When Should We Add the (Book) Marketing?

by Joel Friedlander

A few months ago Seth Godin posted one of his typically short and to the point blog posts with the headline “When should we add the marketing?”

(Godin is also the author of the famous advice that the best time to start building your platform is three years before you publish your book. This will give you an idea of where Seth is going with this topic.)

Here’s part of the argument:

“Marketing is the first thing we do, not the last. Build virality and connection and remarkability into your product or service from the start, and then the end gets a lot easier. Build it into your app, your book, your movie, your insurance policy, and the red soles of your shoes.” —Seth Godin, “When should we add marketing?“

Robert Bruce at Copyblogger picked up this theme in an interview with Godin where they went into even more detail on the idea that you start with marketing concepts, it’s not something you “tack on” to a project already in process.

The idea that the marketing is the first thing we do will sound unpleasant or even sacrilegious to many writers. For lots of people writing is a refuge, or the fulfillment of a vision, or a daily need, something they are “called” to do, or simply something they do because of an inner drive.

What, these authors might ask, does marketing have to do with any of that?

But there’s one central truth to what Godin is talking about here. This truth applies to writers who want to interest other people—people who don’t know them and who aren’t related to them—in an idea, a story, a skill, a collection of information.

That truth is this: making marketing part of the beginning of the process acknowledges the importance of readers, the end users of our books. When marketing is “baked into” our books or other offerings, we’ve really thought about the readers first.

Writing without regard to readers all too easily ends up with the scenario I’ve described before: a phone call from an author who has gone through the whole process of writing and publishing a book, and now wants to know, “How do I sell these things? Should I start marketing now?”
Brian Clark, the founder of Copyblogger, didn’t ask his readers what products they wanted, and he never ran a survey on his blog, even though it quickly grew to one of the most widely-read sites online. But he listened. He listened to his audience, read his reader’s comments, and studied what people were saying.

It was the market intelligence Brian gained from that listening that allowed him to launch one blockbuster product after another, building a content-driven empire.

The funny thing is, as writers, we have access to one of the best sources of market intelligence ever invented, one that gives us an unfair advantage over people for whom writing is a struggle. It’s the same tool Brian Clark used to great effect.

The blog. Yep, that’s our secret weapon.

Message to Nonfiction Authors: “Not So Fast!”

I talk to quite a few authors who are clients, colleagues, or readers. From those experiences, I’d say about half the nonfiction authors I’ve talked to have missed this point entirely.

• They don’t know who their readers are.
• They have no market intelligence.
• They don’t know the bloggers or other influencers in their niche.

Consequently, they have no “listening posts” or ways to engage their audience.

Painful though it may be to hear it, my advice to these authors is usually to put the book aside and spend the next three, six, or 12 months finding out how to answer these questions. Usually the best way to do that is with a blog.

Through a blog you can

• Engage readers in an “endless conversation” that will provide massive amounts of market intelligence
• Enter a deeper relationship through content your provide to subscribers if they grant you permission to talk to them by giving you their email address
• Experiment with content and how to present it to see what works best for your readers in the real world
• Network with other authors and bloggers in your field, cross-fertilizing your ideas and building a “network of networks” made of readers within your subject area

And that’s just for starters.

Where Do You Stand?

So what’s it going to be for you if you’re a nonfiction author? Will you get obsessed with the book itself, and drive toward publication whether you understand what the market wants or not?

Are you so convinced of how right your ideas and presentation are that you think people will simply accept how awesome your book is and rush to buy it?

Or are you willing to step back, take the time to build a robust platform first, and thereby ensure that when you do publish that book, you have the support of a community of fans, people whose opinions, likes and dislikes really matter to you?

The difference can be immense. Imagine presenting your book to a room full of the people you know now. Once friends and family leave, you’re likely to be alone in the room.

Now imagine the same scenario after you’ve grown a community, acquired readers interested in what you have to say. There will be plenty of people in that room willing to help you celebrate your publication, and help to spread it to other people too.

Which one will it be for 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.
 

