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Archive for the ‘Guest Posts’ Category

Releasing the Fear that Accompanies the Nightmare

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012

Haunting dreams are not easily forgotten especially when they reveal our darkest fears. Nor should they. Nightmares are messengers, the subconscious’ way of getting your attention. Today, Nely Cab shares one of her nightmares and the paranormal romance that has readers on edge as seventeen-year-old Isis Martin dares to confront her fears. As an added bonus, she also has a fantastic giveaway lined up!

 

Here is the book readers are swooning over . . . Creatura . . .

 

When seventeen year-old Isis Martin is having trouble sleeping due to perturbing dreams of a horrific growling beast, she decides to confront her fear. But what Isis discovers is something other than a menacing entity.

 

The human-like creature offers Isis assurance that he is not a figment of her imagination. Unwilling to accept his avowal, Isis sets his words to contest by asking the entity to prove himself – a dare, he readily welcomes.

 

It is in her dreams that Isis innocently stumbles upon the silent existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.

 

In a quaint town, deep in south Texas, this story leads Isis onto the path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin’s journey is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.

 

And the author behind it all. I give you . . . Nely Cab . . .

 

Thanks for allowing me be a guest on your blog, Angel, and thanks to the readers that have taken the time to visit Angel Haze’s blog.

Today’s post will be a bit …unusual. My post deals with dreams. Fairy tales and life goals are made of these. But what about the dreams that come in your sleep? Not all of them are pleasant. I’m sure most of you have some recurring nightmare.

 

In “Creatura,” the main character, Isis, suffers from nightmares, which is how her story begins. I haven’t had a recurring nightmare in some time, but I can easily recall having a nightmare or two in the past few weeks that I’d like to recount because it is one of the oddest dreams I’ve ever had:

 

I lie in bed on my stomach, my head tucked under the pillows, and wake up. Am I really awake? No. I’m still asleep, but I’m conscious of the position I’m lying in on my bed. I try to move, but I can’t.

 

Some unknown force is pinning me to the mattress, my arms immobile at my sides. I feel someone place their hands on each side of my rib cage. Those hands run a few inches up my sides. Oh, the pain! The pain their touch produces on my skin is agonizing, and yet, I know that their hands are not applying enough pressure to cause such tremendous suffering. Who is the person touching me?

 

Why can’t I move?

 

“Bow to me,” A male voice says.

 

I’m surprised to hear these words, if any words at all. Why am I paralyzed? I want to turn around and see this person, but I can’t. I’m his prisoner. All I can do is defend myself with words.

 

“No,” I say. “I only bow to my God.”

 

He scoffs, “You know nothing!” He moves his hands down my sides, inflicting that torture again. Oh, the pain! The bone crushing pain!

 

“Stop!” My eyes are shut tight, enduring his touch.

 

“Bow to me, now,” he asks of me once again.

 

Conscious of my thoughts in my unconscious state, I repeat my answer with haste, “I only bow to my God.”

 

Just as quick as I answer, he is quick to ask, “And what God is that?”

 

To him, I reply, “The only God I know.”

 

With a maniacal laugh, and then annoyed he dares reprimand me, “You know nothing!”

 

I suck in a breath of air as I feel his finger run down the crevice of my spine. Oh, the pain, the burning pain!

 

“I know enough to know that you are nothing.” My anger has risen and I am not afraid. I am angry that I am I being touched by someone that I cannot see…tortured by something that is not real.

 

There’s a short pause followed by a statement that sounds more like a threat. “You should be more careful with your words.”

 

As I feel his finger coursing along the length of my arm, I say the magic words that break me of his spell, “God, help me.”

 

I am once again free. I can move. Am I awake? Yes. At what point did I open my eyes? I don’t remember. Wait. Yes, I do… They’ve been open all along.

 

Sweet Dreams!
– Nely Cab

 

Nely Cab lives in south Texas with her husband and son. Aside from writing, she enjoys drawing and painting. The tree illustration depicted on the cover of her up and coming book, Creatura, is a sample of her artwork.

