My Friends At TCK Publishing Helps Authors Be Amazing Writers With These Tips and Advice . . .

January 30, 2019 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More, Writing Tips Authors, be a better writer, drafts, featured geust post, outlines, publish, tck publishing, Writers Tips, Writing

Welcome Friends, Writers, and Authors,

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Today I have a featured guest article from my friend Tom Corson-Knowles, CEO of TCK Publishing who shares some amazing advice and tips on becoming a more seasoned writer. I enjoy visiting his helpful website as he shares so much it keeps me coming back often and learning more about writing, authoring, selling my books and I can pass it on book marketing tips to all my author friends and clients.

Authors, make sure you check out his upcoming 2019 “TCK Publishing Readers Choice Awards” and enter your book! There are fabulous prizes and it helps get more exposure to your book! So let’s all learn some tips on becoming Better Writers! …

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“Writing professionally is a full-time job with part-time hours and never-ending responsibilities.”
Most professional writers don’t actually spend 8 hours writing each day, but that doesn’t mean they’re not working.

If you want to become a more productive writer, you have to learn to manage your work, your life, and your mental and physical wellbeing. You can’t sustain high levels of creativity and productivity as a writer without working on yourself.

Here are the 10 things that helped me become a more productive writer, and I hope these tips help you too.

1. Schedule Your Work

You have to make time in your schedule for writing, marketing, and business time.

Don’t let a day go by without writing and working on your career. Even if it’s just 15 minutes here and there it adds up. The work habits you build will determine your success or failure.

Every day you skip your writing work, you bring yourself closer and closer to failure, anxiety, stress, and the really bad habit of procrastination that dooms far too many writers’ promising careers.

2. Study

Learn everything you can about writing, publishing, and marketing. Ignorance is not bliss. It will ruin your dreams.

Check out the best books on writing.

Learn how to improve your readability.

Understand how to do market research for writing and learn more about your customers and readers.

Every day, study so you can learn a little bit more about the incredible art of writing.

3. Make Mistakes

You’ll learn more from your mistakes than just about anything else.

Be bold. Get rejected. Publish crappy articles and books (at first).

You learn as you go and you have to be willing to fail or you’ll never learn what you need to learn to succeed.

The only difference between you and the most successful writers in the world is they’ve made more mistakes than you have. Learn from your mistakes and keep going.

4. Get Rid of Bad Habits

To become a successful writer, I had to get rid of my addiction to video games, binge-watching TV series and complaining. I also had to develop new habits like working out, taking walks, meditating, and asking for help. I had to ask hundreds of people for help along the way. I never could have done it alone.

Bad habits and addictions will destroy your creative output. You need every extra hour you can get to take care of yourself and focus on your writing career.

If you waste that time on bad habits, you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot.

5. Build Relationships

Meet other writers and creative people with big ambitions and good work habits. Just being around people who published 1, 2, or more books since you started yours will motivate the heck out of you.

You’ll see that other people are succeeding and you’ll be inspired to work extra hard to make your dreams come true.

6. Ignore the Noise

Don’t waste time with complainers, energy vampires, or depressed people. Their energy will infect you. It’s nearly impossible to create while depressed or stressed.

If you find something or someone in your life is distracting you from being productive, happy, and fulfilled, deal with it now! Putting it off will only make you feel more stressed, anxious, and depressed. And if that’s how you feel day after day after day, chances are you’ll never become a highly productive writer.

7. Manage Your Emotions

Writing is painful as hell. You will feel miserable sometimes. You’ll be scared, angry, hurt, feel emotions you haven’t felt or haven’t wanted to feel for years. It’ll open up parts of yourself you never imagined we’re there. Embrace it. Get help. See a therapist. Talk about your feelings and problems.

8. Take Care of Yourself

You are your biggest obstacle to success. You have to learn to work harder on improving yourself than you do at your writing career.

When you work on improving your life, even if it’s just a little bit, it’ll help you become more creative and productive.

Take that walk around the block. Eat healthier. Meditate. Get rid of bad relationships. Make your relationships better. Reduce your stress.

Small things may not seem that important but they can make all the difference in the world over your lifetime. Creating is hard enough without adding 10 more problems to your life.

Solve the little problems and becoming a more productive creator will be a lot easier.

9. Add Value Always

Focus on adding value not making money.

Your readers need your help. Your job is to help them, no matter what kind of books you write. Your story and the message could change their life. It’s your job to do the best you can possibly do to help your reader. Nothing else is as important to your career as helping your readers.

When you have a big decision to make about the direction of your work, the title for your book, or any other creative decision, ask yourself:

“What’s best for my reader?”

Whatever the answer is, it’s almost always the right choice. Do what’s best for your reader. Add value to their lives. If you do that well enough, everything else will work out.

10. Experiment

If what you’ve been doing hasn’t been working, it’s up to you to change it. Do something different. Try new things. Experiment. Play like a kid. You are smart enough to figure it out if you really want to become a successful and productive writer.

Believe in yourself, believing in your dreams, and believe in your work.

You can do it if you’re willing to do the right thing day after day after day.

That’s how you build a successful life and a successful writing career.
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If you liked this post, please visit my friends from TCK Publishing as below are some other articles you might love:

All About The HOW’S To Use Book Bub Partner Book Ads. Authors, Are You Listed Yet on Book Bub? Great Place For Readers Too!

