Nine Tips to Make Your Next Writers’ Conference Awesome!

I love going to writers' conferences, and it's really awesome when I'm speaking there as well. But as wonderful as the networking is, if you don't show up with a plan or a set of action items for the conference, you can get sucked into the vibe of the event without being very productive. Here are some tips to help you maximize your event!

Goals: Before you go to a writer's conference, be clear on your goals. If it's just networking that's great, but if you want to get more than networking out of the event, make sure you establish your specific objectives in advance.

Get a head start on networking: Now that you've gone through the conference website, it's time to identify the folks you'd like to get to know better and start your networking early. These days, most events have Twitter hashtags associated with their conferences. Follow these hashtags and respond to and engage with other folks who are in that search stream. If you have compiled your list of folks you want to meet at the event, be sure and follow them on Twitter and tweet to their account using the conference hashtag. For example, "Looking forward to seeing your presentation at #ASJA2013" - that will start the conversation going. Early networking is a great way to get in front of speakers you want to meet or publishers you want to network with.

Make appointments early: The conference website should be your new best friend. Comb through it to find names of the presenters. In the past, I have shown up at conferences hoping to make appointments there and found that they're not only difficult to schedule, but most of the bigger names are generally booked up. Once you hit the conference floor the momentum of the event takes over, and any appointments that haven't been confirmed prior to the event generally won't happen.

Take business cards: Do business cards still make sense? Yes, they do. Make sure you bring a lot of business cards; running out at an event is never good. Also, if you grab cards from folks, be sure to write a short note on the back reminding you of what you talked about and where you met them. I can guarantee that if you don't, you will arrive home and forget.

Stay organized: I will generally bring some letter-sized envelopes to the event and then file cards by session or event so I can keep track of where I collected them. For example, let's say I went to a big awards dinner and did some networking. If I file all of these in the "Awards dinner" envelope, I can add a personal element to the follow-up email like, "It was nice to meet you at the awards dinner, wasn't Marci's acceptance speech great?"

Quick follow-up: Though many people think that "snail mail" is passé, I disagree. I think that these days people tend to pay more attention to a handwritten card than an email. I mean really, how many emails do you get in a day vs. how many handwritten notes? My point exactly. I always bring note cards and stamps to a conference, and when I'm in my room in the evening, I'll handwrite a few notes and pop them in the mail. Again if I wait until I'm home and back at work, I'm often so busy playing catch up that I will forget to do this.

Never eat alone: There's a great networking book by the same name (Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, Crown Books) and the statement is true. At a writer's conference be sure to grab a table packed with people and even better, don't sit with the same folks over and over again. Mix it up and meet new people! Introduce yourself and yes, have your elevator pitch handy.

Elevator Pitch: What is an elevator pitch and why do you need one? An elevator pitch is a short one- to two-sentence description about your book. It's the briefest of the briefest descriptions you can develop. The reason elevator pitches are important is that we have an ever-shrinking attention span, so you need to capture someone's attention in a very short, succinct pitch.

All elevator pitches have particular relevance to them, but for the most part, every elevator pitch must:

* Have emotional appeal
* Be helpful
* Be insightful
* Be timely
* Matter to the person you are targeting!

Action items: At the end of each conference day, I find it helpful to gather my notes and go through and highlight the important items from the day. I have often waited until I'm on the plane back home, or worse, the Monday following the conference, and by then I generally can't make heads or tails out of who I am supposed to contact. Lesson: do it early while the information is still fresh.

And finally, a few bonus tips:

Conference follow-up: This is a biggie. Make sure you always follow up with everyone you connected with, especially if you said you would send them more information, sample chapters, whatever.

Keep the networking going: Relationships take time. Don't expect miracles when you land at a writer's conference. Sometimes great stuff will happen right away, and other times it's a process. Don't let the networking end when the function is over. You're now networking with them online via Twitter and Facebook, and perhaps you have some follow-up to do. Keep on their radar screen and then be on the lookout for future events you can attend!

Writers' conferences are a great way to get out there and network, meet your peers and meet agents, publishers, and marketing professionals who can help you publish or market your book or expand your career. Good luck!

BONUS: Want to attend a writer's conference in 2013? We've got a list to take you through the end of the year. See if there is an event for you: http://jodierennerediting.blogspot.com/2013/04/writers-conferences-april-to-december.html

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert Newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

APA Style Resources

By Megan Pacella

This year, I've become something of an expert on APA style. I've worked with several clients who are writing dissertations or other lengthy academic articles, and all they are missing is a good editor to check for spelling and grammar, and whip their words into APA style.

The problem is, that's not as easy as it sounds. Currently, most students are expected to comply with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition--and it's a lot different than the previous edition.

Here's an abbreviated list of stylistic changes that you should watch out for:

1. Font can only be in Times New Roman (previously, Courier New was acceptable, as well).
2. The word web is a common noun and should not be capitalized.
3. E-mail is written with a hyphen.
4. Website is one word.
5. Use two spaces between a sentence.
6. The running head is a part of the paper. It should be placed at the top left side of every page.
7. Also, the running head should be typed in ALL CAPS.

Those are just a few of the hundreds of changes that have been made to APA style. If you need help making sure you entire body of work complies with APA 6th edition style, I can help. Just reach out to Writers in the Sky and ask for Megan. I've got to say, I'm pretty friendly to work with, too!
 

Poetry and Prose Corner May 2013

A Man of Peaceful Means

Why are those of peaceful means
So often hated and reviled?
To teach and preach for kindness sake
Is hardly breaking any rules.

And yet the cruel and hardened fact,
The one that cannot be denied,
When pulpits reach to speak of love
They’re levied with the brand of fools.

And hate becomes the child of fear,
Without a tear, his conscience bare,
And lashes out with loss of reason
As the legions seize his fuel.

And though the masses sue for peace,
Long for love and fellowship,
Their light cannot outrun the darkness
Cast upon the pristine pool.

Heroes rise and legends fall.
Still the banner carries forth.
For always men of peaceful means
Prepare for battle and renewal.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/


Through the Tunnel

© 2013 Yvonne Perry

It's dark in here,
this womb where I am comfortable
with all my stuff;
familiar, predictable, and yet I know
there is more to experience
A new life is awaiting
as soon as I break free
from this cocoon that not only shelters me
but also tightly traps me and keeps me from growing

What's happening?
My world is shaking
Who disturbs my peace and complacency?
Quaking, squeezing
pushing, bearing down hard
I don't like this!
Stop!
Mother, what are you doing to me?

My home has turned into a prison
The waters break around me
I cling to the cord that sustains my life here—
a well-known life that is ending
The tunnel is so tight
It hurts! Doesn't anyone care?
I can't move, the space is too small
My head is filled with pressuring thoughts
I can't see where I'm going
or where I'll end up
What awaits me on the other side of this pain?
Will it ever stop?