 

Currently, Nely is working on the second chapter of the Creatura series.

 

 

Want to know more about this fabulous author? Here are her stalkworthy links:

Website
Follow her on Twitter
Find her on Facebook
Blog

 

What’s your darkest fear or reoccurring nightmare? Do you have the courage to decipher the message of your dreams and face your fears?

 

And now for the Giveaway!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Horror at Penn State Influences Michael Meeske to Publish Book

Monday, June 18th, 2012

Inspiration comes from many sources, but it’s not always the success stories that drive us forward.  Murder, addiction, sexual abuse –all the things that society labels as taboo can light the flame and push a person to take a stand. The horror that befell Penn State University inspired Michael Meeske to take his controversial topic and fling it out into the public. Today, he joins us to explain the truth behind the story. As a treat, he’s also included a giveaway for his controversial novel, Poe’s Mother.

 

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE STORY

 

About 1997, I began my work on Poe’s Mother. It’s a novel told from the viewpoint of two female characters – one a slimly educated 15-year-old in a small town in the dry, hot Southwest, the other an older matriarch of a demented family called Poe. Over many years, the book was placed in workshop, critiqued, revised and revised yet again.

 

I explore many themes in the book, including isolation, decay, the power of words, addiction and sexual abuse. Poe’s Mother is not pornographic, nor is it prurient. (Some might say so based on the topic itself.) After much work and years of rejections by traditional publishers (some with nice things to say about the novel), I finally realized that this book might be too controversial for the marketers of traditional publishing. It took me a while to get this through my head. But it was a news story of late 2011 that convinced me the novel needed a life of its own despite what New York might think.

 

The old saw that truth is stranger than fiction was aptly demonstrated when Penn State football became embroiled in scandal last fall. Allegations of child sexual abuse brought down a revered coach – an icon of college athletics – the university President and several other lesser officials during a time of turmoil and tears. Joe Paterno, the long-time leader of the Nittany Lions, died a short time later. A tragic case all the way around.

 

But lost, some say, in all this  news hoopla were the victims. The scenes brought to light in the media were horrific in any sense of the word. The story still isn’t over and neither is the fallout. Through a long and painful process of incrimination and trial the truth will come out, at least that’s the assumption.

 

But what do these terrible events have to do with fiction? Well, for my part, it enforces my feeling that our writing must be true to our art. The most important pact a writer keeps with a reader is trust – not a word to be taken lightly. The writer must deliver an honest product that fulfills readers’ demands. Readers can smell the stench of a phony when they open the book.

 

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not comparing the tragedy at Penn State to the worlds we create as writers – in horror, or in any genre for that matter. The victim list at Happy Valley is long and all too real. But, as writers, we deal in conflict and the sometimes ugly events that precipitate such fiction: separation, divorce, murder, rape, sexual abuse and incest. Our society has marked certain subjects as taboo. Could this societal denial have led to the brushing under the carpet, the refusal to take the investigation further apparently witnessed at Penn State?

 

The Penn State tragedy convinced me that Poe’s Mother should not just sit in a box as it had for all those years. The truth should come out. I did not want any taboo to play into my perception of what should be published, or to contribute to the continued silence of my novel. Poe’s Mother deserved a chance, especially after the horror at Penn State.

 

1975. A 15-year-old young woman. A small, dusty town. A family that worships the great American author Edgar Allan Poe, and carries his surname.

 

Poe’s Mother is a startling new novel of dark family secrets, the lure of the supernatural, the claustrophobic isolation of a dying town and a cautionary tale of the power of words.

 

This is the story of Sissy Baxter and her strange relationship with Edgar and Madeline Poe – two people who claim they love her. What Sissy discovers will change her life forever, and love will never be the same.

 

Visit Amazon or watch the trailer for more info.

