts onto paper. I guess over time,... Continue Reading →
Kevin Wolf is on a road trip back to his hometown. Wolf decides to drive through the night when he spots a teenage girl hitchhiking on the side of a lonely highway. With the intent of driving her to safety, Wolf offers her a ride. The mysterious girl at first doesn't speak a word.... Continue Reading →
The odds WERE formidable. A US Air Corps fighter pilot who found himself in a German prisoner of war camp after his plane was shot down. He survived that disaster but wasn’t too sure about his current ‘home’. Despite this, he refused to let the probabilities stop him from making the best he could of... Continue Reading →
Today we dabble in the prep work that needs to go into your submission for Pitch Wars, and jumping right in, let's talk manuscript. You need it to be on the top of its game! How do we get there? Well here's a few things you can try Beta Readers. While there is a debate... Continue Reading →
Velvet Davis When did you know you had the writing bug? Since I was a child I've known I wanted to be an author. I'd ask for blank notebooks as Christmas or birthday presents and I’d fill them with stories. For anyone who may not know you, what genre do you write? I... Continue Reading →
This epic first installment of the de Valais Chronicles will cast a spell you’ll never forget. Kemina and Gabrielle aren’t just cousins, they are members of the illustrious De Valais family of witches. On Midsummers Eve the cousins experience the sudden death of a classmate. An event unleashed by the wrath of an obscure enemy.... Continue Reading →
Writer's block is debilitating. Crippling a writers soul purpose on this earth, the mental dam can take months to get over. Luck for you, I have some tips that just might help you overcome that feeling of being stuck. Look at books- I find a trip to the library helps sometimes. I just look at... Continue Reading →
The dates have yet to be set for the 2019 Pitch Wars, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be getting ready. Pitch Wars is a program helping writers make careers out of their fiction novels. They mentor fresh, polished, unpublished manuscripts into something agents and publishers can't resist. They've been at this since 2012 and... Continue Reading →
My name is Cassandra Albee and I author under my maiden name Cassandra DenHartog. I got started writing as a young child, but also liked to eat too much to be a starving artist. So, I became a Physical Therapy Assistant and a Massage Therapist. I traditionally published first with a small publisher, then began to... Continue Reading →
When did you know you were meant to be a writer? I’ve always loved to write, inspired by my mom, who loved to write. I wrote letters, diaries (that were more like books), and loved research projects. I always dreamed of writing “that book someday”, but in high school I took my first creative writing... Continue Reading →
Here are April's MUST read books JUDGEMENT OF SOULS is a Gothic horror in which a naïve pure-blood Vampire is tossed into the mortal world. Rachel meets Daniel, a nightclub owner and his group of friends and after Daniel’s best friend is murdered by Max, becomes embroiled in the search. Rachel tries to fight off... Continue Reading →
It's a question I get asked a lot. And my answer may vary based in the situation, but some factors will always remain the same. Newer, eye catching, book promos are coming out from major publishers everyday. This buries us indies in the hoards, making it even more difficult to stand out. Today, I want... Continue Reading →
Its truly a challenge to edit your own work, let alone, hunt down all the repeat offenders in your work (That's what I call overused words). Today we'll look at ways to spot those little buggers. I always recommend getting a professional editor, who will spot things like that, and hopefully give a few suggestions.... Continue Reading →
When did you know you had a story you needed to tell? When I first started figuring out this whole language thing (maybe two, three years old), I immediately started narrating my life as if it were a storybook. I have no memory of this, but that was when my parents looked at each other... Continue Reading →
A not guilty verdict. A kidnapping. A midnight trial. Six sitting in judgment and one empty chair. Revenge- is it sweet or just a bitter seed? Coach Terrence Jackson is the man who has divided the town of Marston. There are those who believe in the coach and his innocence and then there are the... Continue Reading →
Amazing is a commonly overused word, and finding replacements can be tricky work. But you can always count on the IABE to have a solution to that issue. Check out all these ways to say amazing, without actually saying it. Astounding- surprisingly impressive or notable. Bonny- attractive; beautiful. Captivating- capable of attracting and holding interest;... Continue Reading →
In the last decade, self-publishing has become more acceptable. However that started a major catch 22 of who is better, traditional publishers or the good ol' DIY. And while I LOVE the indie book world, rare gems can be found amongst the traditionally published books too. Now, I'll set out some facts and you can... Continue Reading →
At what point in your life did you decide to start writing? I started writing at a very young age. It really took off when my Dad bought me a typewriter.... Continue Reading →
Walker Callaghan doesn't know what happened to her. One minute she was living her teenage life in suburban Chicago...and the next minute, she was in a strange place and in a brand new school with absolutely no homework, no rules, and no consequences. Walker Callaghan, 17, is dead. She doesn't go to heaven or hell.... Continue Reading →
As a reader, I get turned off by repeat offenders! Now you're probably thinking "Repeat Offenders?" Yes, in writing we have words that are completely over used. So, we're countering that with replacement words that might make your work read more natural. Check it out. Very Careful, try: Cautious, Heedful, Watchful, Alert, Prudent, Circumspect, Cagey,... Continue Reading →
So, writer's will swear those little b@stards will move over night. Others, just ignore the rules and use them sparingly. But are you really saying what you need to say, correctly? Are you painting the right story, including the right punctuation? Well, let's get over the comma drama, and learn the rules of a comma.... Continue Reading →
Even authors need a vaca! Enjoy your celebrations!
After years of abuse and eventual abandonment, Janie wants to forget her parents ever existed. Moving to her mom’s hometown of Everod doesn't make that easy. Then she meets Tristan. The emotions he ignites within her are almost enough to make her ignore all of the weird things he says. Almost enough to ignore the... Continue Reading →
You’ve taken the time to create an amazing character. You’ve crafted a brilliant setting, and plotted your stories path. But how do you get that character to speak? You can hear the character talk to you in you’re head, but when you type it out, there is no sense to any of it. Well, you’re... Continue Reading →
Alex Bolton is a police detective on the verge of losing his family and his job due to his aggressive nature. He is given one last chance to regain both, although it does not look as though he will succeed. Diana Pearce was once a rising teen superstar. Now she is nearly broke in every... Continue Reading →
Here's all the fun you missed out on!!
If you haven't caught on by now, we're focusing on repeat offender..... this means you commonly overused words!! I'm coming for you with substitute words to kick those offending words out! Bonus: you'll look like a professional when readers dive into your work! So, without further adieu... Mirrors Reflect Echos Emulates Survey Leer Inspects Trolls... Continue Reading →
What got you into writing? I inherently gravitated towards writing. It was just something I love. I was writing stories as soon as I learned my alphabet. I had a lot of encouragement from my mom and my teachers. From there, I went to as many conferences, lectures and online websites that I could to... Continue Reading →
