Join Us for a Conversation with Author and Animal Activist, Chris Hammer

They say it only takes one person to change the world. In Chris Hammer's case, it only took one animal, a beautiful, blind pit bull named Irving. When Chris, a lifelong animal lover, set about finding Irving a home, she discovered a lack of services for abandoned senior and special needs animals. That was the inspiration for Irving House Animal Sanctuary, the organization Chris founded four years ago to save these precious creatures from almost certain death.

Chris has another passion--writing--and she ties these two loves together in her wonderfully crafted books. Today, Chris joined the WITS podcast to discuss her latest, Family Can Be Murder. It is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of intrigue, humor, and of course, a dog. Fred, the smart, funny Chihuahua, steals so many scenes that he'll undoubtedly return in the next installment of the Dysorganized Crime Series.

Her first book, Bixby's Canine Capers, is a collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of an equally feisty beagle, including the internationally acclaimed, Bixby and the Wolf.

Click here to listen to the podcast


Like what you heard? Family Can Be Murder is available on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo, and through the publisher, The Fine Line Editorial Consultancy. You can also order Chris' books and learn more about her work with animals at www.irvinghouse.org.

This Week's Podcast Guest: Author and Animal Activist Chris Hammer

It is not often we meet someone who really lives their passion, so you can imagine my       delight to meet a person who's devoted to two! This Friday, author and animal activist Chris Hammer discusses her new novel, Family Can Be Murder. It is a suspenseful,  fast-paced thriller that will have you laughing one minute and scratching your head the next. 

Jane Grotto, the star of the story, isn't looking for any trouble. She is content to run her car repo business, have Sunday dinners at her parents' house and hang out with Fred, her feisty but good-natured Chihuahua. But when Jane's favorite cousin is accused of murder, trouble finds her. As she races to prove his innocence, she stumbles into a closet full of family skeletons, one of which is definitely worth killing for. Jane isn't looking for romance either, but when sexy NYPD detective Lou Lotedo shows up on the scene...well, let's just say there's only so much temptation a good Catholic girl can resist. Like any book you can't put down, Family Can Be Murder is over far too soon. Luckily for us, it is only the first installment of the Dysorganized Crime Series. The second book will be released some time this fall. 

Family Can Be Murder is her first novel, but it is not her first book. Her debut short story, Bixby and the Wolf, won international acclaim and was ultimately developed into a short story collection, Bixby’s Canine Capers. 

Chris is also the Founding Director of Irving House Animal Sanctuary; a rescue organization she established four years ago for the care of abandoned senior and special needs animals.  The organization is named for her first "client", a blind pit bull named Irving.  Since she was a child, Chris wanted to do two things: write, and help animals, and she is living both dreams. A portion of the proceeds from all book sales will fund Irving House. 

To read more about Chris' incredible work with animals or to order her books, please visit http://www.irvinghouse.org/

And be sure to tune in to the WITS podcast on Friday!

Eliminate Writer’s Block in 4 Easy Steps

Think You Have Writer's Block? It May Just Be “Chakra Block”!

By Denise Demaras

As a writer, artist and holistic coach, I focus on things that affect creativity, as it is a marker of overall health. Recently I've been looking more closely at the role the chakra system plays in our health and creativity. The chakra system, when balanced, open and in sync allows for a creative and love-filled life experience as we function from our center and highest self. Life can feel inspired, divine and guided.

On the other hand, when the chakras are imbalanced, everything--including our relationships, physical health, and creativity--suffers. That book or painting goes unfinished because it feels like an exercise in futility. Our questions go unanswered because we are blocked by excuses and negative self-limiting beliefs. We look to others for answers that will never suffice for our own unique expression. There are seven major chakras and each play an integral, separate yet related, part in our life experience and our health.

In our first--or root--chakra, we find our foundation for life. This determines our physical needs in this three-dimensional realm. We respond to life experiences from an unbalanced root chakra when we react from the “survival mode”. Life revolves around whether there is “enough”, whether it be money, food, love, and so on. It can show up in your relationships when the concern is what the other is doing for you; or in your professional life as for example, wanting to be an artist and being afraid that you cannot make a living being an artist. Often these beliefs are under the surface, undermining relationships or keeping you from selling your work, paintings or books. It’s simple; your brain computes self-limiting beliefs that program your life experience - always running in the background and interrupting the field of unlimited possibilities in life.