January 26, 2019January 26, 2019 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer Book Promotion Tips For Authors, Featured Guest, Marketing and More, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More All About Book Bub Ads, Book Ads, Book Bub Author Profile, Budget Advertising, How To, Marketing

Now we know how difficult it is to promote and market our books to the right “niche” of genres and target who our book readership is. I know, as I do it for a job! Lol. One way is to place yourself on as many book sites that have and target readers of all genres as possible. Next, keep a couple book ads running on some different book sites like here on Book Bub For Authors.

Authors can set themselves a nice author profile with photo, bio, and more. Then you can list your books. Now there are two ways you can advertise your books to Book Bub’s large readership. You can apply and submit your book for a “Featured Deal,” but sadly, they only chose 20% out of 100% of new books submitted. But, below, is an article that walks you through the HOW’s on how to use their other book advertising through their Book Bub Partner Ad network from your author dashboard. Now many are not as computer savvy or know how to do or set “Budget Ads.”

So I found this Exceptional Article on Book Bub’s Blog written by Carlyn Robertson who works in product marketing on BookBub’s Partners Team, where she ensures all authors & publishers know how to use all BookBub’s tools to achieve their marketing goals. She writes content for the partners’ blog & website, speaks at conferences, & conducts market research. So make sure you follow her on Twitter at @CarlynAtBookBub.

Here is what she shares about how to effectively use Boob Bub Partner Book Ads!

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How an Author Doubled First-in-Series Sales Using BookBub Ads

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Many partners use BookBub Ads to continuously promote first-in-series books. Because you can run ads on an ongoing basis, you can introduce a consistent stream of new readers to book #1 and drive sales for the whole series.

Eva Pohler doubled daily sales for her $3.99 first-in-series supernatural suspense by running a continuous BookBub Ads campaign. She increased sales across different retailers and regions, and over the past month, her campaign has been ROI positive. Here’s how she did it!

Campaign Goals

Eva’s primary goal for this ad campaign was to drive sales of book #1 in her Mystery House series in the lead-up to the launch of book #3.

My goal for this campaign was increased sales. I began the campaign for Secrets of the Greek Revival a month before the release of the third book in the series, French Quarter Clues, with the hope of prepping new readers for the third book. I immediately saw an increase in sales of book #1 and #2, and I believe my release was positively affected by both the ad campaign for book #1 and a Featured New Release for French Quarter Clues.

Campaign Execution

Creative

Eva designed her ad image using tips she’d seen on our Partners Blog.

My mistake in past graphics was trying to fit a one-line synopsis, which cluttered the visual. I learned from a Partners Blog post that I could help readers know what the book was about with images rather than cluttered text. I also used to make the book cover the most prominent part of the ad — taking up at least half of the graphic. After viewing images in the blog post, I learned that the book cover could be made smaller so that a line of text could fit along the top or bottom of the ad, making the ad look more cohesive.

Targeting

Eva ran a number of tests before settling on an ad that targeted her own fans on BookBub plus the fans of 20 similar authors. She included links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play in all worldwide regions where each retailer is available.

I tried targeting just genres, just authors, and both genres and authors. I found the ads that targeted only authors performed the best. I’ve also found that my ads don’t always start off with a bang. They take time to perform well. I think this may be because the ad needs to be seen once or twice before a person will finally click on it.

BookBub makes it easier than Facebook to target specific authors, because many of the authors I use are not available as targets on Facebook. I chose the authors by looking at the top sellers (on Amazon) in the genre of whatever book I’m marketing.

Budget and Bid

Eva set up a continuous campaign with a daily budget of $10. She chose CPC bidding and set her bid above the average range we display to ensure that her ad would be competitive in the auction.

When deciding on a budget, I consider things like the length of the series, the sell-through rate, the price of the first book, the effect on rank, my overall marketing budget, and my return on investment. The third book in the series just released, and as the length of the series increases, I hope to increase the ad spend depending on the sell-through of the later books.

I chose to pay per click rather than per thousand impressions because the former gives me valuable feedback about which readers are responding to my ad. For example, most of the people clicking on Secrets of the Greek Revival are Barnes and Noble readers or readers from Canada (at both Amazon and Kobo), whereas most of the people clicking on my ad for another book, a YA paranormal, are US Kobo readers.

I chose a $2 CPC bid because I want to win the best bids, and I rarely end up actually spending that much per click. My average cost per click is more like $0.66. While that may seem high to authors used to paying less per click on Facebook ads, BookBub leads are much ‘warmer’ because your targets are already wanting to find books. I think it’s reasonable to have to pay more per click for warmer leads. And, ultimately, the ROI is what matters more than anything. I make more on the ad per day than I spend. As long as that continues, I will keep running the ad.

Campaign Results

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When analyzing her results, Eva was primarily focused on comparing the cost of the ad to the sales she could credit to it. Since she wants to drive sales for the whole series, she has links to purchase book #2 in the back matter of book #1 and calculates her ad’s profitability based on the total series sales (not just book #1 sales!). Eva estimated her series sell-through by dividing book #2 sales by book #1 sales within a given time frame and multiplying by 100 — 22% of the readers who purchase book #1 in the Mystery House series go on to buy book #2.

BookBub Ads increased the sales of Secrets of The Greek Revival from two or three a day to five or six a day (sometimes more). Although the CTR is important, I’m mostly concerned with this: how much am I spending per day versus how much am I making per day (on sales that can be attributed to a given ad).