Poetry and Prose Corner June 2013

From the forthcoming book, Echoes in the Universe, A Spiritual Memoir, by Leonard Goodwin:

Summer Enlightenment

By Leonard Goodwin


Behind our house
in the sunlightened field
of yellow green grass, two feet high
with a path worn through
I walk to the rise of the hill
where blue sky begins
and the giant oak
reaches for a cloud

I stand in silence
feeling warmth
of the solar furnace soaking through
my outer layers of self
Feet sinking deeply into earth
taking root
Body stretching upward
arms growing out

I am the tree
looking out beyond the field
to urban streets
where busy human forms
rarely raise their eyes
to scan the heights
to which they might ascend

My head touches the cloud
a billow of white
floating in the blue
I am the cloud
the tree, the grass
the earth, the sky
the unfolding human drama
The I and We
in total harmony
 

Birthing A Book

by Deborah Wilbrink

The excitement is palpable: a book lies in a brown paper UPS envelope on my door step, half wet from the rain. Ripping it open, I gasp. It’s beautiful! I rush it to the author, Barbara Goodall, and she agrees. So does the buyer at our local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Now I’m on Cloud 9.

Do You Love Me? started as a pamphlet with another title, published far below the author’s expectations. Her family encouraged her to take it to a professional level, and she contacted Writers in the Sky. I knew it was a treasure when I began reading. It’s taken months to get this ready – editing, consulting, then formatting design samples and formatting the book; getting design help for the cover; and that’s just getting this print on demand proof. Then I led Barbara through the forest of ISBN and Library of Congress and copyrights, finding my way more easily with the Internet and experience. Barbara is a pleasure to work with, and her book, Do You Love Me? is so worthwhile. We still have a few periods to place and commas to knock out; a photo to enlarge. But now I know these precious words, all her own, will survive.

The journey to get the word out to others begins: distribution, sales, marketing, publicity. There’s no budget for this. But this book has a message, so we have faith.

My parents and grandparents, a couple of four, were always together—but there was no room for me.
Do You Love Me? is a true story of how an abandoned child struggles to belong, and how she finds fulfillment in giving. Repeatedly left in the care of strangers, Goodall tells her story in Part 1 of looking for love and a home. She wondered whether she was worthy of love. In Part 2 she is loved by her husband. Together they provide a loving home for others: their four children, twenty-five foster children, and finally the mother who rejected her. Along the way, Goodall maintains a career in finding public housing for those in need. She has a reputable and honored career, despite having to leave high school those many years ago. Barbara Goodall’s memoir is a living testimonial to the miracles of attitude and faith. A heartrending story of abandonment, redemption, and forgiveness, Do You Love Me? inspires and motivates.

Do You Love Me? will be available in mid-June from Amazon; or ask for it at your local bookstore and library, who can find it in “Books in Print” by August. We are getting the nursery ready for our “baby” and welcome all comers to admire it, and to share in our joy.

If you are writing and preparing a book, congratulations! It takes a lot of effort; and is very rewarding. Ask for help. That’s why we’re here.

WITS Book Reviews June 2013

Title: Eternity Skye
Author: Liz Newman
Publisher: Sweet Cravings Publishing
Publish date: April 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-1618856678

Not many authors can write books of different genres with equal skill and realism. Liz Newman is one of them. While her novel Vampire Eden is about Vegas’ supernatural—and often hilarious--underbelly, Eternity Skye is the moving and life-affirming story of a woman’s transformation after the events of 9-11.

Skye Evans lives for her career, and why not? She has worked hard enough to get to the top. As the host of her own news show, Around the Clock with Skye Evans, she has New York City wrapped around her finger. Sure, people think she is tough—even cold--but to her it’s all in a day’s work. Gibbs, her colleague and best friend, is one of the few who really know her.

The morning of September 11, 2001, begins much like any other; however, when the planes hit the Towers, Skye sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She convinces a reluctant Gibbs to go Lower Manhattan to cover the unfolding tragedy, only to suffer an unspeakable loss of her own. Shortly after arriving on the scene, Gibbs suffers a fatal heart attack and Skye is thrown into an abyss of grief and guilt for allowing ambition to blind her to what’s important.

After suffering yet another loss—this time, her father, Skye needs to get away. She travels to Rome to mend her heart, only to find that she’s not the only one haunted by ghosts. As she struggles to recover her equilibrium, Skye learns that she is much more than her work. She may even be someone who deserves love.