When the root chakra is balanced, we are able to live more realistically, fearlessly and focused. We are grounded in the ways of the world on a physical level and that converts to stability, certainty and physical strength. We have healthy boundaries, know we can survive and are not limited by excluding or labeling people, cultures, or religions - all of life is there for us to use in order to create our own unique way.

You can ferret out these limiting beliefs and “uninstall” them by watching your thoughts and behavior. Observe yourself, your thoughts, before you act. Listen to the thoughts that dismiss your desires, happiness or creativity. For example, if you learn of a dream job opening, and hear yourself think, “Oh, they would never choose me for that.”, or ”If they hire me they'll probably fire me when they see I am not good enough”, and so on. The same is true in your love relationships. Do you find yourself staying single because you think, “I'm not good/smart enough for him/her?” Or are you afraid it won't work out and you'll be hurt or fooled again? If so, you are in perpetual survival mode; living on high alert and always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

When you believe self-limiting thoughts, you prevent life from being the expansive, love-filled, passionate, creative and joyful existence it is meant to be. Step out of duality and fear by balancing your root chakra. To open up this chakra, break through your writer's block, enjoy deep love, passion and enthusiasm for life, try this:

Breathe: This slows down the mind naturally and relaxes the body-mind-spirit so that you can see your life in the moment with clarity and ease.

Gratitude: Focus on what you have with appreciation, rather than what is missing.

Acceptance: It is all good - your circumstances are in your life for your own development.

Journal: recording your thoughts, whether on a notepad, iPad, or phone helps to uncover self-limiting beliefs.

Poetry and Prose Corner July 2013

Survival

Please, Lord, leave this house untroubled,
We who serve you humbly plead.
Knowing well your faithful promise
We shall follow where you lead.

Heralds rise to sound the trumpet,
Blast a warning all must heed.
Close the door and
Light the candle.
Hearts in faith need never bleed.

Safe within this sanctuary,
You are surely all we need.
Nothing to bring shame upon us,
No concessions to concede.

Faith denies all pessimism.
Hope springs forward from her seed.
Onward with determination,
One day soon we shall be freed.


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


Expansion

Infinite being of love and light
Expand your essence
Your truth and grandeur
Past the limits of time and space
Past the commandments
carved on tablets of stone
You make your own rules now
Infinite being of love and light
Expand your essence to the size of this room
Expand your grace to the size of this city
Expand your I AM Presence
to the far reaches of the multiverse

Beloved infinite being,
Expand your essence
Trace your desires back to yourself
where you are already loved
You are already God

© 2013 Yvonne Perry

Ten Lethal Marketing Mistakes Almost Everyone is Making

People always ask me, “What's the single biggest mistake authors make?”. I'm not sure it's just one mistake, though the truth is that one mistake can sink your entire book. Often when I tell a group of authors what I'm about to share with you they shake their heads in disgust, yet so many authors continue to make mistakes that can be fatal to their book's success. Most of the time, though authors know that publishing a book is like starting a business, they're still shocked when their book is a failure, despite the fact that they didn't market it.

“I don't have the time,” they'll say. Well, guess what? If you don't have the time to market then don't spend the time to publish it. Unless it's just a “thing” you wanted to do, then fine. Publish away, but don't expect success beyond your immediate family and close friends. Most authors, however, seek to publish for other reasons, most of them tied to their platform, business, or speaking. If you fall into this category, here are ten things you should avoid like the plague:

1. Waiting to see what happens: Often authors will put stuff out there and wait. They'll wait to see if it works, wait to see what comes back, or wait to see what kind of sales they make. Authors often tell me this, too when they hire us. “I'm going to wait till your work is done before I market.” Why do they do this? Sometimes they want to measure the effectiveness of what we've done which I totally get. But it's just not a good idea to wait, at least not in this climate. You should keep working, whatever you can do.