I’m able to measure the effects of my BookBub Ads on my sales because they are the only marketing I do for readers who use retailers other than Amazon. I’m investing more time and money in BookBub Ads because I feel that the people seeing these ads are looking for books, which isn’t always true with Amazon and Facebook. I use Amazon ads and Facebook ads to target Kindle users, but I’ve found BookBub Ads to be better than Facebook at targeting Nook, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play readers. I can also see an increase in Kindle sales with my BookBub Ads, but it’s just more difficult to measure.

Tip: Use our bidding calculator to determine your own series sell-through and calculate how much you can afford to spend on ads for the first book in your series!

I’m investing more time and money in BookBub Ads because I feel that the people seeing these ads are looking for books, which isn’t always true with Amazon and Facebook.” @EvaPohler #pubtip CLICK TO TWEET

Takeaways

Eva has also run ads for her first-in-series books in other genres and has gleaned some interesting insights about the impact of genre, price, and platform on her ad performance by comparing the results of her campaigns:

B&N sales have increased the most with this ad for Secrets of The Greek Revival. When I compare the results to an ad I have for a YA paranormal novel called Vampire Addiction, also priced at $3.99, I find that Kobo readers are responding really well to that one. The CTR at Kobo for that book has been close to 5%.

The Gatekeeper’s Sons, the first in my longest YA series based on Greek mythology, has given me the most grief. I’ve been experimenting with pricing after it was permafree for five years. Because Secrets of the Greek Revival did so well at $3.99 with BookBub Ads, I tried to do the same with The Gatekeeper’s Sons. However, it did not sell well at $3.99. I recently changed it back to free, and now that ad is doing really well, especially at Kobo. Even though The Gatekeeper’s Sons is free, I spend $15 per day for that book on BookBub Ads because it’s part of a long series, and I make money on the sell-through to the other books, which is at a rate of 33%.

Want to boost sales for your own series? Create a new ad for book one now!

Want to share this post? Here are some ready-made tweets:
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Click to tweet: See how one author DOUBLED her first-in-series book sales! #writetip #pubtip http://bit.ly/2TjI4Bl

Click to tweet: Fascinating case study for how an author doubled sales for the first book in her series! #publishing #amwriting http://bit.ly/2TjI4Bl

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FREE: The Ultimate Guide to Promoting a Book Launch

Subscribe to the BookBub Partners Blog to get your free flipbook right away. You’ll also get BookBub’s latest book marketing tips and insights delivered to your inbox each week.

Stop By the article page here “Guide to Promoting a Book Ad and Launch.” Just scroll down to the end of the article and download your FREE COPY TODAY and get selling MORE BOOKS!!

CAT

Now Happening …Announcing “Kim Carter Mysteries Book Club Tour” and Openings Abound For Kim To Visit Your Book Clubs In Georgia, New Orleans, and other States Too.

January 24, 2019 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer Author News, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More author showing, book reading, free fun gifts, host this mystery writer, kim carter book club tour, Kim Carter Mysteries, lyon media services, raven south publishing

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Hello, Book Clubs,

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Does your book club enjoy award-winning mysteries?

Would you enjoy a free appearance and reading by a favorite thriller author?

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If you answered yes to either of these questions, then don’t miss out on the opportunity to host Author, Kim Carter when she’s in town. Ms. Carter shows up with lots of fun free gifts, does a special reading from one of her upcoming books, and will sign books upon request.

Kim Carter Mysteries Book Club Tour has begun January 15, 2019, and will be scheduled as bookings come in. Appearances will be booked on a first come, first serve basis. She will do a special Sneak Peek reading of her new working title of “Murder On The Bayou” to release in a few months.

To learn more about Ms. Carter and all six published titles, visit on her Official Author website today! So, don’t miss out because Kim’s calendar is filling up quickly for Georgia and New Orleans areas!

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Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, standing and outdoor

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ KIM CARTER

Kim Carter is an Atlanta, GA, award-winning author of suspense, mystery and thriller novels.

She was a finalist for the 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and a recipient of the 2017 TCK Publishers’ Readers’ Choice Award for her book Murder Among The Tombstones. This is the first book in her Clara and Iris Mystery series. The characters in this series are a couple of overly curious widows who become private investigators. These funny women were inspired by Kim’s mother and her mom’s best friend.

Her other titles include Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle, When Dawn Never Comes, Deadly Odds, No Second Chances, and her latest, And The Forecast Called For Rain.

Kim’s writing career started after she suffered an illness that made her housebound for a couple of years. An avid reader of mystery novels herself, she embarked on writing as a means of filling her time. She began to share those early writings with friends and family who encouraged her to pursue writing professionally. Her health struggles and successes have been chronicled on The Lifetime Television in early 2000, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Women’s Day Magazine, and Guidepost.

Prior to her illness, Kim worked in many different capacities in county government as her “Day Job,” but ultimately, it was her job as a correctional officer that provided her the opportunities to talk and interact with a diverse group of people. Her experiences ran the gamete of inspiring success stories to tragic endings, much like her mysteries.

She self-published her first book No Second Chances. One of the guest speakers at the launch party she had at the Performing Arts Center in Newnan, Georgia included her close friend retired Atlanta Police Chief Eldrin Bell. This connection would become helpful as she started doing more research for other books, this time working with a small publishing house.

