Every anthology WordCrafter Press puts out, I send out between 30 and 50 review requests to various reviewers. While I’ve had some success with novel length works and poetry anthologies using this method, it doesn’t seem to be as effective. But, the first two volumes of the Midnight Anthology Series have no reviews on Amazon currently, and I just don’t get it. These are quality short fiction collections by talented authors, and I’ve given out plenty of review copies…, so why no reviews?
I’ve decided to try and build a WordCrafter Review Team, with the help of my readers. And the first step, is to find willing reviewers. I know many of you who visit here are reviewers yourselves, so I’m asking. If you would be willing to be put on the list of possible reviewers for WordCrafter short fiction anthologies, or poetry anthologies, or for fiction novels with single authors, I want to hear from you. Being on one or more lists doesn’t obligate you to review a book; it obligates me to offer you the opportunity and supply a review copy each time a new book on your list comes out through WordCrafter Press. You’ll receive a press release requesting a review, with a link to get a free digital copy if you choose to accept. Which books you chose to review are completely up to you.
I guess every author wishes for a review team which can be counted on to actually post reviews after receiving free copies of their books, but I’m guessing it doesn’t happen often, and when it does, it’s because the author has taken things into their own hands and followed up with each member of the team to assure they each have done their parts. Ideally, the review copies would be given out early enough so that reviewers could all post on the release date, skyrocketing the book up on the Amazon lists. But, I haven’t managed to get any books out quite that early as yet, and I don’t have the energy to be a slave driver of that caliper. I’ll have to settle for asking you to notify me when your review is posted and trust you to do so.
Most of you know that WordCrafter Press publishes wide, so reviews can be posted on Amazon, GoodReads, BookBub, one of the other distributors, or any combination thereof. If you post on a blog and send me a link, I’ll promote, reblog, and direct readers to view the review there.
With the third volume in the Midnight Anthology Series, Midnight Oil, getting ready to release, I thought I’d try something a little different. I’m specifically looking for reviewers willing to read and review the first two anthologies: Midnight Roost and Midnight Garden to get the series some traction, and I’m willing to provide free digital copies to those who are willing. If you post reviews for the first two books and notify me, I will automatically send you out the press release for Midnight Oil as soon as it’s available.
So, before you go on to the next blog to see what’s happening, please take a moment to drop a message in the comments section, or contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com, and let me know which types of books you’d be interested in reviewing. You’ll never be obligated to review any book you don’t want to, but I do ask that you leave a review somewhere and let me know about it once you have collected your free copy. Can I count on you?
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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This post is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. Coming October 29, 2005
Did you know that you can listen to my AI narrated audio books on Google Play Books? In fact, I’ve just dropped the price on all three of them to make it even easier.
Listen to my western historical women’s fiction, Delilah; my time travel adventure, The Rock Star & The Outlaw; or my paranormal mystery, Hidden Secrets at the links below.
Her homecoming from prison quickly turns into a quest for vengeance when she is brutally raped and left for dead, and her fourteen-year-old ward is abducted. Sheer will and determination take this tough and gritty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest, Indians and outlaws to Leadville.
Can the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado mining town work their way into Delilah’s heart, offering a chance for a future she thought she’d lost along with her innocence?
If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Delilah.
About The Rock Star & The Outlaw
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
About Hidden Secrets
Cassie wants nothing to do with the legacy her grandmother wants to hand down to her.
She doesn’t believe in all those Native American legends anyway.
She and Tony are to be married and start a family. They’re returning to her ancestral lands now to tell her grandmother to pass the tribal legacy on to someone else, along with the cursed gold that goes with it.
When she forces herself to go out on the lake where her parents drowned, she discovers the cave which holds the tribal treasure and the lake takes another life. Now Cassie must rethink all that she believes. If the treasure is real, could the curse be real, too?
Can Cassie find a way to stop it before Tony becomes the next victim?
If you love paranormal mysteries, pick up a copy ofHidden Secrets.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Welcome to Writing to be Read and the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour, where we’re launching the release of the second edition of Shadow Blade, the fantasy adventure/romance by author Chris Barili. Shadow Blade is now Book 2 in the Denari Lai series by Chris Barili. WordCrafter Press is also releasing Book 1 of the series for the very first time, but the cool thing is, if you purchase the WordCrafter Press edition of Shadow Blade, you can also get the first book absolutely free.
Give Away
If you follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop to let us know you were there or share your thoughts about the book, you can win a free copy of Shadow Blade. We’re giving away three digital copies of the book, and one lucky winner will receive a print copy of the book signed by author Chris Barili. Each stop you comment on earns you an entry into a random drawing, and the winners will be announced on Writing to be Read in the “WordCrafter News” post on July 27.