2. Feeling like you have to do everything: You don't. Yes, I know it often feels like you need to do everything. There are social media sites calling your name, blog posts to be written, book events to attend, blogs to read. There's a lot that you can be doing but focus on what you should be doing and, to that end, make sure you're doing the right things. Spend your time wisely. Don't get distracted by the latest big social media craze. If you can't be on both Goodreads and Library Thing then pick one. You're better off being in one place and having a solid presence there than just dabbling in networks. Dabblers typically don't make sales.

3. Not putting out enough content: The reason that it's important to pick your battles in social media and marketing is not just because of the “dabbling factor” but also because you have to create content. Lots of it. Blog posts, Twitter updates, YouTube videos, engaging pins on Pinterest, and the list goes on. Creating content can be a full time job if you let it, but there are hundreds of articles out there that can teach you simple ways to create helpful, engaging content for your readers. Good content is the single biggest driver of audience attention. Don't have time to create content? I was listening to a talk by Gary Vaynerchuk on social media and content. Someone asked him, “But what if someone doesn't have time to create a lot of content?” He smiled and said, “Then you shouldn't be doing this.” I couldn't agree more.

4. These rules don't apply to me: I was doing a series of speaking events recently and after I was done, an author came up to me and told me about his book. I asked him what he was doing to promote it, he said: nothing, really. Not because he didn't have the time, but he felt that his topic was such a hot trend, he didn't need to. This might be the worst mistake authors make and the most frequent. The basic rules of marketing today do apply to you. I don't care if you are somehow connected to someone who is famous, writing about someone who is famous, or slightly famous yourself. If you don't work for it, the results will still be the same: crickets.

5. Not staying on top of trends in your industry: The basic idea here is that you stay on top of not just your industry, but the industry you're in, too. That is: publishing. Why should you stay on top of what's going on in publishing? Because the trends might affect you. Let's say you have a book you want to put out and because it's short, you figure it's not substantial enough to warrant publication. Guess what? If you'd been staying up on trends you'd know that for a variety of reasons short is the new long. Thanks to consumers who want quick bites of information and things like Kindle Singles, consumers love short. I just published a book called How to Sell Your Books by the Truckload on Amazon.com. Every single email I've gotten back from readers is that they love it because it's packed with information, no frills and, most of all, short.

6. Lack of engagement: If someone (a reader) writes you a note or an email, are you responding to them? Often times the answer to this is no, which surprises me. Reader engagement is crucial, not because you need to be polite (didn't your mother teach you that?) but because in an age where bloggers are inundated with review copies and review space is shrinking, guess who will be your next best ally? Yes, your reader. Engage with them, thank them but most of all, respond to them.

7. Waiting till the book is done to launch the website: This is one of my favorites actually. Well, not really. I speak with authors all the time who are a week away from having a book and have no website. “It's coming,” they tell me. When? I ask. The answer is often, “Oh, when the book is out.” That's about three months too late. Now, granted, sometimes this can't be avoided, I totally get that. Delays happen. But in 90% of the cases when I hear this, it's because the author didn't know that it can take months (and in some cases years) to get traffic to a website. Start early and the minute the site is up, start blogging, too.

8. Being in a rush: A few weeks ago I got an email from an author who asked me for my recommendations on a publisher. I told her and the next day she emailed back and said, “I got so excited that I just uploaded it. I didn't have it edited but that's ok, I still have a book!” Well, I'm not sure of that. Ok, yes, you still have a book but in the long run, did this really benefit you? She said she was using this book to promote herself. Let me ask you this: would you send a potential employer a resume that wasn't edited? Likely not, right? Yet many authors have published books that aren't edited, either. While I know there are a lot of options for publishing and a lot of very quick ways to get your book “out there” fast is not always good, sometimes it's just fast. If you just want a book for family and they won't judge you on your horrible editing, then go ahead and rush to publish. But if you want something that you can be proud of, that's going to help you build your platform, don't rush. Just because you can publish quickly, doesn't mean you should.