 

Michael Meeske writes across genres, including romance, mystery, suspense, horror and gothic fiction, a genre that blends horror and romance, and has its roots in some of the earliest novels ever written. Poe’s Mother is his latest release available exclusively on Amazon. com.

 

From 2008 to 2010, he served as Vice President of Florida Romance Writers (FRW). He has been a member of FRW and the Romance Writers of America since 2002. He also was an active member of the Writers’ Room of Boston, a non-profit working space for novelists, poets and playwrights.

 

Michael’s writing credits include Frankenstein’s Daemon, a sequel to Frankenstein, offered through Usher Books. He also is the co-author of His Weekend Proposal, a tender category romance published in August 2009 by The Wild Rose Press under the pen name of Alexa Grayson (soon to be published in Greece); Zombieville, a short story included in a 2011 anthology by FRW writers, available at Amazon.com, and Tears, a short-story published in the Fall 2000 issue of Space & Time, a magazine of fantasy and science fiction. Usher Books will publish additional works by Michael in 2012 and 2013.

 

Some of his influences are Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson, Oscar Wilde, Daphne du Maurier, Richard Matheson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and any work by the exquisite Brontë sisters. You can contact Michael at michaelmeeske@live.com.

 

Thank you for sharing your story Michael! See below for more ways to follow this fabulous author and enter in the giveaway!

 

Author Links:

Facebook

Facebook Fanpage

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

 

And now for the Giveaway!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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News from Dead Mule Swamp: Guest Post and Giveaway

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

Almost everyone has thought of writing a book at one time or another. Inspired by our favorite books and authors, we sit down, pen in hand and just stare at a blank page., thinking , Where do I start? What do I write about? Today, Joan Young joins us with her mystery,  NEWS FROM DEAD MULE SWAMP and shares how she went from Cobbler’s Knob to Dead Mule Swamp.

 

 

Anastasia Raven is running from the pain of a failed marriage, and hopes to hide from the world in an old farmhouse she has purchased at the edge of Dead Mule Swamp. When a hundred-year-old newspaper she finds inside a wall is stolen by Cliff Sorenson, and then Cliff disappears, Ana is convinced that the paper holds the key to the mystery. But what old news could be important enough to put Cliff in danger?

 

From Cobbler’s Knob to Dead Mule Swamp

 

I’ve been in love with mysteries for at least 55 years. I read my way through the two shelves of kid’s mysteries at the school library several times, and started my own collections of Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Ginny Gordon, and The Hardy Boys.

 

However, my favorite mystery of that time in my life was Cobbler’s Knob by Eleanor M. Jewett. I must have read it ten times. Last year, I bought a copy and was eager to discover if the story held up in my adult estimation. It did. The elements I loved were all there: a mysterious old house on the seacoast that made strange noises and had a secret room; a courageous girl as the hero; someone who needed help, and a surprising but satisfactory ending.

 

I’ve spent a lifetime reading and re-reading mysteries. I like almost all of them, but my favorite authors are Rex Stout, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, Lilian Jackson Braun, Sue Grafton, Rita Mae Brown, and probably others I’m forgetting.

 

The point is, I love mysteries that develop a collection of characters, a fictional world, and present a series of puzzles that need to be solved.

 

I suppose it was inevitable that I would try to write a mystery. However, I had some reservations. The biggest one was simply personal. I didn’t want to spoil my enjoyment of reading mysteries, and I was afraid that if I analyzed them enough to be able to write them, I wouldn’t be able to disappear into the stories. The jury is still out on this question.

 

The next question was, “What kind of mysteries would I write?” As it turned out, there’s now a name for them. They’re called cozies, where the emphasis is on a puzzle rather than gore and violence.

 

Only one issue left, “What kind of hero would I create?” This was tougher. The person had to be someone I could understand and sustain without constant research. Although I like procedural mysteries with lawyers, medical examiners, detectives, etc., I don’t know enough about these non-fiction worlds to write about any of them accurately as an insider.  So, the question became, “What do I know?”