And now that I’ve told you a little about the tour, let me tell you about this dangerous and exciting adventure into the Denari Lai universe.
About Shadow Blade
Ashai Larish is an assassin from the brutal Denari Lai order. Religious zealots, Denari Lai are kept loyal through an addiction to the same magic that makes them unstoppable. They have become the primary weapon for the nation of Nishi’iti, and in a hundred years, they have never failed.
Until now. Ashai must kill Pushtani King Abadas Damar and his daughter/heir, Makari. He infiltrates the king’s inner circle, putting him in the perfect place to strike, with only Captain Bauti of the Royal Guard at all suspicious of Ashai’s intent.
Except Ashai has fallen for Makari and cannot complete the hit. When a second Denari Lai kills the King, Ashai finds himself fighting for Makari’s life instead of taking it. To make matters worse, the order cuts him off from his magic, leaving him weakened and in withdrawal.
Meanwhile, far north in the Pushtani mines that border Nishi’iti, a slave named Pachat learns that his love, a hand slave to Makari, died at the hands of a Denari Lai assassin. His grief ignites a slave rebellion, and Pachat becomes the unwilling leader of the revolt. Urged on by Nishi’iti guerrillas, the rebellion sweeps across the borderlands, threatening to erupt into all-out war. Yet all Pachat wants is to avenge his beloved’s death by killing the assassin, so he walks away from the rebellion to seek when it needs him most.
As Pachat makes off for the capital of Dar Tallus, Ashai is forced to rely on that city’s organized crime gang to hide from the second assassin, and from Bauti’s guards. Despite his best efforts to hide it, Makari discovers Ashai’s true identity, and suddenly, he finds himself without her love, without his faith, and without the Denari Lai. At rock bottom, he doubts he can do anything but cause more damage.
Can Ashai kill the second assassin and win back Makari’s love? Will Pachat gain the revenge he so lustily seeks?
Currently oppressed by his day job, Chris has set sights on retiring after 42 years in the Intelligence Community and writing full-time. Chris Barili writes all kinds of stories, and has published fantasy, science fiction, horror, western, paranormal romance, and most recently crime, with a noir story in the inaugural print edition of Toe Six Magazine. He is author of the self-published, weird western Hell’s Butcher series, and also writes under the pen names B.T. Clearwater (Supernatural romance) and T.C. Barlow (western). Chris is a retired intelligence officer, having served over 45 years between active duty, contractor, and government employee roles. He lives in Colorado with his wife.
That wraps up today’s stop on the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. To learn more about the book, the Denari Lai series, or about author Chris Barili, just follow the tour via the links in the Tour Schedule above. Just keep in mind that each link will not be active until the attached stop goes live, so you can’t get sneak previews of upcoming stops. I do hope you’ll join us. We’ve got an interview with the author and a live event where you can chat with the author,, excerpt readings, and the inspiration for this tale coming up later in the week. And don’t forget, the author is giving away three digital copies and one signed print copy of Shadow Blade, and all you need to do is comment to enter. The more stops you visit, the more entries you can get.
Join us tomorrow on Robbie’s Inspiration. We’ll have a guest post where author Chris Barili shares his thoughts on the inspiration for the story and the series.
I was fortunate to receive a digital copy of Booking the Library, by Jessica Brawner in the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, curated by Kevin J. Anderson, in which my book. The D.I.Y. Author was featured. All opinions stated here are my own.
Many of the old school authors swear that in person promotion is the way to go to sell books, and it is certainly the way to get your book on library shelves. In 2022, I wrote a “Review in Practice” about Mark Leslie Lefebvre’s An Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries and Bookstores, which covers how to build relationships with librarians as a way to help get your books on the shelves of local libraries and brick and mortar bookstores. Part of his advice included volunteering to do readings or presentations as a way to get your foot in the door and create a mutually beneficial relationship with librarians. Libraries do buy books, so it’s good advice, but for me, it has been something I’m still striving for.
Booking the Library takes us beyond that relationship by pointing readers toward actually getting paid to do readings and performances in libraries, which I had never really thought about doing before. It contains a lot of great tips and pointers for getting you, or perhaps your story telling group, bookings in libraries and other venues. Although this type of in person event is far beyond my means at the moment, there were many tidbits that I stowed away for a time when I am able to do so, because the idea of doing this type of appearance sounds like a lot of fun. I can only imagine being able to read my stories in front of an audience.