There seems to be a brightness
at the end of this tunnel
Is it the place of light from whence I came,
or one I've never known?
I'm sliding and moving now but
I feel afraid of what lies ahead
I need help, someone to pull me out
Push me forward but be sure to catch me
when I arrive

Whoosh! I'm free!
It's cold here
It feels strange, foreign
There are smiling faces
They seem glad to be here
Are they glad I'm here?
I cry out for the comfort I once had

Hold me!
Steady my wild heartbeat with your calm rhythm
Mother takes my weary body into her arms
and cuddles me to her ample breast
flowing with the sustenance needed to keep me alive
here in these new surroundings

I can't go back to that confining place
where I was before
I must move forward and accept
new ways of being, sensing, and allowing
This new and wonderful world
into which I have come as a fragile infant
will teach me how strong and wise I already am.
 

Authors Unplugged: Smart Book Marketing Includes Going Offline

By Joel Friedlander

Most of us, who sell our print books through CreateSpace or other print on demand vendors, and our ebooks through Kindle Direct Publishing or other ebook retailers and distributors, usually focus our marketing online.

This makes sense. A lot of business and marketing happens online these days. Many of us are also bloggers with territory staked out in the digital world, and with lots of connections on social media.

In fact, social media marketing is often the beginning and end of authors’ marketing plans. From blog tours to Facebook contests to Pinterest pin parties to online press release distribution, we digital authors attempt to fully exploit the domain in which we operate.

But are you missing something?

Going Offline for Book Marketing

If all the marketing you’re doing is online, you may be missing out on lots of excellent opportunities to market your book.

Remember that our biggest effort in marketing is simply getting our books in front of enough people to give them a chance at success. You can’t get people talking about your book and, hopefully, referring it to other people in true word-of-mouth promotion, if they don’t know it exists and have never seen it. So awareness and exposure are really our biggest goals when we launch a new book.

But there are still lots of ways people get together, network, and learn about new things in the real world.

To help you think about this and get started, here’s a brief list of offline opportunities that might work for you. Even if you only use one of these suggestions, you’ll see results you couldn’t have gotten online.

8 Ideas for Offline Book Marketing for Indie Authors

1. Print books vs. eBooks—While it’s difficult to sell ebooks at an event or book signing, many people will buy a print book if they see them stacked up in front of them. After all, a book is something you can pick up and handle, and that’s often a powerful buying incentive. Print books also act as mementos of the occasion, or a way to further explore a topic that has ignited your interest.

2. Social media vs. in-person contact—I love social media and use it every day. But it’s really quite different to have a conversation with a colleague or a reader or a prospective client in person, where the centuries-old conventions of human interaction come into play and the levels of communication are much deeper. If your aim is building trust in your readers, interacting with them at events will be helpful and instructive at the same time. For instance, just recently a friend told me about something that needed to be fixed in one of my products. But I doubt she would have taken the time to write to me about it because messages like that usually seem like complaints. In person, she could deliver the message with exactly the right intonations, smiles, and gestures so the communication was nuanced and effective.

3. Giving presentations to build your platform—If you become a subject-matter expert, you’ll start to get invitations to speak to groups within your industry or field of study. These are terrific platform-building opportunities. Not only do you get to meet people you may not have known about before, you also get the implicit endorsement of the group that’s putting on the program, as well as the positive expectations attendees at your event will bring with them. Combined with this is the name recognition and awareness you’ll get from the promotion for the event that will reach many more people than will actually attend.

4. Back-of-the-room sales—Did I mention you can sell books at many of these in-person events? Well, you can, and these sales may be your most lucrative. In some cases, you can sell your books for the full retail price, so a $15 book might yield you $12 profit. In other cases, event organizers or bookstore hosts will want a 40-50% discount. But they will handle the sales transactions for you, and people at these events often buy books written by speakers as a way to remember the presentation or the overall experience they had at the event.

5. Writing for print—Remember newspapers and magazines? They are still out there, and they still have an unending need for good quality content to fill up those pages. For many people, reading an article by you in a respected industry magazine may carry a lot more weight than reading the same story on your blog. Since you’re developing content, submitting story ideas to editors at local papers or trade magazines can only multiply your readers and your exposure.

6. Offline review media—You undoubtedly included those local papers and trade magazines in your review program, right? You didn’t just rely on bloggers and online media for reviews because you know millions of people rely on these print media to make critical buying decisions and to learn about new trends in culture. Don’t overlook them.

7. Repurposing your expertise—Some authors have found running live events to be highly profitable. You might write about a subject that lends itself to workshops, where you can teach the same ideas you’ve written about, or try out new ideas to see how they work in the real world. Fiction authors do this, too, leading trips abroad and organizing writing workshops in vacation destinations.

8. Developing media contacts—Part of your job as an indie publisher is establishing media contacts, too. For fiction authors, this might involve the local papers, where you can expect to find some natural interest. For nonfiction authors there are niche publications or media outlets related to your topic, and if you write on their topic, they’re likely to be open to an approach.

Notice that I haven’t mentioned book launch parties or book signings, traditional events many authors include in their launch planning and which happen offline. But I knew you would think of those yourself.

Where would your offline marketing fit in to your book promotion plan? Or do you have some suggestions I haven’t included?

Joel Friedlander is a self-published author, an award-winning book designer, and an accomplished blogger. He's the founder of the Self-Publishing Roadmap online training course, and a frequent speaker at industry events where he talks to writers about how the new tools of publishing can help them reach and inspire their readers.

WITS Book Reviews May 2013

Title: A New View of an Old Horizon
Author: Dena M. Bedsole
Publisher: Dena M. Bedsole
Publish Date: March 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-615-75979-1
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

A New View of an Old Horizon is a heartbreaking memoir of a family’s love, faith, and determination in the face of tragedy. It is also a daughter’s story of finding her own inner strength after she is thrust into the role of caregiver to her parents.

To Dena Bedsole, family has always been everything. Growing up in a small town near Birmingham, Alabama, her home was filled with love and laughter, the core of which was the relationship between her parents, Eddie and Edna Mae. Her father—called “Crazy Eddie” by his friends – was known for his zany sense of humor and his fierce loyalty to those he loved. He was also Dena’s champion, cheerleader and trusted counselor.

In college, Dena chose to follow her mother’s footsteps and become a nurse, and by the time she reached her early thirties, life was pretty close to perfect. She had married a wonderful man, had two beautiful kids and a successful career as a nurse anesthetist. But when her beloved father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her family is thrown into a year-long nightmare of surgeries, chemotherapy and paralyzing fear. Suddenly Dena finds herself balancing several roles: wife, mother, nurse, and support system to her parents.