Kim began networking and made connections with numerous homicide detectives, medical examiners, and prison officials. Her research has taken her many places including morgues, death row, and the occasional midnight visit to cemeteries.

Kim is a college graduate of Saint Leo University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She and her husband have three successful grown children and reside just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Kim’s books can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, and Indie Bound.

If your book club is interested, please contact her publicist, Catherine Lyon at lyonmedia@aol.com or call Catherine at (602-795-6345).

We Sure Hope We Hear from you soon!

Respectfully yours,

Kelly Keylon

President of Raven South Publishing

Lyon Media Services ~ Catherine Lyon

Author, Kim Carter of Kim Carter Mysteries

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Cat Welcomes Author, Rusty Blackwood To Our Fine Line-up of Authors. Her New Book is About To Release & An Intimate Interview.

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Featured Guest, New Book & Author Press Release, Posts, Updates and More Awesomegang Interview, contemporary romance, intimate author interview, meet rusty blackwood, New Release, romance drama, suspense, The Perils of Autumn

Hello, Readers and Welcome New Visitors,

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You are all in for a treat today! I am honored and happy for everyone to meet and welcome our newest Author, Rusty Blackwood from Canada. Rusty and I have been friends for several years, and very soon Rusty has a BRAND NEW Book releasing that I get to share with all you! It is titled “The Perils of Autumn” a contemporary romance drama that is sure to please all readers! So let Cat get right to it and share a fabulous new interview she just did for Vinny at Awesomegang, an excellent place for all genre of reads, and all about this fantastic favorite Canadian writer.

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ABOUT THE PERILS OF AUTUMN:

Sometimes a book trailer is better than words … Rusty is pleased to bring you the official theatrical trailer for my upcoming, 5-star-award-winning romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn. This page-turner is certain to become one your favorites …

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A Few Words from Rusty Blackwood

“It is my sincere hope that you enjoyed The Perils of Autumn, and I extend a personal invitation to continue reading about the often-unsettling life at Landon Manor, and Landon Lawns Stables. Rejoin Autumn and Cyril, as well as their staff, meet a few new, and interesting characters, and find out what happens to all concerned, as the story carries to its heart-touching conclusion in the coming, follow-up novel, Return to Autumn.”

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An Intimate Interview With Rusty Blackwood by Our Friends of Awesome Gang a Readers Favorite Place.

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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

I grew up during the 1950s on my paternal grandfathers farm in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada. My loving parents are both gone now, and I miss them every day, but I still have my brother. I am Mom to two wonderful sons, and loving grandmother to three beautiful granddaughters, and one handsome grandson. I am also a great grandmother – or G-G – as I am known to my delightful great-grandson.

I have always loved to write. This adoration for English composition began in grade school and carried into my adult years. Though I am unprofessionally trained in the field of writing, I have always possessed the uncanny ability of unique expression in stories that could grasp the heart and soul of the reader. I am an Interior Decorator by trade, and owned and operated a residential home service for twenty-eight years before retiring from that field. My writing venture began in 2001 when I became a serious writer with the intent on seeing where it could possibly take me. Over the years I had written an assortment of both contemporary and traditional poetry, and from this, I put together my first collection under the title, Feelings: A Rhythmic Journey in Thought which I self-published in 2009.

This was followed in 2010 with my first collection of children’s short stories, entitled, Young Minds. This collection was based on my own childhood as well as stories I wrote for my grandchildren. In 2010 I published the first part of the original two-part Passion in Paris that I began writing in 2001. This two-part romantic fiction drama was short-lived, and it was also not the way I had envisioned my first venture into this genre to be nor the publishing of it, and because of this, the end result was inept, so I took it off market it until I could revise it into my original concept, that of which I finally brought to fruition in the 818 pages, 4-star-Amazon awarded, romantic fiction grand scale novel, Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, which I released in 2013. Leading up to this, I published a new poetry collection entitled, Impressions which I released in 2011.

I followed this with a revised children’s short story collection, containing previously published stories, including those written for my grandchildren plus additional new stories, under the title, Through the Eyes of Innocence. This was followed in 2012 by the comedy short, The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom. This was followed in 2015 by the 5-star-awarded romantic fiction drama, Willow’s Walk. In 2017, I following that novel with the second in the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, entitled, Derwood Returns. The early titles, Feelings, Young Minds, and the two-part Passion in Paris: Connections and Directions respectfully, are no longer available.

The rest can be obtained at all Amazons, as well as other fine online bookstores, and brick and mortar order desks everywhere. The Perils of Autumn and Derwood Goes Caribbean are soon to be released. I hope everyone will watch for them, as well as check out the available titles I mentioned.

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What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

The Perils of Autumn. I have always adored horses and admired nurses. I find the horse a most intelligent animal – if not the most intelligent, at least in my opinion – and I always loved to watch them, speak with them, and applaud their wonderful movements. I loved to ride in my youth, even had my own pony as a girl, however, I never rode professionally, or entered show competitions, but I would take in as many as I could. I have always held immense respect for nurses, and the dedication they possess when it comes to healing those who are ailing, recuperating from surgery or an accident, and it is all done with expert care and compassion. Because of the admiration for these two subjects, I decided to combine them in a story that centers around both.