9. Ask for what you want: I was speaking with a group of authors recently and there was an author in the crowd who said that every book event she does always has a great turnout (lucky her!). I asked her how she was using these events and she looked at me sort of confused. “What do you mean?” she asked. I told her that with that kind of a turnout, she should be signing folks up for her mailing list and then following up with them (think reader engagement). I asked her what she really, really needed for her book. She said she needed more reviews. I told her to ask her readers for help. “You can do that?” she asked. You bet you can. Readers really do want to help authors they love so let them and tell them. Whether you're doing live events, online promotion or whatever. If you want reviews for a book ask your readers. I have an author who, every time someone writes her about her book, she will thank them and ask them to review it. Almost all of them do this. It's a fantastic way to build your reviews on Amazon. Because of this she now has hundreds of reviews on Amazon. Wouldn't you like to have that? Just ask.

10. Wanting to make a fast buck: With all the news around eBooks and the money some authors are making in this industry, it's tempting to think, “Hey, I need some cash, let me publish something.” But as with any industry, these stories are the exception, not the rule. Yes, many authors are doing very well but they're also working on it every day. This isn't a “set it and forget it” type of market. You can't just throw content out there and wait for the sales to roll in but you'd be surprised how many people do this.

I often find myself telling authors that “publishing is a business” so much I feel like I should get it tattooed to my forehead (and what a conversation piece that would be!). But the reality is that it is and, though many who are reading this will feel like this article is written for beginners, that's not true. I've seen authors who have spent years in this industry, struggling for success because they keep making the same mistakes over and over.

Many mega-bestselling authors are turning to self-publishing as a way to get content to market quicker. I heard a formerly traditionally published author speak about this recently and during the talk she said, “I don't have time to do anything other than write the book. I just can't do anything else.” I was sort of surprised that she said this, but coming from the traditional world and having been published for years that way I can see how she might have lived a somewhat sheltered life. Even for traditionally published folks the world is a different place and no one, even the biggest names, are immune to this. As to point #4, the rules apply to everyone. Yes, that means you.

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

WITS Book Reviews July 2013

Title: The Ashes of Windsor
Author: Liz Newman
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Publish Date: September 15, 2012
ASIN: B009FBW6WU
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

I have read three of Liz Newman’s books, and I am continuously amazed by her ability to tell such different kinds of stories with the same level of suspense, romance, and intrigue. In Vampire Eden, I was taken to the underbelly of Vegas where the undead run wild; in Eternity Skye, I was taken back to the days following the September 11th attacks, when so many of us were forced to reevaluate what was truly important. The Ashes of Windsor, however, depicts an all too plausible—and all too terrifying—post-apocalyptic world.

By all accounts, Inari Giles has an incredible future ahead of her, one that includes an Ivy League education and a passionate romance with her boyfriend, Peter Huntford. But all of that changes when a nuclear bomb hits New York City and plunges the eastern part of the country into starvation, war, and disease. When Inari learns that Peter has fled the area, she feels as though her will to live went with them. But then her hero returns, along with his family, to rescue her. They take her to one of the few surviving hospitals, where she can recover from her extensive injuries, and she and Peter formulate a plan to escape to Arcadia, a land left untouched by the nuclear fallout. There are conditions to being admitted to this place, and Peter and Inari just might fit the bill—that is, if they make it there alive.

Part Handmaid’s Tale, part Walking Dead, The Ashes of Windsor took me on an emotional roller coaster with every flip of the page. One minute I was laughing at a typical teenage exchange between Peter and Inari; the next, I wanted to cry from heartbreak or cower with fear. Newman has hinted at a sequel (or, hopefully, a series), but it will be a painful wait.

Author Blogging 101: How Long Should Your Blog Posts Be?

by Joel Friedlander

How long should a blog post be? I get asked this question all the time, mostly by people who are concerned with “doing it properly.”

What can you say in response? Most books and courses on blogging will suggest that 250 to 500 words will do, depending on your subject. That doesn’t work for me, or for lots of other bloggers.

When I got started, I noticed most of my instructional posts seemed to reach the end right around the 1,000 word mark. I didn’t choose that, but it seemed like that’s where my “meter” was set.
Your results will vary.