As Dena struggles to hold it together, she finds that with God’s love she can survive the loss of her dad and emerge even stronger than before. Now called to help other families affected by cancer, Dena wrote A New View of an Old Horizon to “bring comfort and light of a higher power to those who are lost in their own darkness.”

A New View of an Old Horizon is available on Amazon. For additional information on Dena’s work to fight pancreatic cancer, please email her at dmbedsole@bellsouth.net or check out the book’s Facebook page.
 

Mother's Day Gift

by Deborah Wilbrink

A perfect Mother's Day Gift is a Perfect Memoir. Start Mom with one of our beautiful pink, handmade paper gift certificates. Or arrange a free consultation with Deborah, you, and Mom! Many people tell me they wish they had done this before Grandmother or Mother passed away. "Oh, the wonderful stories she told!" they say wistfully.

I'll soon be a Certified Legacy Story Advisor - legacy stories cost only $99. I'll meet with the memoir maker and run the software which results in recorded voice over photos, posted to a website with family pass code and an archival DVD. See more about this at legacystories.org, my friend Tom's nonprofit dedicated to preserving Everyone's story.

Meanwhile, enjoy your time with mother, mother-in-law, or special older friend this weekend. All love, to our late and present mothers.

Deborah (615) 417-8424 deb@perfectmemoirs.com

Yvonne Perry Has Released a New Book

And, speaking of the metaphysical point of view, Yvonne Perry's new book, Walk-ins Among Us ~ Open Your Personal Portal to Cosmic Awareness, will be launched with a gathering of walk-ins, starseeds, healers, and indigos on May 17-18, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Do you feel like a misfit on Earth? Are you here to help shift humanity and the planet into higher consciousness? You may be a walk-in. Have you experienced an awakening that totally
revolutionized your life and made you feel that you are a different person in the same body? You may have had a soul exchange.

Our future, past, and fragmented selves are coming together in wholeness to create a unified expression of the soul. Shadow and light are being integrated. We are becoming one.

Purchase for Kindle now!

Purchase Paperback on Amazon.com

If you have had a strange spiritual experience, you will find comfort and information to help make sense of it in this eye-opening book, written by a walk-in to help others understand the soul exchange process and how to integrate higher vibrations that clear energy imprints that are not aligned with love, light, and joy. Learn how to stay centered and actively involved in your personal ascension process as you discover your mission, purpose, and role on Earth.

As our planetary system travels around the Milky Way Galaxy, the Earth passes through galactic portals that affect all of her inhabitants. Within that evolutionary continuum, some humans experience a sudden transformation that awakens spiritual gifts and psychic abilities. In our current time of ascension, people are experiencing visitations, co-habitations, and even trading places with more evolved aspects of their soul in various dimensions. This embodiment of higher consciousness brings pathfinders, way-showers, lightworkers, and healers to our planet to help anchor the new paradigm of oneness and unity associated with the nurturing community love of the Divine Mother.

Those who have experienced a life-transforming event will find help and comfort in this eye-opening book, destined to become a classic in walk-in literature. Walk-ins Among Us is written by a walk-in to help others understand the soul exchange process and how to integrate higher vibrations that clear energy imprints not aligned with love, light, and joy. Through cosmic encoded activations, readers may receive downloads and learn how to stay centered and actively involved in their own ascension process as they discover their mission, purpose, and role on Earth.

Reviews for this Book

Yvonne Perry has written an exceptional book for our times. The timing couldn't be more perfect as more and more people are seeking answers to what is happening to them. When I started reading I just couldn't put it down. It is well written, and she is well informed on the subject of Walk-ins, because she is one herself. Sharing her own story and the stories of others, answers so many questions and as people discover changes in their lives, and/or shift in personality, they will be seeking answers. Walk-ins Among Us, brings answers and much more. I would recommend this book to everyone. I liked the fact that she added her research right in the body of the book instead of in the back pages. This book brings to the consciousness an understanding of this phenomena of what is happening with people every day, and I believe this subject of walk-ins will find itself in many circles as people change, shift and seek answers. Anyone who reads this book will find a wealth of knowledge and it will bring peace and comfort to those who have this experience, because they will know they are not alone. For the seekers, they will find direction, and understanding and most of all HOPE. It was my pleasure to read this book and offer my review.
~ Jan Lawson, Dacula, Georgia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noted author Yvonne Perry has another winner, an excellent well-written book called Walk-ins Among Us in the paranormal genre. The title echoes in the ears of those who read the popular metaphysical book called Strangers Among Us by author Ruth Montgomery in the late 1970s. Exceeding Montgomery's prose, Yvonne deftly blends the explanations of how the walk-in experience unfolds; clarifies the united viewpoint of those who have walked-in; and reports why more of these experiences may continue. You'll enjoy Yvonne's straightforward approach, written with the authority of an investigative journalist and her transparency, shared from an open heart.
~ Dr. Caron Goode, author of the international bestseller, Kids Who See Ghosts, Guide Them through Fear
 

WITS Announcements May 2013

As a subscriber to Writers in the Sky Newsletter, you are entitled to share your announcements with our readers. See guidelines at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/submit-your-material.html and send your material to us before the 24th of each month to make the next month’s issue. Anything posted in the WITS Newsletter is also shared with our blog readers at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com.

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone that loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful art of poetry or writing a story that is worth telling everyone. Write a poem or a short story for a chance to win cash prizes! Postmark deadline: July 31, 2013. All works must be original. Visit our website for details: http://www.dreamquestone.com
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Yvonne Perry’s new book, Walk-ins Among Us ~ Open Your Personal Portal to Cosmic Awareness, is now available at http://weare1inspirit.com/walk-ins-among-us-book/.
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Read the first chapter for free and then decide if you want to download the 3-hour-long MP3 audio book of More Than Meets the Eye ~ True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife for only $7.00. http://tinyurl.com/bd7qhy8
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Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one’s self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://TheSidSeries.com
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html.
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State of Appreciation is a free weekly online newsletter that blends practical and spiritual approaches to enhance personal power and self-realization. This publication offers empowering articles, gifts, and free contemporary and classic empowerment downloads at http://stateofappreciation.weebly.com.
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If you are looking for someone to create an original piece for your book cover, you might want to connect with Diane Daversa on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Diane-Daversa-Fine-Art/109782219119036.
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Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience is about how to embrace multidimensional frequencies, lessen physical and emotional symptoms of rapid spiritual ascension, and offers tips to make the ascension process easier and quicker. http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.

Books by Yvonne Perry

Walk-ins Among Us ~ Open Your Personal Portal to Cosmic Awareness



If you have had a strange spiritual experience, you will find comfort and information to help make sense of it in this eye-opening book, written by a walk-in to help others understand the soul exchange process and how to integrate higher vibrations that clear energy imprints that are not aligned with love, light, and joy. Learn how to stay centered and actively involved in your personal ascension process as you discover your mission, purpose, and role on Earth.


Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else.

Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience

How to embrace multidimensional frequencies, lessen physical and emotional symptoms of rapid spiritual ascension, and tips to make the ascension process easier and quicker.





More Than Meets the Eye, True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife.

This book provides the comfort and answers you are looking for to help you process the stages of death and the natural dying process. Topics include insight on hospice and palliative care, signs to look for when death is near, euthanasia and end-of-life decisions, how to deal with the imminent death of a loved one and what to do to help someone peacefully transition to the afterlife. There's even a surprisingly fresh and unexpected look at suicide and the phenomena known as soul exchange or walk-ins.

The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children

This collection of body-mind-spirit stories highlights unique lessons about love, acceptance, self-worth, caring for the body, diversity, facing fears, dealing with change, the death of a pet, using spiritual gifts, and understanding mystical gifts most children exhibit.

Editor's Corner May 2013

Welcome to the WITS May Newsletter! As you know, at Writers in the Sky, we like to mix the literary with the metaphysical; and oftentimes, I wind up learning more from my clients—and Yvonne Perry!—than I could in any spiritual growth class! So this month I would like to honor that by sharing some of that knowledge with you.

We have all experienced writer’s block at one time or another; indeed, I have often written about it here (usually when I am ‘blocked’ myself!). I have also tried to offer some tips—taking a break from your writing, clearing your mind by doing something fun—to help your creative juices start flowing again. This is where the metaphysical part comes in.

Recently, artist, writer, and holistic coach Denise DeMaras told me about her latest project: writing about the chakras. Her current focus is the throat chakra, which controls, among other things, our ability to communicate with the world and connect with our own intuition.

Denise provides more in-depth advice on her website; suffice it to say that when your throat chakra is blocked, all forms of communication are affected—including written communication! The next time you are staring at a blank screen or page, think about why. Do you have a difficulty expressing yourself to other people—perhaps a fear of judgment? It is also time to start considering what it true for you, because above all else, your writing should reflect your identity as writer and as a person.
I hope you have found this information as enlightening as I have. Just don’t forget, in the midst of all this introspection, to enjoy the spring!

Dana Micheli
Writer and editor, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com
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LinkedIn

Writers in the Sky is a team of ghostwriters, editors, and book marketing specialists committed to the craft and business of writing. We work with our clients on all levels of the publishing process, from editing and manuscript assessments to book formatting and marketing. So whether you are a first-time author or a veteran of the craft, let Writers in the Sky help you get your book out into the world. We also provide assistance with résumés, business documents, and academic essays. For more information, visit www.writersinthesky.com.
 

Yvonne Perry's New Book is on Kindle!

On May 1, 2013, Yvonne Perry's latest book, Walk-ins Among Us ~ Open Your Personal Portal to Cosmic Awareness, will be available for Kindle readers! It will be in paperback on May 3rd!

Do you feel like a misfit on Earth? Are you here to help shift humanity and the planet into higher consciousness? You may be a walk-in.

Have you experienced an awakening that totally revolutionized your life and made you feel that you are a different person in the same body? You may have had a soul exchange.

Our future, past, and fragmented selves are coming together in wholeness to create a unified expression of the soul. Shadow and light are being integrated. We are becoming one.

If you have had a strange spiritual experience, you will find comfort and information to help make sense of it in this eye-opening book, written by a walk-in to help others understand the soul exchange process and how to integrate higher vibrations that clear energy imprints that are not aligned with love, light, and joy. Learn how to stay centered and actively involved in your personal ascension process as you discover your mission, purpose, and role on Earth.

Purchase this book for Kindle Reader.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Noted author Yvonne Perry has another winner, an excellent well-written book called Walk-ins Among Us in the paranormal genre. The title echos in the ears of those who read the popular metaphysical book called Strangers Among Us by author Ruth Montgomery in the late 1970s.  Exceeding Montgomery's prose, Yvonne deftly blends the the explanations of how the walk-in experience unfolds, and clarifies the united viewpoint of those who have walked-in, and reports why more of these experiences may continue. You'll enjoy Yvonne's straightforward approach, wriiten with the authority of an investigative journalist and her transparency, shared from an open heart.


~ Dr. Caron Goode, author of international bestseller, Kids Who See Ghosts, Guide Them through Fear

Graveyards are a Source of Great Plots

by Deborah Wilbrink

“Police Break Up Fight at Crematorium!” My husband chuckled at the headline he read in the Netherland e-news site. The brawl forced the normally sedate Dutch police to intervene amongst ten violently excited people. It reminded me of the many stories that had walked and talked their way into my office while Sexton of the Columbus, Georgia, City Cemeteries. Nothing that exciting, to be sure, but we had our days. In the aging office with its horse-ready portico, I learned new skills from a mortician. He kindly shared with me that grief can have an anger stage, and how to be a better listener when that happens.

Supervising hundreds of acres of historic graves led to the collection of many stories, of the living left behind and of the deceased. Now that I’m a ghostwriter and personal historian in Nashville, I’m naturally drawn to the stories of the Nashville City Cemetery. They have the best cemetery website I have ever seen!

I’m honored to have a featured piece in their Spring Newsletter. It’s about a victim of Gen. Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, C. S. A. – but this victim was one of his own officers. Research in the Tennessee State Library and Archives yielded abundant material about this man buried in the City Cemetery. There was even an eyewitness account from a boy who saw the event, and grew up to be a reporter! Frank H. Smith of Columbia, Tennessee, interviewed all the principals except the killer and the killed for his story.

Here’s an excerpt from my article, “A Violent Misunderstanding”

On June 14, 1863, Lt. Gould confronted Gen. Forrest about his transfer, saying, “It’s a lie!” Forrest understood it as an accusation that he was a liar. Gould then allegedly struggled to pull a pistol caught in his pants pocket, while the agile General flipped open his penknife with his teeth and aimed for the jugular, succeeding in his stab. Gould’s pistol fired and wounded Forrest! It appeared to be a fatal wound in the abdomen. The General lost all control, pursuing the Lt. though the streets, into the Provost Marshall’s office where he was getting medical help, and out into the field behind. There he verified that Gould was bleeding to death from the stab wound. Only then did Forrest seek medical help for himself, in the process denying it to the young man. He was in a rage, seeking vengeance for what he understood as his own eminent death. Could it all have been a violent misunderstanding?
The full article will be found at http://www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/aboutus.htm when the Spring issue is released. If you are looking for material to write about, it may be found no further than that nearest fenced, pleasant hill, site of many last long walks and memoriam. You may also explore a cemetery website as a shortcut! Final tip: Don’t overlook non-profit newsletters as welcoming publishers for good writers willing to donate material.
 

