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.

WITS Podcast: Self-Publishing Guru Dara M. Beevas Talks about The Indie Author Revolution

Anyone in the book business these days knows that self-publishing has become a powerful force in the literary world. Gone are the days when self-published books carry the stigma of not being "good enough" for agents and traditional houses. On the contrary, many authors are choosing to forgo the querying process altogether, simply because they want to maintain control over their work.

That doesn't not mean it's easy (because, let's face it, not much is easy when it comes to writing and selling your book). Self-publishing can be extremely daunting, especially for first time authors. Someone who just wanted to write is now making critical decisions about formatting their manuscript (and cover art!) that can really impact their book's reception in the marketplace. They also must be ready (and sooner rather than later) to promote both themselves and their work through traditional and social media.

That's why Dara M. Beevas' book is such a godsend. Drawing on her experience as both a traditionally and self-published author, Beevas has created a comprehensive guide to joining the indie revolution. Also apparent in the book is Beevas' passion for mentoring other writers, which is no surprise, given her "day job". Beevas is Vice President of Beaver's Pond Press, a Minneapolis-based company created for the sole purpose of helping indie writers get their story (and a quality product) out into the world.

Click here to listen to the podcast:

Like what you heard? Visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Beaver's Pond Press to order The Indie Author Revolution. For more information on Dara's work, visit Wise Ink.

Calling for Submissions for November 2012 WITS Newsletter!

It's time for us to start putting together the next fantastic and information-filled e-zine for November 2012. That means I need you to send me your articles, poems, contest announcements, and brags to be included in the next issue.

Read our guidelines for submitting. Remember, the better your piece is written, the better attention and credibility it receives.

Calling for Submissions for September 2012 WITS Ezine!

It's time for us to start putting together the next fantastic and information-filled e-zine for September 2012. That means I need you to send me your articles, poems, contest announcements, and brags to be included in the next issue.

Read our guidelines for submitting. Remember, the better your piece is written, the better attention and credibility it receives.

WITS Announcements May 2012

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 WITS Newsletter is also shared with our blog readers at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com.

Contact Katie@writersinthesky.com to learn how you can add your tips for online promotion to the book marketing blog http://onlinepromotionmadeeasy.blogspot.com.
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The Dream Quest One Poetry & Witing Contest is open to anyone who 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 short story for a chance to win cash prizes. Postmark deadline: July 31, 2012. All works must be original. Visit our website for details: http://www.dreamquestone.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 at http://deathdyingafterlife.blogspot.com/p/chapter-1.html
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Dr. Charles N. Toftoy gave a talk to George Washington University's Society of the Emeriti last Fall. It was on publishing and e-books vs. hard copies. Publishing trends with predictions (all have come true so far), such as the fall of Border's were discussed. See two video trailers on Charles’ website at http://www.charlestoftoy.com. His second book  Eyes of Cold Case Killers, was published about two onths ago, which is a sequel to the first one, It's in the Eyes.
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Summer applications are now being accepted for A Novel Idea. This summer, we are adding a Little Middle class for rising 5th and 6th graders. http://anovelideanashville.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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Coming Soon: Chocolatour: Your Passport to Chocolate Culture of the World!

Doreen Pendgracs has been researching for this book since the fall of 2009 when she travelled to Belgium, France and Switzerland—three countries most known for their chocolate. She’s always been a chocolate lover, but the seed for the book was planted in January 2009, when Doreen was in the Dominican Republic and visited a cocoa plantation. This blog post talks about that experience: http://diversionswithdoreen.com/the-launch-of-my-chocolate-journey-of-exploration/. She’s been dialoguing her travels and premise for Chocolatour on her chocolate travel blog at http://diversionswithdoreen.com/. Doreen also publish "Chocolatour News," an li-paper that connects chocolate lovers with chocolate movers and shakers at: http://paper.li/wizardofwords/1310439305.
Doreen plans to publish Chocolatour in a series: The 1st edition will be out this fall and will focus on Europe and the UK. The 2nd will be out next year and will focus on the Americas and the Caribbean. And the 3rdedition will be out in 2015 and focus on Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. She says, “Yes, I've eaten a lot of chocolate ... but there is much more left to experience!”
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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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The North American Institute for Oriental Studies will join the CoolSprings Festival of Arts and Culture. On Saturday May 19th the group will perform traditional music on one of the many stages set throughout the mall. They have very rich collection of books which can take your consciousness to next level and give relief from daily stress.