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Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I’m not exactly sure what ‘unusual’ means in this question. However, I do like to scribble ideas and dialogue in a notebook that I keep for ideas for future projects. My desk is always littered with small notes pertaining to whatever I’m working on at the moment. I used to write in the evening often well into the night, but since retiring from my business I now apply, and have for a while now, the day hours that I once worked to my writing. However, it can often be distracting and annoying when the phone rings, a dog continually barks outside, or the usual noise throughout the house as well as outside that carries in.

What authors, or books have influenced you?

I have great appreciation and respect for a few authors who are primarily known as authors of children’s books, and they are Canadian authoress, Lucy Maude Montgomery ( Anne of Green Gables, plus the Emily of New Moon series and more) British author Anna Sewell (Black Beauty) and American author Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie series of books). I also enjoy the workings of Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, both classics). Fav authors of adult works are Nora Roberts, Kathryn Stockett (The Help), Stephen King ( numerous horror & psychological thrillers) and British authoress, Emile Bronte (Wuthering Heights). I also enjoy the work of fellow Niagara author, Gina IaFrate. There are many talented, self-published, local authors in your area; check them out, and give them a read. You might find yourself pleasantly entertained.

What are you working on now?

I am currently finishing the third installment of my Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, entitled, Derwood Goes Caribbean. Each book in this series takes the bumbling, retired London England City Hall Official, on another eccentric adventure, where he is sure to tickle your funny-bone with his hysterical antics. In the latest, he, and his best friend, Scotsman Robert McEwen, board The Travelling Minstrel as it sets course for the Caribbean with a ship full of singles looking for a good time.

I have also begun work on the follow-up novel to The Perils of Autumn, entitled, Return to Autumn. This second part of the ongoing story introduces readers to a few new characters, solves a deep secret and brings it out into the open, and carries the reader to the end of this touching, and not-soon-forgotten story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?

I use all social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, Authors.com, as well as my official website http://www.rusty-blackwood.com, where readers may find assorted information about me, my work, my titles, and keep caught up with me through my Journal/Blog. I also write a monthly, end of month Newsletter that carries my news of the month, whatever that may be. It’s a great way to keep engaged with readers on my contact list, and them with me.

I have worked with my stellar marketing rep & publicist, Don McCauley, since 2011, who looks after me well and also keeps my name before the public eye. That is most important, for if you are out of sight, you are out of mind. I also work with Joe Crawford, of the Niagara based The Joe Show on the TJSN Network, and I have recently begun working with author and writer, Catherine Townsend-Lyon of Lyon Media Services, beginning with the promotion of the soon to be released, Readers Favorite 5-star-award-winning, romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Write what you know. There is nothing more discouraging or upsetting than to undertake a subject in written words that you know little about and make it entertaining and legible to the reader. Often writers draw from life experiences, I do, for there is no better research than what you have experienced first hand. But when you are very young, you have yet to have much experience to draw from, therefore research everything thoroughly. I believe this suggestion could be taken by any writer, seasoned or not, but if you write about things you know about, you will find your finished piece a polished, fine offering for the eyes of any reader that chooses your title.

Critique is a large portion of writing; it is not always kind, and you must learn to take what you can from that and apply it to your craft. Do not expect that your first, even second or third title will be an instant success. It may or may not happen, but if you love to write, have a passion to write, then you will find a way to stick with it. It can be a very long, drawn-out process. Finally, do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. Only you know the muse inside you, so let it speak to you, and have fun.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

Pretty much what I said in the above prior question. Things take time, they rarely happen overnight, and if you go into this field with expectations that you put out a book and you are an instant celebrity with gold untold, then you may be badly disappointed. It may happen, there is nothing saying it won’t, but keep an open mind, and approach realistically.

What are you reading now?

Bestowed With Love And Splendor by Niagara author, Gina IaFrate. It is a wonderful story of a degraded-by-her-husband woman who finds herself in a heartbreaking, mentally abusive marriage. The heroine, an agent for a Niagara travel agency, is sent to the Island of Sardinia to assist their associate agency in setting up new programs for tourists. While there, she encounters the possibility of a life she could only dream about should she choose to remain in her present, loveless marriage and proceeds to struggle with a life that could be hers for the taking.

What’s next for you as a writer?

I am currently working on the 3rd installment of the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, Derwood Goes Caribbean, and I will also be doing the 4th installment in the series, possibly the last, but that is still not decided, and I have started the follow-up novel to The Perils of Autumn, entitled Return to Autumn. This novel will carry readers to the end of this intense story. I am also planning a final poetry collection. I have written a huge array of contemporary and traditional poetry over the years, and I hope to compile them in a final collection.

I have also started a historical account of my family’s country music band, The Midnight Ramblers, entitled Ramblin’ Years: The Midnight Ramblers: A Biographical Account. I joined this band in 1963 at age 13 as a vocalist. I also learned to play acoustic guitar, and bass guitar, which I played from 1970 until the group ended in the mid-seventies.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Gone With the Wind, a map of the area, The Bible, and a photograph album of my family.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rusty Blackwood Website
Rusty Blackwood Amazon Profile
Rusty Blackwood Author Profile on Smashwords

Connect With Rusty Blackwood on Social Media
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account
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Presented By Cat Lyon’s Reading and Writing Den

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HAPPY NEW YEAR YOU – Brand Yourself For 2019! Should Our Brand Be All The Same? Guest Jason From Strong Social Tells Us.