Poetry and Prose Corner April 2013

The Fools of April

Oh, you jokester,
Prankster, Fool,
Fearless in
Your pratfall follies.
Do you dare to
Break the rules with
Any tools at your command?

Obvious that you enjoy
The many tactics you employ
With faceless, feckless fortitude,
The masquerade of your decoy.

Never mind the price you pay
Or who your folly may annoy.
As long as you indulge your joy
And swiftly make your getaway.

Expert to economy,
Vanquisher of gloom and doom,
Forlorn frowns are vanquished
When the fools of April fill the room.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/


April

By Rita Janice Traub

I am April, green and fair,
lilacs tangled in my hair,
oft-disheveled, awkward, wild,
partly grown but mostly child,
hope and comfort in my smile,
winter-haunted all the while.
Though my daffodils glint gold,
I was born of mists and cold,
struggling, when my wan sun sets,
not to destroy my violets,
now, as in primeval years,
trilling songs while spilling tears,
melodies I knew before
humans walked life’s corridor.
Charming May and fragrant June,
rose-adorned, will visit soon.
Meanwhile, take my bud and leaf,
gently dabbed with ancient grief.



Springtime

Finally, respite from
Bone chills and teeth rattles,
Mittens and snow battles,
Shovels and scrapes.
No longer bundled in
Parka and woollen cap,
Breaking the frigid snap.
Blessed escape.

Nature erupts
In its vibrant illusion,
Precious profusion
Of color and scale.
Crocus and john-o-quill,
Tulips and daffodil,
Lilacs upon the hill,
Senses assailed.

Morning awakens as
Sweet dewdrops glisten
And new lovers listen
For robins to sing.
Time holds no meaning
And space knows no reason
For earth wears no season
More lovely than spring.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/


Welcome

By Leonard Goodwin

As we learn to welcome
all aspects of life
Storms and beauties of Nature
personal pleasures and strife
We'll find our human form
can do more than first appears
Our form can resonate and dance
to music of the spheres
Can dream of new creations
that benefit all beings
Expanding cosmic consciousness
beyond the bounds now seen

from the “Prologue” of A Spiritual Journey: From the Great Depression to Beyond the Mayan Calendar. Author Leonard Goodwin has led an interesting life, full of significant work and spiritual revelations, which he shares in his soon-to-be-published poetic memoir.

Looking for Good Books to Read?

By Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

What Should I Read? I was recently asked this question by a reporter and it really made me think about the process a book lover goes through when determining what book to buy.

It’s a great question because as a book publicist I want you to read my clients’ books, of course! But how do we connect ‘you,’ the reader, to my client?

I could not do this work if I did not have a love of books as they are being published at a rate of a few hundred a day; it’s really impossible to keep up. But, that said, here are some tips for book lovers about determining what to read.

1. Get a Kindle. Then sign up for Amazon Prime. Create a wish list of the books you would like to read. Write a review about books you’ve read. Rate them 1-5 stars. Then Lo and Behold, Amazon will use an algorithm to suggest books that you might like. If you sign up for their daily email, you’ll get one from Amazon with books that are FREE that day on Kindle and others that are priced under $10. Before long you’ll have more books than you’ll have time to read and, most likely they’ll be books you’ll be interested in.

2. Then go to C-Span’s Book TV. http://www.booktv.org/schedule.aspx Each weekend, Book TV features 48 hours of nonfiction books from Saturday 8am (ET) to Monday 8am (ET). They have interviews, presentations and readings by the top authors. This is a terrific way to keep abreast of the important books of the day, and what better way to learn about a book than to hear about it directly from an author.

3. Register at GoodReads. http://www.goodreads.com They ask new visitors to tell them what titles or genres they’ve enjoyed in the past, and they’ll provide what they call ‘surprisingly insightful recommendations.’ They have 40+ genres of books listed on their home page alone and offer everything from Romance and Religion to Cookbooks and Science Fiction.

4. There are the old standards too, like the New York Times Bestseller list. You can find all kinds of books that are selling well. http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html Does that mean you should read them? Maybe. There are so many books out there that are well written and deserve to be on that list but they lack the marketing muscle to get noticed. Remember, the NY Times list does not always reflect the best books, just the bestselling books.

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it's their first book or their 15th book. He's handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist
 

Join Us for a Conversation with Novelist Tanya J. Peterson

What do you when your seemingly normal life is suddenly ripped apart by mental illness? Tanya J. Peterson explores this question in her new novel, Leave of Absence. It is the inspiring and disturbingly realistic portrayal of a man and a woman being treated in a mental health facility.

The book is all the more true to life because it covers both situational depression and a lifelong illness. One character has been hospitalized after the loss of his wife and child drove him to attempt suicide; the other is struggling with a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia. The bond they forge will be the only reality they can cling to while in treatment.  

It was my pleasure to speak with Tanya about her love of writing, as well as her commitment to bringing awareness to mental health challenges and other social issues. Her previous book, Losing Elizabeth, is a Young Adult novel about a girl involved in an abusive relationship.

Click here to listen to the podcast

Tanya is from the Northwest, where she is a certified counselor and teacher. To learn more about her work or purchase the books, visit tanyajpeterson.com

This Friday's Podcast Guest: Novelist Tanya J. Peterson

Tune into the WITS podcast this week as author, counselor and teacher Tanya J. Peterson discusses her  new novel, Leave of Absence. It is the story of two people from completely different worlds who find themselves admitted to the same mental health facility. As they struggle to rebuild their lives, they find that the only reality they can cling to is each other. This moving story explores not only the devastating effects of depression and schizophrenia on the mind, body and soul, but the healing power of friendship.     

Leave of Absence is more than an excellent read; it is also a reflection of Tanya's life's work. She is passionately committed to bringing awareness to mental health issues; however, rather than writing self-help or nonfiction books, she has chosen fiction as the vehicle to deliver her message. She believes that novels can reach a broader audience, and to this end, lets her characters do the talking in the context of a tightly woven and entertaining story.    

Tanya holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education, a Master of Science in counseling, and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. She has been a teacher and a counselor in various settings, including a traditional high school and an alternative school for homeless and runaway adolescents, and she has volunteered her services in both schools and communities. Her previous work includes the novel, Losing Elizabeth, about a teenage girl involved in an abusive relationship. To purchase the books or learn more about Tanya's work, visit Amazon or tanyajpeterson.com

Author Blogging 101: What’s Stopping You?

By Joel Friedlander

Stella, an old friend, told me this true story:

One day Stella decided to go to her favorite piano bar. She was one of the regulars there and enjoyed the camaraderie and loved to sing along with her favorites.

She got dressed and headed to the piano bar for the evening where, true to form, she had a great time singing old songs, having a few drinks, and talking to friends.

At the end of the evening she returned home. But when she went to get undressed, she realized something terrible: she had had her dress on inside out the whole time!