Local and national celebrities reading for a great cause...

Actress, photographer, keynote speaker, seamstress and designer, Daphne Maxwell-Reid creator of "Fresh Prints from Behind the Camera" will read to students during the 2012 CoolSprings Festival of Books. The"Celebrity Read Out Loud" places students, youth and those who are young at heart with mentors who take thirty minutes to read a book to an audience. This effort encourages listeners to read books weekly, as a part of the R2Books initiative. The program also donates 1,000 brand new books to students from Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford and Davidson Counties who otherwise might not have one.
Maxwell-Reid, best known for her portrayal of Vivian Banks (Aunt Viv) on the "Fresh Prince of Bel-air," will be a featured artist at the concurrently running 2012 CoolSprings Crafts and Art Festival. She will display and sell the first in her series of "Doors" photographs and the first edition of her book on "Doors". The Fresh Prints From Behind the Camera showcases her talent as a photographer and visual storyteller. Maxwell-Reid wife of Tim Reid, (Venus Flytrap) WKRP in Cincinnati and (Ray Campbell) "Sister, Sister," will have a display beginning Friday May 18th through Sunday May 20th at the CoolSprings Galleria.

More information, contact the Author Collective at tac@44th.net or (313) 446-2262.

The May Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!

The May issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available! This publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing. Go to http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html and scroll down to the archives and click the link to this month’s issue. It will download as a PDF. If you would like to get once-a-month email delivery of the e-zine, you may subscribe for free at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065

The July Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!

The July issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available! This publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing.  Go to http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html and scroll down to the archives and click the link to this month’s issue. It will download as a PDF. If you would like to get once-a-month email delivery of the e-zine, you may subscribe for free at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065 .

Yvonne Perry
Freelance Writer, Editor, Author, and Owner,
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (WITS)
Web site: writersinthesky.com
Blog: http://www.writersintheskyblog.com/
Follow WITS on Twitter: http://twitter.com/writersinthesky

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Are you a new writer looking to improve your writing skills? Are you a writer who needs help with a starting freelance writing business? Do you need help setting prices for your writing? Need info about selling your work to magazines? This book is available at no cost to anyone who subscribes to Writers in the Sky Newsletter about the craft and business of writing. Request WITS Newsletter and download this free e-book on freelance writing!

Yvonne Perry,
615-415-9861

Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services is a team of highly-qualified writers and editors with many years of experience in writing for articles, books, ad copy, media releases, PR kits, Web text, biographical sketches, and newsletters. Editing, proofreading, book review, and book evaluation services offered individually and as packages. Find us online at http://www.writersinthesky.com

November Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!

The November issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available at
http://writersinthesky.com/ezine/news-nov09.html. Enjoy articles about writing, publishing, and book marketing, find networking opportunities, read poetry and book reviews, and find out who will be the guests on our podcast.

Archived issues for the past four years may be read at http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html.

If you would like to contribute an article, announcement, poem, or other material to our free monthly e-zine, please see the submission guidelines at http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html#guidelines

Yvonne Perry,
Owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com

June Issue of Writers in the Sky E-Zine Now Available

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services has published the June issue of a very informative e-zine about writing, editing, publishing, and book marketing and you may read it online.

If you feel overwhelmed when you click the link above, don't panic. Just slowly close that window and come back to this writing e-zine site, take a deep breath, and wait for the segments to be posted over the course of the next month. If you don't want to sit here and wait that long, you can try to remember to come back here. Better yet, simply sign up for the RSS feed or become a follower of this blog.

April 2009 WITS E-zine is now Online!

Welcome to spring and another issue of Writers in the Sky Newsletter/E-zine. If you are subscribed, you will automatically get your copy delivered to your inbox today. If you are not subscribed, you may join the list now!