 

I wasn’t happy with the apparent answer, “Not much.” And that answer wasn’t accurate, but it took me a surprisingly long time to find the actual answer. What I know is the northern outdoors, and small towns.

 

One long car trip with a broken CD player gave me plenty of time to think up Anastasia Raven and her situation which brought her to Forest County and the edge of Dead Mule Swamp. By the end of that same drive I had thought up basic plots for two books.

 

It will be up to readers, of course, to decide if Ana is intriguing enough to keep their interest. Meanwhile, I’m having fun dreaming up stories to tell.

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us Joan!

 

Hollow Tree at Dead Mule Swamp is FREE on Smashwords and hopefully soon Amazon. Here is the Smashwords link, but I will update when it goes free on Amazon. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/154647

 

Stalker Links:

 

Personal blog: http://myqualityday.blogspot.com
Author blog: http://joanofshark.com
Book website: http://www.booksleavingfootprints.com
FB: facebook.com/jhyshark
Twitter: sharkbytes
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2871176.Joan_H_Young

 

Joan H. Young has been writing stories about the outdoors since the age of 7, when “The Adventures of Skippy the Field Mouse” made its debut. The work survives, but is best left in the box with crayon drawings of squirrels and pressed leaves.

“The Family Christmas,” a seasonal poem made it as far as the local newspaper when she was 12, proving that the serious child was already harboring an evil sense of humor.

 

As an adult, Joan has made a career of proving that she can bumble through life without ever deciding what to be when she grows up. She began with a degree in Communication Arts with an emphasis on theater. Realizing that drama, for her, was like whiskey to an alcoholic, she left a possible career in stage management for a driven man and 10,000 teenagers. (What was she thinking?) A few years later the couple had legally adopted one of the teens, and two younger children, but were still feeding most of the stray 10,000 teenagers as well. No time there for writing anything except grocery lists, and a journal of the wild ride!

 

In 1986, still longing for a career in sciences, she went back to school, taking higher math and chemistry in hopes of being accepted into the University of Michigan graduate program. From 1992-1995 she lived in Ann Arbor, and did receive a Masters in Environmental Engineering, cleverly getting U of M to pay for it too! Meanwhile, the writing bug still squirmed, and Joan worked hard at collecting rejection slips from a nice series of reputable magazines and publishers. Also during this time slot she began hiking the North Country Trail (NCT), the longest foot path in the United States.

 

Now armed with an “advanced degree” she returned home and attempted to establish a reputation as a wetland specialist. Well, she was one, but she wasn’t very good at marketing herself, and when offered a job as a web site manager, that became the next career. Essays about her hikes on the NCT demanded to be written, and friends urged her to publish.

 

In 2005, /North Country Cache/ made its debut for the 25th Anniversary of the North Country Trail. Since then, more and more of her time has been spent writing. If only more and more money came from that endeavor, it could be called a career!

 

Recently, she has begun writing more fiction, including several award-winning short stories soon to be published by Twin Trinity Media, and the Anastasia Raven mystery series.

 

Young has enjoyed the out-of-doors her entire life. Highlights of her outdoor adventures include Girl Scouting, which provided yearly training in camp skills, the opportunity to engage in a 10-day canoe trip, and numerous short backpacking excursions. She was selected to attend the 1965 Senior Scout Roundup in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, an international event to which 10,000 girls were invited. She has ridden a bicycle from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in 1986, and on August 3, 2010 became the first woman to complete the North Country National Scenic Trail on foot. Her mileage totaled 4395 miles.

 

Time for a Giveaway!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Official Book Launch of The Dark Gifts: Inheritance by Willow Cross

Friday, April 13th, 2012

 

 

Welcome to a world of Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Ghosts and Druid Sorcerers. Enter at your own risk.  You never know what you may find lurking around the corner….

 

Welcome to the world of Willow Cross


 

Cue the band and roll out the red carpet, the virtual release party of Inheritance begins Friday April 13th and ends Saturday April 14th at the Book Release Party Page. There will be tons of games and prizes! You don’t want to miss it!