Nobody said anything; maybe they didn’t even notice.

She told this story, laughing at her own mistake, to make the point that we focus on our own real or imagined shortcomings a whole lot more than other people do, no matter what we think.

And That Goes for Blogging, Too.

Sometimes I think about Stella’s story when I talk to authors who are having a hard time getting started with a blog.

They keep trying to get going, but there’s always something holding them back.

 “I don’t know what platform to use, but I’m going to decide next week.”
 “Is what I have to say really worth someone else’s time?”
 “I realized I need to look through all my old newsletters and manuscripts and book drafts to get everything in order before I get started.”
 “People will see through me, that I don’t really know that much after all.”
 “There’s no way I can keep up a blog; it’s way too much work with everything else I have to do!”
 “I’ll write something I regret, or that’s stupid, or that’s poorly written, and it will be there forever.”

Behind a lot of this hesitation and stalling, I suspect, is the terror of putting yourself out there, for all to see.

Yes, hitting that “Publish” button when you’re a new blogger can take quite a leap of faith. But there’s no better time to do it than now.

The Importance of Time

Time never restarts, have you noticed that? Whatever we did in February, 2013 is now history; we can’t go back and do the things we thought we were going to do, but somehow never got around to.
Before you’ve created your own blog, you don’t realize how much a blog is like a garden. In both, you need to put in work up front—maybe a couple of years of it--before you start to get the benefits of a bountiful harvest.

In blogging, each month builds on the last. Growth for most bloggers is slow and steady, and will continue that way if you practice basic blog marketing.

It does take time. Time to find your blogger’s voice, to find your style, learn different content formats, become familiar with the power of syndicating your blog, get to know other bloggers in your niche—all the things it takes to run a successful blog, one that will truly make a difference in your readers’ lives.

But none of that can happen until you start.

I Know About You

Here are some things I know about you:

 You’re creative, you have no lack of new ideas or new insights into how things work.
 You love to write, and you know how to write reasonably well.
 You’re keenly interested—even passionate—about the things that really matter to you.
 You’re glad to connect with someone else who shares your interest or passions.

It doesn’t take much more than that to start a really great blog. Just a few technical bits that are easily mastered, or for which you can get help.

If you start your blog (or revive the one you abandoned) now, you’ll start working, no matter how modestly, on:

 building new skills as a writer
 finding readers who resonate with your writing
 adding people to your mail list
 establishing connections with other bloggers
 learning what your community needs from you
 attracting speaking, writing, and teaching opportunities

And all of the other opportunities that open up to you when your blog becomes the center of an active, engaged community of likeminded people.

And maybe you will say something stupid, find out you need to learn more about something you thought you knew, or tick some people off. Maybe, like Stella, you’ll go out with your clothes on backward.

But then you’ll find out, like she did, that you can still have a good time while you’re doing it, and that’s what people will remember.

So, what’s stopping you?

Joel Friedlander is a self-published author, an award-winning book designer, and an accomplished blogger. He's the founder of the Self-Publishing Roadmap online training course, and a frequent speaker at industry events where he talks to writers about how the new tools of publishing can help them reach and inspire their readers.

WITS Announcements April 2013

As a subscriber to Writers in the Sky Newsletter, you are entitled to share your announcements with our readers. See guidelines at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/submit-your-material.html and send your material to us before the 24th of each month to make the next month’s issue. Anything posted in the WITS Newsletter is also shared with our blog readers at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com.

Growing Your Business with Social Media

Integrating social media into your online business is a great way to build relationships with your fans, amplify your brand, increase your leads, drive traffic to your website and turn followers into customers. Begin by figuring out what are the best social sites to amplify your business. Assess where your customers are and what they want. Put together your social media team and begin implementation.

Carol Lawrence is a social media manager at Social Media Help 4 U. She offers monthly social media management for authors, holistic practitioners and small business owners. For an affordable social media assessment or to sign up for monthly services visit her website to learn more. http://www.socialmediahelp4u.com
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Read the first chapter for free and then decide if you want to download the 3-hour-long MP3 audio book of More Than Meets the Eye ~ True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife for only $7.00. http://tinyurl.com/bd7qhy8
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The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest ~ Summer 2013 is open to anyone that loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings through the beautiful art of poetry or writing a story that is worth telling everyone. Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes! Postmark deadline: July 31, 2013. All works must be original. Visit our website for details: http://www.dreamquestone.com
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Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one’s self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://TheSidSeries.com
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html.
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State of Appreciation is a free weekly online newsletter that blends practical and spiritual approaches to enhance personal power and self-realization. This publication offers empowering articles, gifts, and free contemporary and classic empowerment downloads at http://stateofappreciation.weebly.com
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If you are looking for someone to create an original piece for your book cover, you might want to connect with Diane Daversa on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Diane-Daversa-Fine-Art/109782219119036.
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Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience is about how to embrace multidimensional frequencies, lessen physical and emotional symptoms of rapid spiritual ascension, and offers tips to make the ascension process easier and quicker. http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.

WAO & WITS Podcast Schedules April 2013

WAO Podcast

We Are One in Spirit Podcast allows for people from all walks of life to discuss their spiritual journey and life—transforming experiences that remind us that we are all one in spirit. Uplifting, enlightening, and insightful topics include healing, empathy, intuition, spiritual/psychic gifts, metaphysics, soul development, afterlife, spirit communication, and more. The metaphysical shows are archived at feed://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com. You will also find us on iTunes. Please subscribe to the We Are One in Spirit mailing list to receive the call log-in information: http://weare1inspirit.com/blog/


April 11: Cayce Jean Shostak is on mission… to provide the resources, support, and inspirational experiences that will help people expand their awareness, unite, and create sacred space (wherever they are), infuse the Internet with light source energy, and RAISE THE VIBRATION! Over seven years ago she began creating the virtual Internet attraction “C.S.ONE - Cyber-Space Station ONE”, a paradigm for conscious living. Weaving together spirituality, metaphysics, holistic health and the arts, C.S.ONE is a whole new dimension in cyberspace and self exploration. So get onboard and take in the energy… expand your awareness… stir your soul… release and rejuvenate… laugh and cry… become empowered and uplifted… have fun and Enlighten Up. There’s no place like Cyber-Space Station ONE! (www.explorecsone.com)

WITS Podcast

Writers in the Sky Podcast is a Nashville-based talk show about writing, publishing, and book marketing. An educational tool for people who want to learn more about the craft and business of writing, this show offers interviews with authors and writers, as well as the latest news about books currently on the market. You will also learn about publishing methods and marketing techniques as we interview publishers and publicists. Listen to archived shows via RSS Feed. Download WITS Podcast on iTunes for your iPod or iPad.