Some folks ask why our publication is called both a newsletter and an e-zine. Well, it’s really too long to be a newsletter, and it isn’t laid out as a magazine; however, it has characteristics of both. It’s delivered electronically, it has news, articles, and announcements from our readers, and it has its own place on the Web (http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/). So, it’s both an e-zine and a newsletter. What do you think of the idea of changing the name to Writers in the Sky News-zine?

Regardless of what we call it, the April issue is ready for your reading pleasure at http://writersinthesky.com/ezine/news-apr09.html.

Writers in the Sky E-zine January 2009

It's the first Tuesday of the month and the entire WITS E-zine has been published and emailed to those on our permission-based subscription list.

If you are reading this post right here on our blog, you may notice that there's no January e-zine here to read. That's because we took a vote and everyone agreed that anticipation and patience, as outlined in option 3, is a great virtue. Therefore, we will post the individual features/columns/sections of the e-zine in intervals over the course of the month. If you have subscribed to the RSS feed of our e-zine blog (which is a very good idea), you will get a notice whenever we post something on the blog.

However, if you just can't wait for the sections to go live (who could blame you?), you can read the entire January 2009 e-zine now!

What is Your Favorite WITS Newsletter Feature?

Author's Corner
The Writing Life
Network with Us
Book with a View
Poetry Corner

Let us know what your favorite features are by taking a survey to help us improve: http://www.socialtoo.com/survey/view/620

Do you have book releases, contests announcements, events, or other writing/publishing or book marketing-related FYIs you would like to post in our January newsletter? See archived issues at http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html

Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services publishes a free monthly newsletter. We accept material from writers, authors, publishers, and book marketers in a column we call "Network with Us." See samples of "Network with Us" announcements, and let's network together!

There's no charge for publication, but material must be submitted by Dec 26.

Please note: We do NOT need articles at this time.

Thank you!

Yvonne Perry
http://writersinthesky.com

Option Number 3 Wins!

I've read your comments and option 3 is the winner. I will be posting sections of the newsletter every few days starting the first Tuesday of January 2009. Thank you very much for your input.

If you have an announcement or article you would like to contribute, please send to me at http://writersinthesky.com/contact.php

Click to see Guidelines for Submission.

Submission Guidelines for WITS E-zine

If you wish to contribute an article, advertorial, blurb, or announcement about writing, editing, publishing, or book marketing, please review the guidelines below and email your item to katie at writersinthesky dot com. Material that does not conform to these guidelines may not be accepted.

• Articles must be content rich and pertain to the craft or business of writing, editing, publishing, or book marketing. Include your name and a short bio with your article so you may be given proper credit. You may include one link to your blog or Web site. Promotion of your own services is accepted if your piece offers good content that does not compete with services offered by WITS. Limit articles to 500 words or less.
  
  
• All book, movie, TV program, and CD album titles should be in italics, do not use "quotation marks" or ALL CAPS.


• Announcements of upcoming events, personal accomplishments, special offers, and such are accepted. Keep these to 250 words or less, and do not include more than two links with each blurb. You may submit more than one blurb.


• No text boxes or photos will be accepted.


• We run five book reviews per issue; those written by the WITS team receive priority. Other book reviews will be featured on our e-zine blog.


• Poetry is accepted. One short work per person (less than 20 lines) will be published in each issue. Put your name at the bottom of your poem. You may include a short bio and a link to your blog or Web site.
  

Each contributing writer retains the copyright to his or her own piece of literature and may use it elsewhere. Since WITS does not charge a fee for the newsletter, we are unable to pay for submissions. However, the networking opportunity and exposure to approximately thousands of readers is priceless.

The newsletter will be sent on the first Tuesday of each month. All items must be received by the 24th day of the month prior.

View archived issues of Writers in the Sky E-zine.

Subscribe to Writers in the Sky Newsletter

Get a free e-book when you subscribe to this e-zine about writing and book marketing.

Those who subscribe to Writers in the Sky Newsletter are entitled to receive a complimentary e-book, Tips for Freelance Writing. This book has some great how-to information for those who are trying to get a freelance writing career off the ground!