Newman’s writing is powerful and haunting, and in Eternity Skye, it reminds us of that one moment that changed our lives forever.




Title: He Only Died Twice
Author: Chris Elgood
Publisher: Chris Elgood
Publish date: December 21, 2011
ISBN: 978-0956894816
Reviewer: Dana Micheli


Most of us have heard the saying, “there are no new ideas,” and while one could apply it to several areas of life, it is most associated with storytelling. Perhaps this is because the famous words were uttered by Mark Twain, who despite being one of America’s greatest writers was undoubtedly plagued by moments of doubt. However, like Twain, there are some writers who can take an old idea, then add a personal imprint so powerful that it seems new. Chris Elgood is one of those writers, and his novel, He Only Died Twice, is certainly one of those books.

What sets Elgood apart is his heroine, Nshila Maghrita Ileloka: a respectable and highly educated resident of the UK, a successful businesswoman, and hired assassin who uses a combination of the latest technology and ancient witchcraft from her remote village in Central Africa.
 
Add to that to a plot with more hairpin turns than an advanced slalom course and you’ve got a winner. He Only Died Twice is a continuation of Nshila’s story, which began with Elgood’s previous novel, Accidental Assassin. In the present case, however, Nshila is commissioned for her most dangerous job yet: the assassination of a member of Parliament. Despite the peril, Nshila accepts, especially since it does not violate her cardinal rule: only kill those who are both “despicable and otherwise untouchable.” Her latest victim, with his penchant for violence, drug dealing and human trafficking, certainly fits that bill. Nshila has little doubt that she will complete her mission. The question is, will she survive?

It is not too often that we see a self-realized female character in contemporary literature, and Nshila is one of the strongest I’ve read since Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. As I reluctantly turned to the last page, I was already craving more of her adventures. Luckily, I don’t have to wait. Nshila returns in The Eager Apprentice, which is already available for purchase.




Title: Vampire Eden
Author: Liz Newman
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
ASIN: B00B2AFN9U
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

Las Vegas can be a tough town. You never know from one day to the next whether you’re going to lose your shirt, or even your life. That’s what happens to Eden Sayers, the reluctant heroine of Liz Newman’s terrifying and funny novel, Vampire Eden.

Eden’s journey to rock bottom has been slow and agonizing: from the co-dependent girlfriend of Kevin, an abusive loser, to “exotic dancer” and soon-to-be stripper. She doesn’t want to turn tricks, but with Kevin chronically ill and the bills piling up, she needs a way to make cash fast. She considers herself lucky when her first “john” is a handsome guy named Patrick. But it’s Patrick’s eleven-hundred-dollar casino chip that convinces her to follow him into the dark Vegas alley. As it turns out, Eden’s luck with paying customers isn’t so good either. Patrick’s sole purpose is to deliver Eden to a group of female vampires. Eden is supposed to be their meal, but she convinces Aoleon, the beautiful and evil ringleader, to turn her into a vampire instead.

There are some things about becoming a vampire that are appealing to Eden—it will solve that pesky aging problem. As soon as Aoleon’s venom enters her bloodstream, she is once more in the full bloom of youth. On the other hand, she must deliver fresh victims to Aoelon or face an agonizing death. As if that isn’t enough, the super-secret Paranormal Investigations department of the CIA will throw her in jail—for eternity—if she doesn’t help them bring Aoleon down. Eden learns that whether you’re alive or undead, the world can be a real drag.

Part Ann Rice part Christopher Moore, Vampire Eden will scare you to death one minute and make you laugh out loud the next.


Title: Another Time, Another Place
Author: Mary Verdick
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Date Published: April 3, 2013
ISBN: 978-1481719322
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

Most of us have faced crushing disappointment at one time or another—a dream unfulfilled or a lover that broke our heart. We mourn the loss, not only of the dream or the lover, but of the plan we had made for our lives. The uncertainty of where to go from there is the hardest part; sometimes, however, it is when we step out of this uncertainty that the really good stuff happens. Mary Verdick reminds us of this in her wonderful novel, Another Time, Another Place.