 

Willow Cross is releasing the second book of The Dark Gifts series. If you haven’t read the first book, fear not! Amazingly enough, this book can also be a stand alone book! I guarantee after reading Inheritance, you’ll be anxious to go back and read the the first book.

 

Birthright was ranked #4  in Paranormal Reads Best Books By Indie Authors 2011.

 

When Sarah and Jason Masada received an old house from an aunt they never knew existed, they were grateful for the blessing.  Until they discovered the curse that came with being part of the Masada family–a full moon.

 

Intent on tracing their lineage, they descend into a world of lies, fear, ancient myths, and death.  Indian hunters have tracked them to the family compound, Jason is wanted for murders he doesn’t remember committing, and their new-found family is on a mission to kill them.  It seems their only hope for survival is to combine forces with two unlikely allies and trek across the globe to the place where it all began.  Maybe there they can find a way to end it.

 

You can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

 

 

 

Willow Cross resides in Arkansas with her husband, two children still young enough to live at home, an enormous cat named Bitsy, and a wuss of a dog named Tank. Her home has been known to host the occasional ghost, and a few of her friends profess to be witches. Although she dearly loves Vampires and Werewolves, they are never invited for dinner.

 

 

 

Willow’s Haunts:


 

Facebook:

 

Twitter: @willowcross

 

Goodreads:

 

Websites:

http://willowcrossbooks.weebly.com/index.html

http://www.cafepress.com/willowsou812?nocache=yes

http://willowcross.blogspot.ca/

 

Willow also has a great giveaway going on at her blog! Hurry! The contest ends April 30th!

 

Check out what others are saying about The Dark Gifts: Inheritance!

 

“Oh my goodness!! Where to start?! Willow has done it again! Not only is her writing style completely addictive, her descriptions of scenes were, again, so intense that I had dreams about this book.” B. Carrigan

 

“Saying that I couldn’t put this remarkable book down, is an understatement. There are so many things I loved about this book – believable lead characters; effortless transitioning from one chapter to the next; and a masterpiece ending – I will definitely be reading “Inheritance” again and again. Willow Cross clearly knows what her readers want; and how to keep them satisfied and begging for more!” Books4Tomorrow

 

“OUTSTANDING!…If you are looking for action,adventure,wolves,witches&vampires….Look no further.This book has it all and more.” Brenda

 


 

 

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In 50 years, what do you want people to think of your work? Guest Post with David Farland

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

 

Every author wants to be immortal, to leave that imprint on the world, even after our time has passed. Today, New York Times bestselling fantasy author, David Farland, also known as the “Wizard of Storytelling,” shares his passion behind his writing, his latest release, Nightingale,  and even offers a chance to win $1000 in a short-story contest!

 

Being a YA fantasy author myself, I can’t wait to curl up on my couch with a copy of Nightingale and slip away into a world of adventure. Before I do (because being engrossed in a book, you might not see me for days), I want to thank Dave for joining us here today! I can’t tell you how excited I am that such an icon was kind enough to stop by my little blog. I thought long and hard about what type of guest post I wanted this amazing author to write and even consulted my husband, Slade, about it.

 

If you only had once chance, what would you ask a New York Times bestselling author?

 

Here goes nothing!

 

In fifty years, what do you want people to think of your work?


I’ve gotten many touching fan mails over the years.  When my first novel came out, a man in Canada had his mother dying of cancer in a hospital bed.  To relieve the pain, she would ask him to read a chapter to her here and there, hoping to live long enough to reach the end.  She passed away before the book ended, so he read the last chapters to her at her graveside.

 

Another reader last spring wrote to tell me that he suffered from a terrible illness and had been on a morphine pump for many years.  He said, “The only time that I was able to forget the pain was when I read your Runelords books.”