December 31, 2018 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Featured Guest, Marketing and More, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More Authors, Branding and Market Yourself, Business, Featured Guest and Article, Marketing, Meet Jason Strong Social, PR, Tips and Advice, Writers

Happy New Year’s Eve and Welcome All! Brand Yourself in 2019!

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Brand Voice – Should It Remain the Same Across All Social Networks

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How is your brand personality determined?

It is largely determined by the words you use in communication, as well as the kind of sentences you write. Your brand voice reveals whether your brand is corporate, academic, deadpan, grave, serious, witty, funny, clever, and so on.

When defining a company’s brand voice, the problem is that rigid guidelines can stifle you. Your brand’s personality has to appeal to different people in different locations, so like a human personality, it has to retain some elasticity. Like, a central character that can convey a message in different tones. For example, your blog posts may appear enthusiastic and professional, while the promotional copy for your social media shares should probably be less enthusiastic.

Here’s what you should know about ways of using your brand voice across different social networks.

1. Instagram

Instagram is the place for B2B and B2C companies. On this platform, you can drive brand engagement and awareness with positive visuals and copy. Thus, on Instagram, you can use the classic marketing tone.

On Instagram, the line that divides branded content and UGC (user-generated content) is quite blurry. Also, it is more challenging to spot Ads, especially from influencers with undisclosed relationships with brands. When it comes to hashtags, Instagram is quite friendly towards the use of hashtags. According to SproutSocial, about 80% of all users follow at least one brand, while 7 out of 10 hashtags on Instagram are branded. It means that you should be as clear as possible about what you want your followers to do – click the link in Bio, tag a friend, or swipe up for a free trial if you are running ads.

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2. Facebook

Facebook is an exciting opportunity for any brand being that it’s the most extensive social media network in the world. With 2.27 billion monthly active users, it’s very challenging to stand out and maximize your reach. You need a distinct brand voice and identity.

What makes an effective Facebook copy? It should be accessible, familiar, and slightly informal. Unlike Twitter or Instagram, Facebook’s user group is more intergenerational. That’s why the emotion that dominates the platform is nostalgia. The content that can recall the “golden years” of your readers resonates best, whether you want to reach out to Millennials recalling the 1990s or Baby Boomers.

On the other hand, if you can’t appeal to nostalgic content, you can use particular calls to action, such as – join the debate, develop an opinion, and inform yourself. Have the copy tell your audience that there’s a larger conversation happening without them. Facebook audiences want to be entertained, so hit them with your most potent and most human content.

4. Twitter

Active Twitter copy is quick and witty. There is so much conversation happening so fast that brands often can’t move quickly enough to keep up. It is the platform of instant information, and people there want to know what’s going on this very second. Twitter is no place for old news. That’s why you should use it to experiment with your brand voice because Twitter users appreciate a more daring and experimental voice. If you have any humorous and funny content where you’re trying out some jokes, you should use Twitter as your experimental ground.

If all you’re sharing are dull press releases, people most likely won’t follow you. Better have something funny or something valuable to add to a conversation.

5. LinkedIn

According to Pew Research Center, LinkedIn is mostly used by people in the 30-49 age range. Most of them are college graduates in urban areas. The number of LinkedIn users increased to 500 million between the years 2016 and 2017. Being a professionally-oriented social network, people go there to look for jobs or to offer them, as well as share valuable content. That means that your LinkedIn copy should take the readers straight to the point, without beating around the bush. The competition is a lot less fierce than on Facebook, but you’ll still need to give a fresh and unique angle to your material to attract your audience.

To conclude, your brand voice does have to stay coherent across all social media channels. However, every social network is specific and attracts different people. The best brand voice strategy is to have an inner brand voice, but deliver your messages and engage in slightly different tones that resonate the best on each social network.

So in the coming in NEW YEAR, make sure you Brand Yourself effectively throughout Media and Social Media TOO!

Please visit my friend Jason of StrongSocial for more amazing tips and articles all of 2019! Cat

Christmas Is Over But Holiday Ebook Sales, New Releases Are Still On Sale! Cat Has a Few For Avid Readers …

December 25, 2018December 30, 2018 Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Book Award News, Marketing and More, Posts, Updates and More crime murder love hitman, Diane Olsen, ebooks as gifts, holiday ebooks on sale, joe siccardi, Kim Carter, Mysteries, new releases, religious comparisions, romance thrillers, short story reflections, theodore valley

Happy Coming New Year Reading and now that Christmas is over?

Cat has many fine authors who have low priced pre-orders, new releases, and Ebook Sales! Kick your New Year off with some great reads Still On SALE … 😉 Here Are Just a Few as MORE will be added during The Next few days!

Cat’s Featured Ebook Pre-order and Soon New Release – By International Prolific Writer and Author, THEODORE VALLEY … HITMAN – New Release .99 Cents!

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.No one writes crime, romance, thrilling, and suspense-filled reads like Theodore Valley! Best selling international writer and now he soon releases his first fiction book in the USA AND a much anticipated literary Gem.

About The New Book:

Hitman; “La Famiglia!” is the 1st book in a series, that is set in South Florida in the 1980s.

The Hitman, now an old man in 2018, the lone survivor of his family, begins to share the story of his life in the mafia, or “La Famiglia! His story is one of romance, suspense, sex and drug dealing, betrayal, murder, mayhem, drama, and thrilling twists that you won’t see coming. The Dean, as called the Mafia’s most feared contract killer is always contracted to restore order; however, everything isn’t as it seems with the many twists and turns in these entertaining real-life reflections of the 80’s cocaine days is one of kind! Now on sale for $.99 Cents!