When Phoebe Fox’s lifelong dream of being a professional dancer goes down the drain, she’s desperate to escape the pain. So desperate, in fact, that when her Great-Aunt Weezy asks Phoebe to join her on a road trip from Santa Fe to Denver, she jumps at the chance. When she boards the plane that will take her from Connecticut to New Mexico, she is expecting a week of dull conversation and early bird specials. She couldn’t be more wrong.

Weezy is a dynamo—brimming with the energy of the young while embracing the wisdom of her seventy years. Yet she too has faced devastating loss as a young woman, when the love of her life disappeared during WWII. As she and Phoebe drive over the dusty roads of the American Southwest, Weezy shares her story with her niece. Phoebe finds she is anything but bored, and she learns that she and her great-aunt have a great deal in common. Along the way, she falls for kind-hearted and gorgeous Cody Moon, and he for her. When circumstances seem once again to be stacked against her, it is Weezy that helps Phoebe through. Will she reunite the young couple as well?
 
Mary Verdick’s beautiful imagery takes on a journey of the imagination and the heart. Whether you are looking for romance, mystery, or a reason to dream, Another Time, Another Place is the perfect choice. 

Top 15 Reasons to Do a Virtual Book Tour

by Dana Lynn Smith

As publishers' promotional budgets shrink and travel costs rise, the traditional city to city author tour is waning in popularity. But what if you could reach a much larger, highly targeted audience from the comfort of home, and get people buzzing about your book? You can, with a virtual book tour.

On a virtual book tour, authors promote their books by making "virtual" guest appearances during a particular time frame on blogs, podcasts, radio shows, social networks, or other virtual venues.

So why should you do your own virtual tour?

1. You will sell books during the tour and afterward as a result of the tour.

2. Virtual tours are less expensive and time consuming than travelling. Generally the only cost of a do-it-yourself tour is the cost of mailing your book to tour hosts.

3. Reach far more people and a more targeted audience with a virtual tour. In contrast, live author appearances by authors who aren't well known may have low attendance.

4. The virtual tour provides quality, lasting links to your website. These links have search engine optimization value and may continue to bring new visitors for months or years to come.

5. Making a commitment to a tour gives you an incentive to get out there and promote your book and get content onto other websites.

6. If any of your tour hosts do a review of your book, you'll get the benefit of additional reviews.

7. Tours build buzz for your book and get people talking and sharing with others.

8. When others host you on their blog or show, there is an implied endorsement of you, which enhances your author platform.

9. You have the chance to interact with readers and potential customers.

10. Getting a lot of book sales in short period of time pushes up the Amazon rank of your book.

11. You get the chance to develop relationships with bloggers and other key influencers in your field or genre.

12. The content of a virtual book tour gives potential book buyers an opportunity to sample your work.

13. Nonfiction authors can enhance their expert status by posting content on other venues.

14. You get exposure to new audiences you might not reach any other way.

15. Additional traffic to your website during the tour gives you the opportunity to build your mailing list and blog subscribers.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to organize your own successful virtual book tour, check out the Virtual Book Tour Magic guidebook for authors.

About the Author

Dana Lynn Smith, the Savvy Book Marketer, teaches authors how to sell more books through her blog, newsletter, guidebooks, training programs and private coaching. Get book marketing tips at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com and download her free report, Create a Book Marketing Plan That Sells Books, at www.CreateYourBookMarketingPlan.com. If you're looking for a way to get your book in front of a huge new audience of targeted book buyers, then a virtual book tour is for you. You'll connect with potential customers, develop relationships with key influencers, and sell books during the tour and for months afterward. The Virtual Book Tour Magic guidebook will walk you through every step of planning your own successful virtual book tour! Learn more at www.VirtualBookTourMagic.com.

How to Optimize Your Press Release for Maximum Visibility

When was the last time you wrote a press release that got a great response? If you're like most people who write press releases on a regular basis, it's probably been a while. These days, it's so easy to float a press release online that everyone is doing it. The problem is, with so many releases online, it's getting harder and harder to get noticed. Years ago when I was first in the business, I could write a release, push it online and in almost all cases, the media would call me or my clients for a quote or an interview. That's simply not true anymore. If you're eager to get more exposure for your next release, here are some helpful tips that should get more eyes to your release and, hopefully, get the media to call you, too.