Look at these three highly successful bloggers who can act like case studies in how long your blog post should be, and see what you think.

Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a marketing and branding expert with a huge following that has helped to propel many of his books onto the bestseller lists.

Even more than that, Godin is a true thought leader, with people in many places picking up on his ideas and being inspired by them.

His post today is Polishing Perfect, a classic Godin piece on how to stop deviating and get your project moving forward. Classic line: “Stop polishing and ship instead.”

Total word count of this post: 104 words.

Glen Allsop

Not quite as famous as Seth Godin, but Allsop is only 26, so give him time. He writes long, deep posts about the essentials of online commerce.

Allsop’s writings have had quite an effect on the online marketing world, and he built a highly popular site very quickly. Many of his articles get hundreds of comments from his rabid fans.

His most recent post is Case Study: Have Your Best Product Launch Ever (Without a Single Affiliate), an article that goes into remarkable detail about a product launch while, at the same time, whetting the appetite of thousands of readers for the product being launched. Classic line: “Selling is not about getting a customer once, but having them look forward to receiving more things from you in the future as well.”

Total word count of this post: 7,925

“The Passive Guy”

Yes, I know his name is David Vandagriff, and he writes the highly popular Passive Voice blog. An intellectual property attorney, Vandagriff has a different style. Instead of writing a lot of blog articles, he curates content, posting excerpts from articles he finds online.

Sometimes he’ll post the excerpt and link with no commentary, sometimes he’ll add a sentence or a paragraph, and once in a while he’ll let loose and write a few hundred words on a subject.
Today, Passive Guy published 6 blog posts, with a total of 150 words in copy. That’s for all 6 posts.

What Did We Learn?  Okay, the 3 very popular bloggers in our case studies had word counts that ranged from none (Vandagriff) or few (about 25 words per post for Vandagriff if you average it out) to almost 8,000. Allsop’s post is 76 times longer than Godin’s. Essentially, these numbers are meaningless.

The question, “How long should my blog posts be?” is unanswerable. Your blog posts should be long enough to do the job, whatever that job is.

What’s your offer to your readers? Godin, Allsop, and Vandagriff inspire amazing passion in their followers, and keep them coming back for more.

When your passions intersect with your readers’ needs, the question itself will cease to exist.

So blog on.

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 July 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.

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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LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES!

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing 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 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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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.
 

WITS Podcast Schedule July 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.

On July 26, author and animal activist Chris Hammer dishes about her new book, the hilarious whodunnit, Family Can Be Murder.

Editor's Corner July 2013

Welcome to July 2013 issue of the WITS Newsletter!

Recently, I watched Limitless, a movie about a writer whose life is going nowhere fast. A talented but defeated man, he has a book contract, but has not written one word of his novel. With the bills mounting and an angry agent breathing down his throat, he is one step from eviction and, even worse, obscurity. Then a chance meeting with an acquaintance presents him with an irresistible opportunity: a pill that allows him to tap into his “limitless” potential. This pill brings to the forefront of the mind every memory, every piece of knowledge he has ever acquired. More importantly perhaps, it dissolves all fears, insecurities, and “what if” negative thinking. In other words, it does what metaphysical people have been trying to teach us for centuries: it eliminates the mind chatter that distracts from our goals, leaving perfect clarity and focus. Of course, it’s downhill from there, with the usual Hollywood-style murders, mayhem, and political corruption.
I sat there, fascinated (and distracted from my own work!) as he finished his book, became fluent in five languages and made millions in the stock market, all in less than a week. If only such a pill existed! As the end credits rolled and I floated back down to earth, I realized I had not been so affected by a film since the Matrix. Both contemplate the possibility of manipulating our reality and stretching our limits (albeit artificially) beyond anything currently possible. What if we could simply shed our fears? What if we recognized each obstacle as a mere illusion? Imagine what we could accomplish then, even without the pill or the computer program. I invite you to try it the very next time you are sitting in front of that blank computer screen. I did, and if nothing else, it’s certainly making things more interesting.

Happy Fourth of July, folks, and as always, happy writing!

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.

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
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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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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/.
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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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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.
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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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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/
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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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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.