 

At a book signing three years ago, a young man had me sign a Star Wars book that I’d written.  He’d carried the same copy in his back pocket for six years, and stopped to read from it several times per day.  The cover was worn off, and it was held together with duct tape.  I asked him what moved him to do this, and he said, “My mother died when I was eight years old, and for a long time I was very sad.  Then one day I read this book, and for the first time in two years, I realized that I felt happy.  I’ve kept the book with me ever since.”

 

Entertaining people has merit—just easing their loneliness or pain, bringing them a little light and joy.  That’s valuable for an author to do.

 

But I want more than that, of course.  When a person reads a novel, sometimes over and over, the story becomes a part of them.  One fan wrote that he’d read one of my books in 1992—three times.  He said, “I was in love with a beautiful girl in college, and I realized the other day that I couldn’t even remember her name.  I couldn’t recall what classes I took that semester in most cases.  But your book became a part of me, burned into my memory.”

 

So when I write a book, I want readers to feel that they’ve been transported into it.  And when they return to the real world, I want them to feel as if they’ve grown from the experience:  that they understand the world, others, and life itself better.

 

You see, we write in part to transport, but we write in part to transform.  Despite all the harrowing things that happen in my novels, I want readers to come away feeling that they’re better people for having read them, that the book has a significant positive impact upon them.

 

If I can bring one profound truth to them, one insight, then I will feel that I’m doing my job.  Ideally, you want something even more.  I want people who read my works to look back and say, “You know, one of my all time favorites was . . .” and name my book.  I want them to give it as a treasured gift to their children or grandchildren.

 

I think that that my latest novel, Nightingale, has the potential to be that kind of book.

 

Nightingale tells the story of a young man named Bron Jones, who is abandoned at birth.  Raised in foster care, he’s shuffled from home to home.  At age 16, he’s kind of the ultimate loner.  I think that most of us feel that way at some time.  He’s ejected from one home and sent to a new foster mother, Olivia, a marvelous and gifted teacher.  She recognizes that Bron is something special, something that her people call a “Nightingale,” a creature that is not quite human.

 

Suddenly epic forces combine to claim Bron, and he must fight to keep from getting ripped away from the only home, family, and girlfriend that he has ever known.  He must risk his life to learn the answers to the mysteries of his birth: “What am I?  Where did I come from?  Who am I?”

 

I’m releasing the novel in several forms through my new publishing company—as an enhanced novel, as an e-book, an audiobook, and a hardcover.  We even have a fantastic soundtrack for it.  The novel is out now, and my business partner, Miles Romney, did one last cool thing.  The enhanced book was made for the iPad, though you will also be able to read it on just about any other pad or smartphone.  But Miles had his programmers create a web app so that you can enjoy the book on your computer—read a few chapters, take it for a test drive, or simply buy it to enjoy online.  You’re free to go check out the results at www.nightingalenovel.com.  If you like it, remember to “Like” us on Facebook.  Better yet, re-post our site info and tell your friends on Facebook.

 

Oh, and while you’re there, check out our short-story contest, where you can win $1000.

 

I hope that in fifty years, when I’m gone, Nightingale will still be read and remembered. That was my goal when I wrote it. Only you and people like you can decide if I’ve achieved that goal.

 

 

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth.

 

Because that’s what his people do.

 

His foster families found him to be “too gifted” and “strange.”

 

Because that’s how his people are…

 

Steel your nerves. You’re about to encounter his people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About David Farland

David Farland is the international bestselling authors of nearly fifty books, including such award-winning novels as the science fiction  masterpiece On My Way to Paradise (Philip K. Dick Memorial Special Award Winner, Best Novel in English Language) and the historical novel In the Company of Angels (Whitney Award Winner: Best Novel of the Year). He is best known though for his fantasy work, which includes the New York Times bestselling series The Runelords, and his lovable and wacky middle-grade fantasy series Ravenspell.

With Nightingale, Dave makes his first foray into creating his own young adult series. (Dave has written young adult novels for both the Star Wars and Mummy franchises as Dave Wolverton, but this is the first young adult universe that he’s created for himself.)