Keep in mind that besides pushing the press release online, you'll want to make sure that it's search engine friendly. Here's how to do that:

Use anchor text links: If you're not familiar with anchor text it's the text in press releases that's linked to an external source, namely your website. These are also referred to as hyperlinks. You should have at least two anchor text links in your release.

Don’t use too many links: This is where you need to be careful. Anchor text links are great, but too many of them can really kill your SEO.

Don't link to throwaway words: Often I see anchor text that's linked to common words like website, contact and other fairly generic terms (see below my list of the most overused words; these count, too). Ideally, you'll want to use keywords for these links instead of just common terms everyone has in their release. Why? Because using anchor text in keywords can really help to ramp up the SEO value of your release. It's one of the best ways to optimize a press release.

Avoid jargon and industry language: One of the quickest ways to lose a reader, customer, or possible media interview is to use a lot of jargon in your release. Many business owners and authors like using jargon in releases because it tells the reader that they "know their stuff"—however, this simply isn't true. Jargon is confusing and unless you're interested in only pulling in media and readers who understand these terms, you shouldn't use them. If your target is the consumer market, you'll want to use terminology everyone can understand.

Use short headlines: Most newbie press release writers love long headlines but the problem is, search engines don't. When you're writing a release you really want search engines to spider (also called indexing) these searches so you can maximize visibility. The problem is that search engines don't index beyond 65 characters, and I find that most press release writers put their real punch, and often their keywords, towards the end which does nothing to help make your press release more SEO friendly. Ideally you'll want to put your keywords in these first 65 characters. How long should your headline be? Ideally between 115 and 130 characters in length.

Keyword selection: You've probably heard the keyword discussion before; finding and identifying the right keywords for your message is important. What keywords should you use for your release? Well, ask yourself this: What primary keywords answer this question: what is this release about? Pick those keywords and use them.

Pay attention to the first paragraph of your release: This is another important place for your keywords. Whatever keywords you decide to use, per the paragraph above, use a hefty dose of them in the first paragraph. Why? Because search engines index (spider) the first paragraph of your release. Again, keep in mind that they don’t index beyond the first 65 words.

Finally, let's take a look at some of the most overused words when it comes to press releases: Groundbreaking, Cutting edge, Exclusive, Exciting, Innovative, Revolutionary. Now this doesn't mean you can't use them, it just means that you should use them sparingly and, as I already mentioned, don't use them as anchor text.

The idea behind writing a release is not just to write a good one, but one that will get seen and, if you're lucky, get picked up by the media. You may decide to play around with keywords and phrasing until you get it right, and when you do, you'll be glad you spent the time optimizing your release.

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

Join Us for a Conversation with Novelist D.J. Williams

There's only one thing better than a novel you can't put down, and that's a novel you can't put down and teaches you something. D.J. Williams' The Disillusioned is a such a story. It is at once a suspense thriller and a call to action to end the horrors of human trafficking. Tony Guerrero, the founder of F.A.C.T. Alliance (Fight Against Child Trafficking, calls it, "An engrossing tale ... makes you think about the world we live in and your place in it."

After their mother's suicide, Sam and Daniel are forced to leave their comfortable worlds behind and search for a woman they believe can unlock the secrets to her death. When they travel from Los Angeles to the heart of the Zambezi, they enter a world where death is one breath away, where thousands of children are disappearing into the darkness, and where the woman they are searching for is on the hunt for revenge. They will even come face to face to with the Devil himself.

Click here to listen to the podcast:

The Disillusioned may be his first novel, but Williams is no stranger to storytelling He has produced and directed over 140 television episodes syndicated on NBC, ABC, FOX and various cable networks worldwide. To buy the Disillusioned or learn more about D.J. Williams' work, visit http://www.djwilliamsbooks.com/

Editor's Corner June 2013

Every writer likes to think of him or herself as a solo act, and to a large extent, we’re right. It can certainly seem like a solitary life; we sit for hours, days, weeks, and so on, in front of the page or computer screen, living completely in our heads while friends’ calls go unanswered and a stack of unopened mail sits on the coffee table. Well, maybe that’s just me, but there is, I suspect, a nugget of truth in there for most of us. And as lonely as it might be, part of us likes the idea that it’s just us and our work; we like the control. However, as is often the case in life, this control is an illusion. The writer may lay the groundwork—the words and ideas--but then the editor, marketing expert, cover designer, agent and publisher (or self-publishing company) comes in to pull it all together. Basically, we need a group of people who believe in our story and are passionate about helping us get it to market.