April 19th: tune into the WITS Podcast when Tanya J. Peterson discusses her new novel, Leave of Absence. It is the moving story of two people from completely differently worlds who help each other deal with mental illness, grief and loss.
 

Editor's Corner April 2013

Welcome to the April 2013 edition of the WITS newsletter. It’s officially spring, but in some parts of the country, winter has been reluctant to loosen its grip. This leaves us antsy and dreaming of travel to another state or country; even another world. It can also make it difficult to focus on our writing projects, which we have undoubtedly been slaving over during those gray, cold days.
 
This leads me to this month’s musing: remembering why we started writing in the first place. For many of us, myself included, it began with a love of reading. A good book can take us to another world as easily as a plane ride, with less expense and no chance of losing our luggage.
 From the time I was a small child and long before I ever considered being a writer, reading was a way to escape my own life. Books showed me new landscapes and allowed me to understand people, cultures, languages and religions I might never have come into contact with otherwise. John Le Carré taught me about the thrill--and the moral relativity--of espionage; an Alice Hoffman book always takes me out of the concrete jungle in which I live and into the lush, green woods of a small New England town.
And, by the way, reading will make you a better writer as well. As if by magic, it teaches you how to invite others into your world, share with them your truth, and allow them to escape their day-to-day for a while.

So if you find yourself staring out the window--or worse, in front of a blank screen—pick up a book and dive in. When you “return”, you might find you have a different perspective on your work, and your life.

Happy writing (and reading!)
Dana Micheli
Writer and editor, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com
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Writers in the Sky is a team of ghostwriters, editors, and book marketing specialists committed to the craft and business of writing. We work with our clients on all levels of the publishing process, from editing and manuscript assessments to book formatting and marketing. So whether you are a first-time author or a veteran of the craft, let Writers in the Sky help you get your book out into the world. We also provide assistance with résumés, business documents, and academic essays. For more information, visit www.writersinthesky.com.

Book Design, Internet Marketing, and the Nature of Human Consciousness

by Joel Friedlander

Picture this: you pick up a book and open it, only to discover that every page is exactly the same, a tall rectangle of text extending close the edge of the page and without interruption.
There are no spaces between paragraphs because there are no paragraphs, no chapters, no page numbers, no running heads, just text.

Does it sound appealing? No, not to me, either.

How frustrating it would be to try to read a book like that. Where did I leave off? What part of the book am I in? I might feel like the author had forced me to impose order and organization on his book. I’m pretty sure I would put it right back down.

Over centuries we’ve developed conventions about how to present long text documents like books; and readers, who have grown up reading books that mostly follow those conventions, have come to expect them; and, to rely on them.

Sentences present a logical line of thought, moving ideas or action forward.

Chapters divide a long work along some thematic or organizational construct.

Sections within chapters deal with parts of each of those themes or subjects.

What book designers do is use the raw material of the book—typography and any non-text elements in the book—to create an environment in which the author’s ideas can transmit cleanly and with little interference, to the reader.

But we designers add stuff, too. We add the page break at a new chapter, to signal the reader that one thing is ending and another is about to begin.

We add page numbers to give a sense of the third dimension of the book—its length—as well as a handy reference to mark a specific page.

We also add running heads with more or less descriptive titles, so each page has something of a “breadcrumb trail” that shows its relation to the whole.

The existence of all the conventions of book design show us a concern for the reader, for giving the reader just enough information to navigate their way through the book, without distracting them from the journey.

Internet Marketing: I spent quite a bit of time last year setting up landing pages, sales pages, a membership site, affiliate tracking, payment gateways, recurring payment buttons, and automated email messages. A lot of it was to deliver my training course, the Self-Publishing Roadmap. I think of all this as “Internet plumbing.” There are innumerable bits and pieces that have to fit together so that what happens is what we expect to happen.

For example, if you read about a video that sounds interesting, and you click through to the page and find you have to enter your email address in order to see the video, what happens next? Behind the scenes software from a mailing list company, an e-commerce service, and gateway tracking software on the site that delivers the video each have to do something and communicate with each other. If there’s a leak in the pipe or a broken connection, the user doesn’t get a request to confirm their email address with the list vendor. Or, they get the wrong email that doesn’t mention the video they wanted to see. Or, they get a sales pitch instead.

We have expectations that come into play online, and they are powerful. We have a healthy skepticism about dealing with people we don’t know. We want to be guided at every step of the way, even if we know the messages we’re getting are automated. We want a receipt, a link, an acknowledgement, a support number, a reminder when an event is coming up. We want to feel secure that the video, when we arrive there, actually delivers what was promised.

When putting these systems together, you have to keep in mind that many people don’t spend 12 hours a day online, and that these things can be confusing. If I say, “Register for the webinar,” a certain percentage of people will be stumped unless I explicitly say, “first click this link, then look for the “pay now” button.” Being specific is reassuring.

It’s a matter of breaking down the process so there are navigational aids at every step. That’s what makes me more comfortable, especially if I’m doing something new.

Communication that’s recognizable, in the same voice, with the same branding, specifically about what I inquired or clicked about. That makes me secure.

The Nature of Human Consciousness: In both cases—book design and setting up Internet marketing processes—the best guides to what will work and what won’t work are the people who are going to use the system. But, you wonder why we need so much hand holding, so many navigational aids.There seem to be two reasons, both rooted in the nature of human consciousness and the psychology that has grown out of it.

First, there are so many demands on our short-term awareness; we can’t keep a lot of data handy all the time on all subjects. We dump data out of our memory quickly and often to make room for all the new stuff that’s constantly coming in. This means that, to function properly, most of us need a lot of reminding.

The second reason is our desire to really dive into an experience. When reading, we want to lose ourselves in the experience, that’s why we buy a lot of the books we do. When we’re excited about learning something new, we want to get onto that and not have to worry about the details and arrangements, which only seem to get in the way. The signposts and other navigational aids, delivered in a thoughtful and gracious way, allow us to experience reading a book or signing up for a webinar as a pleasant experience.

The book designer makes sure we always know where we are in the book, and gives the experience a rhythm conducive to reading.

The Internet marketer makes sure we always know exactly where we are in the process, who we’re dealing with, that we’ll be taken care of and will receive the experience we’re anticipating.

Self-Publishers, or Authors Who Market: Becoming a self-published author these days almost always involves learning something about marketing, and since most of us are doing this online, that means learning about Internet marketing. Whether you’re providing entertainment in the form of novels or information in the form of nonfiction, you’ll be dealing with both book design and Internet marketing, and a whole lot more.

There are two lessons I’ve taken away from these experiences.

The first is to stay in touch with people who are just starting out. They are the best guide for whether the book or the system is working the way it should.

The other is to keep being a beginner myself. When I set out to learn new things, I’m thrown back into that newbie mindset: passionate, but clueless. That’s incredibly valuable for understanding the beginners in my own field.