In addition to writing novels, Dave has also worked in videogames on such international bestselling games as Starcraft: Brood Wars, and Xena: The Talisman of fate.

More recently, Dave has worked in the film industry as a movie producer and a screenwriter. His screenplay for the Runelords in now in development for a major motion picture.

Throughout his career, Dave has worked extensively helping new writers through his work as coordinating judge of the Writers of the Future, as a creative writing instructor at Brigham Young University, and by teaching writing seminars. Many of his students have gone on to become some of the most successful writers of our time, including such #1 international bestsellers as Brandon Sanderson, Brandon Mull, and Stephenie Meyer.

In 1999, Dave set the Guinness Record for the World’s Largest Book Signing.

 

 

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Reena Jacob’s Kickstarter

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Today’s post is brought to you by Reena Jacobs, author of the paranormal romance novel, Shadow Cat. Her Kickstarter compaign is a deeply moving effort to follow her dreams and give her readers more of what they want–more books!

I’ll let Reena take it from here.

 

 

Kickstarter – Because It Feels Good

A few months ago, I did a guest post at Indie Authors Unite on keeping tabs. The basic idea was when you do something for someone else, don’t expect anything in return. There is no scoreboard. Just do it because you want to. And if you don’t want to do it, don’t. No need to get bitter. No need to feel guilty. Sometimes folks are motivated; sometimes they’re not. And that’s okay.

 

My experience with Kickstarter brings that idea to life: altruism.

 

Before launching the Kickstarter campaign for I Loved You First, I sent requests to some of my writer and blogger buddies. Will you help me spread the word?

 


Before I go into the responses I received, a little bit about Kickstarter. It’s an all or nothing fundraising website tailored toward creative projects: writing, film, art, gadgets. I’ve even seen a few projects that focus on brewing beer.

 

Whoa there… don’t ditch me for Kickstarter before you finish reading this post.

 

Project coordinators set a monetary goal and offer rewards to backers for financially supporting their creative ventures. Pledging is safe and managed through Amazon.com, so you’re information is safe from the coordinators and even the Kickstarter management, for that matter.

 

As I mentioned, it’s all or nothing. If the project reaches the goal then the project is funded. However, if the project falls even $1 short, no funds exchange hands – the backers are never charged, and the coordinator leaves the event with empty hands and a sad face. Fair enough.

 

So, I received mixed responses to my initial request. Some folks responded with a Sorry, Reena, but this isn’t a project I want to support. Others with Of course. Whatever you need, Reena! Really, I wasn’t sure who would come on board or decline the invitation until after the fact.

 

Still, the help I’ve received from people has been beyond generous: tweeting, blogging, and even pledging. I’m amazed that so many would come forth. At times, I wonder why anyone would assist me. I certainly don’t deserve help. After all, I’m nobody special, and there are a lot of individuals needier than I am. Yet people have come through for me. Why?

 

I thought about that last Sunday in church. From time to time, someone I know will mention a mission trip and share pictures or videos. Regardless of how worn out they look after the trip, they have an inner spark which shines through. It always reminds me of the mission trip I went on.

 

As many know, I’m a late riser. We’re talking 11am during the weekdays… sometimes 2-3pm on the weekends. I remember thinking before the mission trip what a bummer it would be to have to get up like normal folks. I am telling you, I rose at the crack of dawn. People – 5am, and I was never tired. For 10 days straight, I ate beans and rice (and probably a few bugs too. Lord knows, I picked enough out of my bowls) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and never got bored of it… was never hungry.

 

The plane ride alone for my mission trip cost me $700. I paid that just to go and work for strangers for free. Crazy. Who in the world would pay for the opportunity to work from dawn to dusk and receive nothing tangible in return?

 

Funny that. If I had the money, a mission group, and someone to watch my brats, I’d do it again in a heartbeat… today! I came home feeling better than I’d felt in years. I was on a high for weeks! Simply because I offered what I had to give.