I’ve always known that creating a book is a collaborative art, but recently it became all the more real when a friend and literary agent, Pauline Villain, suddenly passed away. Although we never met in person (she lived in the Netherlands), we were in almost daily contact on the projects we shared. Through this correspondence I quickly learned that Pauline was a true writer’s friend—what she cared about most was getting a great story out there for the world to enjoy. It was more than a business to her, it was a passion, and she will be sorely missed.

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.

LOVELAND ~ Deborah and Evert Wilbrink Announce Imperfect Memoirs, an Orginal Folk Song CD

Managing cemeteries was one of my many careers. Single at the time, it was very tricky to answer the question from a prospective mate, “What do YOU do?” For if he walked away, I lost; and if he stayed, asking very particular questions – Hell, who wanted to date that person?

It got easier. When I met my husband I was both a music journalist and an English teacher. And I’d moved to Nashville to write and sell songs. Evert managed bands, found and signed bands for record labels, wrote public relations, and continues to write gonzo music journalism. Here’s his take on my first CD, Imperfect Memoir:

It’s great to be married to a writer and editor of personal histories. I’ve got a lot of stories in me from a lifetime in the music business, about the Doors, Bob Marley, Blondie, Joan Jett… And now Deborah is editing my book. It’s not the easiest thing she has on her plate: My book is in Dutch!
It’s great to be married to such a creative personality. It’s not just Perfect Memoirs she’s writing. She also pens each and every song she plays on her guitar. Quite often I get my own personal house concerts, listening on the couch to the woman I love. Deborah is helping me taking my book to potential readers, while I’m helping her getting her songs out to the world.

Ever since she moved to Nashville, and even before, Deborah Wilbrink has been overflowing with songs. I’m particularly fond of “Loveland”, the song she wrote early in our marriage when I was away a little too long on a business trip. That tune opens the CD Imperfect Memoir, a collection of demos that is now available on CDBaby, Amazon, and wherever else one wants to try and find music. I’m very proud of my cover photo that prominently features the eyes that captured my attention from the very first moment to never let go.

I am a fan of many singer-songwriters. From Neil Young to Van Morrison, and from Willie Nelson to Randy Newman. Deborah Wilbrink is my favorite. Needless to say: I’m biased, I love her, and we just celebrated our seventh anniversary.

Evert’s book is stream of consciousness journalism and memoir. Look for Rock ’N’ Roll Kamikaze by Evert Wilbrink in July, 2013.

This Week's Podcast Guest: D.J. Williams

Join us this Friday when with author D.J. Williams talks about his new novel, The Disillusioned. It is the gripping story of two sons who will do anything to uncover the truth behind their mother's suicide. But when their investigation takes them from Los Angeles to the heart of Zambezi, they find that her death was just the tip of the iceberg. It is the story of thousands of trafficked children and a man so evil he is referred to as "Die Duiwell"--the Devil.  

Tune in to hear why Judith McCreary, Co-Executive Producer, Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, and CSI calls it, "A fast-paced mystery...you won't put it down until you've unlocked the secrets and lies to find the truth."

The Disillusioned may be his first novel, but Williams is no stranger to storytelling. He has produced and directed over 140 television episodes syndicated on NBC, ABC, FOX and various cable networks worldwide. 

Yvonne Perry Has Released a New Book

Yvonne Perry's new book, Walk-ins Among Us ~ Open Your Personal Portal to Cosmic Awareness, was launched with a gathering of walk-ins, starseeds, healers, and indigos on May 17-18, 2013 in
Nashville, Tennessee. Replays to this event are now available.

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

Purchase paperback on Createspace.com

Purchase for Nook on Barnes and Noble

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.