About The International Writer ~ Theodore Valley

Theodore Valley is an experienced writer, International Best-Selling Author, and Award-Winning Poet. “Hitman; La Famiglia!” is the 1st book in the series, that is set in South Florida in the 1980s. The Hitman now an old man in 2018, the lone survivor of his family, tells his story of his life in the mafia.

As early readers already raving about book one, the second book in the series is already being carefully constructed using the very latest in the family protocol in dealing with assaults on several fronts including serial killers, maniacs, and much more mayhem. With even more many twists and so much action in this exciting and heartbreaking series that a seat-belt and bulletproof vest are highly recommended …
Pre-order Book One Now on Amazon Kindle and download the free Kindle App to read on any device!

Brand E-Book New Release by Author, Joe Siccardi Titled; “Wisdom From A Father: One dad’s thoughts on life” only $.99 CENTS!

About The New Release:

“I’m just that ordinary Joe walking on the path of life … and sharing it with you.”

There are joys. There are tribulations. There are reflections. There is everyday life. In each essay, I try to convey a recognition of a greater Power who colors my perspective. My comments are always filtered through the lens of my Judeo-Christian values and largely based on 40 years of marriage raising five children.

About The Author:

Joe Siccardi has a gift of storytelling like no other. He has been an editorial writer, editor, and publisher for 52 years and publishes a blog called ‘Wisdom From A Father’ and as he states, “I’m the ordinary Joe walking along this journey called life and sharing it with you.”

He is the proud father of five children, 18 grandchildren, and three great-granddaughters. He currently lives in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, afterlife experiences in Paterson, Totowa, Newton and Ogdensburg, NJ; Belvidere, IL; Toledo, OH; Washington, DC; Laurel, MD; and Seneca Falls and Willard (Romulus), NY.

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Cat’s Featured Pick for New Year Reading and Ebook Sale is All Kim Carter Mystery Suspense Reads! All Six Newer Titles now on sale .99 Cents Amazon Kindle!!

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Kim Carter has a way with writing prolific mystery thriller books like no other! All six of her Ebooks are now on sale starting from $.99 cents to $1.99 and they make excellent gifts for the avid readers on your Holiday Gift List! Like this one above I gave 5-STARS as it is one of Cat’s Favorite!

About This Book:

“Falling from a life of wealth and substance to inside one of America’s most notorious prisons” …

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Falling from a life of wealth and substance, to inside one of America’s most notorious prisons, prominent orthopedic surgeon Phil Sawyer is incarcerated for the voluntary manslaughter of his wife. While confined, he finds himself on the trail of a serial killer that infiltrates the walls of San Quentin. After finding himself in the infirmary for getting involved in an incident that didn’t concern him, Phil struggles with the decision to stick his neck out.

But he can’t ignore the rise in suspicious deaths among the African American inmates. With the aid of an empathetic nurse and help from the outside, he tries to identify the unexplained cause of their cardiac arrests. He finds himself out on early release and heads to Solomon Cove, a peaceful town in Maine. But, could the tranquil town all be a façade, or has the serial killer made their way across the country to seek revenge?
From wealthy Los Angeles to the justice in San Quentin, and the serene landscapes of Maine, … you will applaud the friendships and hear the cry as you ride the roller coaster of emotions this story will bring.

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About Kim Carter:

Kim Carter is an award-winning author of suspense, mystery and thriller novels.

Her other titles include Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle, When Dawn Never Comes, Deadly Odds, No Second Chances, and her latest, And The Forecast Called For Rain.

by Kim Carter

Only $1.99! New Mystery Series ~ A Clara and Iris Mystery Series ~ Sweet Dreams Baby Belle Book One and Murder Among Book Two.

Kim’s writing career started after she suffered an illness that made her housebound for a couple of years. An avid reader of mystery novels herself, she embarked on writing as a means of filling her time. She began to share those early writings with friends and family who encouraged her to pursue writing professionally. Her health struggles and successes have been chronicled on The Lifetime Television in early 2000, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Women’s Day Magazine, and Guidepost.

Prior to her illness, Kim worked in many different capacities in county government as her “Day Job,” but ultimately, it was her job as a correctional officer that provided her the opportunities to talk and interact with a diverse group of people. Her experiences ran the gamete of inspiring success stories to tragic endings, much like her mysteries.

She self-published her first book No Second Chances. One of the guest speakers at the launch party she had at the Performing Arts Center in Newnan, Georgia included her close friend retired Atlanta Police Chief Eldrin Bell. This connection would become helpful as she started doing more research for other books, this time working with a small publishing house.

Kim began networking and made connections with numerous homicide detectives, medical examiners, and prison officials. Her research has taken her many places including morgues, death row, and the occasional midnight visit to cemeteries.

Kim is a college graduate of Saint Leo University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She and her husband have three successful grown children and reside just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Kim’s books can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, and Indie Bound. You can learn more about Kim and updates on new book releases and events by visiting her Official Author Website – Author, Kim Carter.

All Six of her titles are now on Holiday Sale on Amazon Kindle Now through DEC. 25th like this one too for just .99 CENTS!

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CAT ALSO Has An Amazing Self-Help Read Find The Seeker: The pathless path to fulfillment and happiness~Kindle Edition on New Year Special and My Choice for those who Seek a healthy path to Happiness and a Fulfilled Life! …

First time ever has this Ebook been deeply discounted to just .99 CENTS!