 

So back to my questions: why would anyone help me – a nobody in the world. For that matter, why help anyone?

 

I’d like to say folk are motivated by the rewards. Trust me; there are some nice rewards out there. Check out the projects. You’ll see. I wish I had the funds to have my own shopping spree on Kickstarter. However, many individuals don’t even choose rewards. Or pledge and choose a reward listed as a simple thanks, man! Uh… or woman.

 

When I think back to my mission trip, I can’t help but think most Kickstarter addicts pledge because it’s a wonderful feeling to bring someone’s dream to life. Take a look at the projects ending soon, and you’ll find majority of them are meeting the funding goal. That’s amazing!

 

I mentioned the yes and no responses I received. I also receive responses which took me completely by surprise. Are you sure you want to get involved with something like that? Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?

 

Here’s the truth of the matter. I have a dream – to put out the best book I can. I’m an indie author and have a beautiful story to tell. What I don’t have is the funds to hire a professional editor. It’s the one publishing task I can’t manage myself, because we all know, writers aren’t objective enough to edit their own work.

 

That doesn’t mean I lack choices.

 

  • I can polish I Loved You First the best I can and put it out there anyway. Stop cringing. I know writers can’t edit their own work. I just said that.
  • I can save until I have the funds to hire an editor. Not exactly likely since my household income remains the same while the cost of living continues to rise. Welcome to my downward spiral of economic recovery.
  • I can forget about publishing my college love story. In one of the forums I visit, one author said if a writer doesn’t have the personal finances to hire an editor, then the writer is not ready for publishing. If you don’t mind waiting while I get a broom and dust pan so I can sweep my broken dreams off the floor and toss them in the trash, I’ll be much obliged.
  • Then there’s the unorthodox – Crowdfunding programs like Kickstarter. I love the idea that individuals read/hear about a project and are moved enough to help make a dream become a reality. Now if that’s not fan support, I don’t know what is.

Are you the type of person who enjoys making dreams come true? Maybe you’re saying screw that, just give me the rewards. :) That’s fine too. Then I encourage you to head to Kickstarter and check out the cool projects happening.

 

Help comes in all shapes and sizes. Of course pledges are always wanted. I’m certainly not turning any down. But even Facebook liking a project which catches your eye or tweeting (both options are right under the project picture) is helpful.

 

Don’t know where to start? Try mine. I could certainly use the boost.

 

Angel, thank you for loaning your readers to me. And if you’re one of her readers who made it through my ramblings, thanks for listening. XOXOX

 

Reena Jacobs is just your typical writer who loves to see her words in print. As an avid reader, she’s known to hoard books and begs her husband regularly for “just one more purchase.” Her home life is filled with days chasing her preschooler and nights harassing her husband. Between it all, she squeezes in time for writing and growling at the dog.

 

You can find Reena on Ramblings of an Amateur Writer, Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Nobles, and Smashwords.

 

Reena Jacobs – Author of Lots of Words
www.reenajacobs.com
www.reenajacobs.com/blog
http://twitter.com/ReenaJacobs

 

International Blog Hop & Giveaway

Reena Jacobs is one of seven authors I have teamed up with for an international blog hop to launch my thriller, Bloodletter, and YA fantasy, Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch.

 

This International Blog Hop started July 1st and runs for 30 days. There are well over 50 books to giveaway (mostly ebooks but some paperbacks as well) so there are lots of chances to win!

 

To enter, visit: http://www.angelhaze.com/2011/07/01/blog-hop/

For the blog tour schedule, visit: http://www.angelhaze.com/2011/07/06/blog-tour-dates/

 

Also on today’s agenda is my guest post on Lenore’s blog about the Legacies of Talimura Series.

http://talkaboutauthors.com/2011/07/13/guest-post-with-angel-haze/

http://magicallandofbooks.com/2011/07/13/guest-post-with-angel-haze/

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Posted in Guest Posts, July 2011 | 2 Comments »

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