And a lot of it comes down to navigation, reassurance, the big picture. Knowing where confusion comes in, and putting a sign there to help the traveler. Taking the time to really think through what people will need.

Everyone has these experiences, because we’ve all been new at something that we then learned thoroughly. All we have to do is tap into that experience and bring it to what we are writing, publishing, or marketing today.

Joel Friedlander is a self-published author, an award-winning book designer, and an accomplished blogger. He's the founder of the Self-Publishing Roadmap online training course, and a frequent speaker at industry events where he talks to writers about how the new tools of publishing can help them reach and inspire their readers.

Trusted with Treasure

By Deborah Wilbrink

Sometime after mother’s death I was going through some of her belongings, secretly feeling there would be a clue. I came across a small box. Would it reveal why I had been abandoned by my parents? I carefully lifted the lid on the old letter box tucked away in her trunk.

Thus begins the personal history by Barbara Goodall. Barbara and I were introduced by her daughter, Tami, through a contact form to Writers in the Sky asking about a manuscript evaluation. Its working title is Mother, May I? A Foster Child’s Quest for Home. It has been a meaningful contact for me; Barbara Goodall offers a model of humility and faith. She is inspiring because she emerged from the torments of her youth to become a person who reached out to salvage the lives of many others.
Her manuscript is a treasure! A natural writer, Goodall laments the lack of books, read-alouds, and story-telling in her childhood. Perhaps it was the great stories within the Bible, her one readily available book, which instilled her skills with prose. She states:

This is a true story of four adults who abandoned me, Barbara Louise Nott, twice. Once to the state’s foster care system; and then repeatedly when a teenager, as I was left with strangers or even to fend on my own. I was born in 1940, and my memories begin at five years of age. . . My parents and grandparents, a couple of four, were always together, but there was no room for me.

The “couple of four” once left me, as a five-year-old girl, alone on a sidewalk, and drove away “to see my reaction.” Later, they repeatedly placed me, as a young teen, in boarding situations where I lived without family or friends while my family, unbeknownst to me, collected her wages. It was only when she became seventeen and married that I escaped the emotional abuse and opportunism, and began to experience love.

While Goodall began with the intent of a document for her four children and their children, it has evolved to an inspirational memoir. She writes for foster children who are in the situation now; and for those who are foster alumni, restoring faith in their own abilities to succeed. Goodall, a high school dropout, not only successfully raised four children, but also provided a temporary home for twenty-five foster kids. Without a formal education, she played a leadership role in the public housing services of her Tennessee County, assisting the poor on both an administrative and highly-personal level.

Here is another sample of Goodall’s writing:

It was one of those cold windy autumn days. I pulled my sweater around me wishing I had worn my jacket as I quickly hustled to get inside the next building. My responsibility was to check out the old dilapidated rental units down at the end of the valley in the Red River area of town. I was to post the units as unsafe structures and contact the owner. The owner had to give the city authorization to take the houses down, at no charge. Community Development funds were targeted to do repairs and rebuild in this neighborhood.

I could see flames licking at the sides of the pot-bellied stoves through the cracks of the wooden shotgun shanties. Streets in this part of town were still dirt with ruts deep enough to bury a dog. A few stray dogs were chasing each other in circles while coatless kids were playing in the street. The air was thick with the smell of coal as grates were fired up, mingled with the odor of raw sewage seeping out into the back yards.

Thinking the houses at this end of the street were vacant, I was surprised to hear a weak voice. “Come here, girlie, I need some bread. Will you go get me some?”

Goodall’s deft descriptions allow us to marvel at the characters of her journey. Her life has a natural plot, taking the climactic turn with her marriage. She expresses a theme of abiding faith that a guardian angel hovered nearby. As we reach the publishing stage of Goodall’s memoir, I’m confident that her book will be motivational and inspirational to any reader; and an important addition to the literature about foster care. I was entrusted with a treasure, and for that I’ll always be grateful.
 

Join Us For a Conversation with Writer Dan O'Brien

When I scheduled this interview with Dan O'Brien, I thought the conversation would primarily focus on his new Science Fiction novel, The Path of the Fallen. Little did I know that this fabulous book was only the tip of the iceberg, for O'Brien has written not only several novels, but screenplays as well.

Moreover, he doesn't just write Science Fiction, but everything from romance to philosophy. To realize how rare this is, you only have to ask a writing instructor. He/she will tell you that they advise their students to first: write what they know; and second: pick a genre that speaks to them and excel at it. Luckily for us, all genres speak to Dan.

We're also fortunate that his commitment to the craft of writing goes far beyond his own books. He has started a consulting business to help others get their stories to market. And given the scope of his own work--and the fact that he has been published both traditionally and independently--he is perfectly positioned to do so.

Click here to listen to the podcast

Like what you heard? Check out The Dan O'Brien Project, for information on all things writing. You can also buy The Path of the Fallen, read his other novels for free, or contact him about his consulting services. Dan is also on Facebook and Twitter.

Dan is also publishing the original unabridged version of  The Path of the Fallen! Click here to support his work or learn more.

Poetry and Prose Corner March 2013

Kite Flyer

Oh, you fearless high flyer,
Tree crasher,
Nose diver,
Loop the looper.
Where is your home,
You homemade wonder?
Who is the hero holding your fate?

Yesterday’s newspapers, twigs and twine
Loosely bound with flour paste.
Rag bag tail of red and paisley
Waiting for the wind to
Do its splendid magic
Lifting you so you can dance
Among the clouds,
Making gawkers strain their necks
With careless wonder at your ease.

And I, your pilot,
Groundsman, soul mate,
I am the master of your sky.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/

This Week's Podcast Guest: Dan O'Brien

Clearly, Dan O'Brien was born to be a writer. As a small child, he created stories to entertain his friends and relatives. As an adult, his many novels and screenplays bring enjoyment, knowledge, and often, a new perspective on the world.  This Friday, he will dish about his writing process and publishing experiences on the WITS podcast.

Dan will also talk about The Path of the Fallen, his riveting Science Fiction/Fantasy novel. However, in true Renaissance fashion, Dan has not limited himself to one genre. Instead, he has committed himself to growing as a writer, which for him means telling stories that move him, including romance and philosophy.

He has also created an online writer's marketplace of sorts, The Dan O'Brien Project. Whether you are a full-time writer or on the verge of starting that first book, you will find a wealth of information on all things writing. You can also read Dan's novels and contact him regarding his writing and publishing consulting company.

Path of the Fallen was originally a much longer book, but Dan shortened it for publishing purposes. Now, he is preparing to release the unabridged version! For more information, visit his Kickstarter page.

You can also connect with Dan on Facebook or Twitter.  And don't forget to tune into the WITS podcast on Friday to hear more about his work.