Review for this Book

On the best of days, life is complicated. Now, imagine one day you wake up in a body not your own; in a place not your home and you may not even realize this has happened. All you know is that you don’t feel like yourself and you don’t feel like you’re home.

In Walk-ins Among Us, Yvonne Perry does an admirable job of introducing us to such a phenomenon. A complicated subject is addressed with a focus on kindness to the self. Through various references, resources and techniques, Perry takes us into a world that some might view as science fiction, yet might answer many questions for many people.

“An idea gains validity when enough people talk about it in a way that makes it safe to accept.” This is true of any idea. Unless we feel safe to explore our lives and a myriad of possibilities, we leave ourselves potentially missing something that might easily guide us along the path. Whether you are a walk-in or not, being able to venture down this road with the author will allow you to consider possibilities beyond what can be seen or touched.

Yvonne Perry shares her enthusiasm for the subject as well as personal experience. She cites other experts in the field, and you are given enough references to do your own research should you wish. In spite of the focused subject, Perry’s suggestions are valid in any walk of life.

In this book you will learn ways to determine the difference between feelings and emotions. You’ll discover ways to make honest and true-to-self decisions. Now add the offering of kindness to self during times of spiritual growth and anyone can glean something of value.

If you were to wake up a stranger in a strange land, wouldn’t you want a kind heart to show you where to start? Yvonne offers that kindness as she gently points the way for others who have experienced her journey. “There are many variations of walk-ins and soul exchanges, so do not get caught up in labeling your experience.” All too often, we identify with whichever label we’ve been given or adopted. That in itself is limiting and Perry guides the reader toward more expansive understandings.

Regardless of your belief system, the author provides the open-minded reader with insights and guidance that will help any spiritual journeyman. If you are a walk-in, you’ll find a kindred soul to welcome you to your new life.

~ Gigi Miner Author, Tarot Consultant

WITS Announcements June 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elisabeth Marrion is a self-published writer who has created a FREE web site for self published writers. Writers - Room is a website created for International Independently -Published authors to list their books. Check it out! http://www.writers-room.org/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Memoir Writing Class Starts at Vanderbilt This Summer

WITS Editor Deborah Wilbrink is pleased to be teaching at the Osher Life-Long Learning Institute at Vanderbilt. Osher offers interesting curriculum at a reasonable rate to seniors. Learning something new is great exercise for the brain and is highly recommended to assist with keeping mental facilities, well, facile! “Writing From Your Life ... How to Write Your Memoir” meets once per week from July 10- August 14, mornings or afternoon sessions. Instructor Deborah Wilbrink teaches and facilitates the recall and writing process, tailoring the small class to meet student goals. Mrs. Wilbrink is an editor, ghostwriter and personal historian. She is a publishing journalist and former English teacher. For more information and to register, go online to http://vanderbilt.edu/olli or call (615) 322-5569. Class is filling rapidly, registration ends June 30.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claire Morgan recently published a guide featuring 150 tools for writers. She compiled a huge list of resources to help with everything from proper citation and grammar guides to organization tools and legal help. You can check it out here: http://oedb.org/library/features/150-writing-resources/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
 

Writers in the Sky Podcast Schedule June 2013

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.

June 14: Tune into the WITS podcast for an interview with Derek Williams. Williams will discuss his gripping first novel, The Disillusioned, as well as his distinguished career as a TV director and producer.

Memoir Writing at Vanderbilt

Deborah Wilbrink, a member of the Nashville Writers Meetup, is teaching “Writing From Your Life ... How to Write Your Memoir” at the Osher Life-long Learning Institute at Vanderbilt this summer for a reasonable $50.

Osher offers interesting curriculum at a reasonable rate to any seniors.

Class meets once per week from July 10- August 14, mornings or afternoon sessions.

Instructor Deborah Wilbrink teaches and facilitates the recall and writing process, tailoring the small class to meet student goals.

Mrs. Wilbrink is an editor, ghostwriter and personal historian. She is a publishing journalist and former English teacher. For more information and to register, go online to http://vanderbilt.edu/olli or call (615) 322-5569.

The class is filling rapidly, and registration ends June 30.

http://vanderbilt.edu/olli
http://www.perfectmemoirs.com

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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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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.