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About The Book and Rave Reviews:

A Practical Guide to Trusting the Mystery of Life

“All people have an intense longing for love, compassion, and bliss in the innermost depths of their beings.”

This wonderful book is a great guide on the journey of personal evolution that leads us to our homes within. It offers a philosophical yet deeply practical Way to satisfy those longings. Well written and easy to understand, Find the Seeker! helps bring us home to ourselves.

It encourages us to “Celebrate Existence. Let Existence celebrate you as it already continuously does anyway.” Highly recommended for seekers who are on their way to becoming finders and Learning it may just be within ones “Self” …

This book’s the REAL DEAL!

“Just as described, challenging and inspirational. With so much “new age wisdom” on the market, this one feels good and right to read the words of a true Zen Master and his pupil, knowing they’ve dedicated their lives to studying and imparting knowledge without it feeling like ZEN … Even as good or better reads as a Tommy Rosen’s offering!
“Highly recommend it!

An Editorial Review That Sums Up SEEKER:

“Like the work I have done over many decades, this book helps people to find the true Self, be One with their Divine Nature, and be free to Be. It compassionately shows people how to turn within to uncover their own Shangri-La. It is a unique, extraordinary and extremely valuable work which I highly recommend to all spiritual seekers and those who want to find what is Eternal.”

~Ihaleakala Hew Len, author of Zero Limits, teacher of Ho’oponopono and former Chairman Emeritus of the Foundation of I.

About The Master ~ Genro Xuan Lou Laoshi:

Gert Beirer, who was born in Austria in 1945, studied Zen, meditation, Kung-Fu, Qi Gong, and acupuncture in Asia. He was given the name Genro (“Origin of Joy”) Xuan Lou, Laoshi (Laoshi = “Spiritual Master”) by Zen Master Tetsuo Kiichi Nagaya Roshi. Genro Xuan Lou, Laoshi was named Zen (Chan) Master by the Abbot and Grand Master Kun Kong at the Lingyin Temple (Shakyamuni Buddhism) in Hangzhou, with whom he studied 11 years, by Abbot and Zen Master Shi Chan Ming in Wuhan, Province Hubei, China, and was also named Shifu or “Spiritual Teacher” in 2009 by Shi Xue Feng, Abbot of the Ding Shan Temple in Germany.

After returning to Europe, Genro spent decades as a therapist and business consultant and has been heading the Qi Gong Master School in Austria for many years, practicing in accordance with the Wuhan-Yangsheng style.

Genro Laoshi has lectured at universities, appeared on TV, held seminars on a variety of spiritual and self-help topics, taught Qi Gong courses and published articles and books on meditation, Zen, motivation and communication, storytelling, body-reading, sexual Kung-Fu, autohypnosis, and many more topics. He resides in Austria.

Another Prolific Writer/Author, Diane Olsen and BOTH her Ebooks titled: Ancient Ways and New Release ~ RISING WIND: The Thunder Beings
Now on Holiday Sale for just $.99 CENTS!

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About Her Amazing Ebooks:

Nominated For a “2017 Readers Choice Award and Winner of a Bronze Medal by Illumination Book Awards

“An amazing book that examines in-depth the Evolution and Relationship of Humanity and the core belief’s in just ‘One God” …

In order to enjoy this book, you may have to suspend current beliefs, since some of the concepts may seem quite foreign at first. What if monotheism always existed, and revelations were given to all human forms. There are hints to that effect. We should not assume primitive peoples weren’t smart enough to grasp the concept of a single Creator!

Too often we tweak religion to reflect our personal thoughts rather than dealing directly with the Word of God. Monotheism, today is represented by at least nine living faiths, yet praying to God alone is not enough, for many. Instead, we pray to Prophets, angels, saints, ancestors, deities, even the universe.

This creates a chain of “Paths” and “Ways” which become stained, over time, by human desires for control and material benefits. And as darkness and materialism overtake one Faith, another is born, through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, which is clothed in a different form, with a new name, and very familiar teachings.

Like the Tree of Life, monotheism can be visualized as a chain linking prehistory and history, entwined with human additions, wisps, and twists that produce an undulating, ultimate Yin and Yang. This constant interaction of complementary, as well as conflicting, forces and energies, exhibits both organic unity and dynamism-even war. Those who suspect there is a unified core of basic beliefs should enjoy Ancient Ways!

New Release EBook ~ RISING WIND: The Thunder Beings (Book One Series)

A businessman is assailed by dreams of a Thunderbird who needs his help, despite his strong denial of the Lakota Heritage.

To make things worse, he is told to find a woman he doesn’t know in a South American jungle to help him solve problems initiated by his former business partner, and aid the Thunder Being in the process.

With help from several Indigenous healers, Secora James and Gideon Yellow Thunder face hardship, sorrow, and death on their path to find out what the Thunderbird needs from them, and what she can give them in return. Together they find a giant native sloth and the source of slavery, abduction, and death on a volcano.

Together they face death to save Wakinyan Tanka, the great Thunderbird and bring greedy assassins to justice … “Fantastic Read with Native Flair and an action adventure like no other!”

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Hopefully, you will find precious gems to take with you and now ALL for just .99 Cents! HAPPY NEW YEAR Reading! ****CAT*****

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