Although Booking the Library is aimed at performers from all walks of life, much of what is suggested applies to authors and storytellers as well. Jessica Brawner shares the basics, how to find libraries and how to pitch them, booking and planning tours, mailing lists, documents and tools needed, promoting events, getting paid and financial tips, and more. Since I’d never thought of booking for pay, this book was very enlightening.
About Booking the Library
Explore the world of library touring and program booking with “Booking the Library (Second Edition).” Tailored for musicians, storytellers, puppeteers, authors, speakers, and all ‘living wage’ entertainers, this guide is your key to unlocking fresh markets, cultivating a dedicated fan base, and revolutionizing your livelihood.
Dive into a treasure trove of practical tools to elevate your booking game, including sample phone scripts, contracts, and emails. Uncover the secrets of swiftly accessing library contact information, discover best practices that set you apart, and explore creating your ideal program description. “Booking the Library” isn’t just a guide; it’s your compass for navigating the complex world of library programs, filled with invaluable tips and practical advice to ensure your journey is not only successful but also leaves you happy, healthy, and sane as you passionately pursue your craft. Elevate your entertainment business with the wisdom within these pages and let your talent shine on new stages.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, her the first three books in her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends, her poetry collection, Small Wonders, and her writer’s resource, The D.I.Y. Author. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
We’ve had a great year here at WordCrafter Press & Writing to be Read, and it’s all because of you, our fabulous readers!
2024 Publications from WordCrafter Press
The D.I.Y. Author: Writer’s Resource
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Sarah: Book 2 of the Women in the West Adventure Series
Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.
Sarah is not the young girl stolen away from Delilah anymore. Now she is Hair of Fire, mate of Three Hawks, even as she blossoms into a young woman and tries to make a place for herself among the Ute tribe.
When she is stolen away from the life she’s made, she struggles to survive in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A streak of stubbornness and determination take this tough, feisty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest and the rugged mountain landscape to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where she receives a less than welcoming reception by some.
Will this young woman find her way back to the Ute tribe, which she’s come to think of as family, or will she discover a place among the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado hot springs and mining town?
Follow along on her journey to learn who she truly is and where she belongs in this rough, and often hostile frontier.
If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Sarah.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Tales From the Hanging Tree: Imprints of Tragedy Anthology
There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow Anthology – Book 2 in the Midnight Anthology Series
17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare.
Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon.
Reminder: ALL WordCrafter Press Books 50% off through January 1 on Smashwords
That’s right. You can get those WordCrafter Press books that have been sitting on your wishlist at 50% of during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. But you must act before January 1st, when the sale ends and these great discounts go away. And don’t forget that WordCrafter Press books make great holiday gifts, too. Get your copies today.
On Writing to be Read, we’ve had several new monthly blog series debut. I introduced a new Monday blog series, “Everyone is a Critic”, where you can find out what I think about movies or television series I’ve watched. I brought back “Chatting with the Pros” on the second Saturday of each month, along with the debut of its sister series on the fourth Saturday, “Chatting with New Blood”, where I interview professional authors who are making it work, and rising authors about their books and lessons learned, respectively, and post my reviews of their books.
And Robbie Cheadle said goodbye to “Growing Bookworms” and introduced her new monthly series, “Read and Cook”, where each month, she reviews a book and provides a complimentary recipe with delectable photos. I believe this series will be quite popular, or at least, it has been so far. Robbie’s series appear on Wednesdays, and “Read and Cook” appears the second Wednesday of the month. The third and forth Wednesdays see her “Treasuring Poetry” series, featuring interviews with poets and reviews of their books, and “In Touch with Nature” featuring facts about African wildlife and Robbie’s brillant wildlife photography, videos and artwork.
2024 also saw a new addition to the Writing to be Read blog team, DL Mullan, with her new series “Undawntech”, where she explores the pros and cons of AI and other technology in our rapidly changing world.
In addition, Arthur Rosch’s monthly contribution, “Mind Fields”, brings poetry and essays with Art’s unique outlook on life, appears randomly, where there is space for it, often a fifth Wednesday or Friday, if there is one, or sometimes on the first Wednesday, as that’s an open spot, as well.
If you want to be sure to not to miss any of this great content, you can subscribe to Writing to be Read and receive notification of all new content right in your inbox. We’ve got a great new year ahead of us, so don’t miss a post.
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Note From the Author
That’s a recap of this past year for WordCrafter Press and Writing to be Read. I’m thankful for all that’s been accomplished and excited about the year to come. To find out what is in store, watch for this month’s “WordCrafter News” on the 30th.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from WordCrafter Press and the Writing to be Read blog team
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About author Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her drug dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
This was my third year participating in NaNoWriMo. The first year I gained confidence when I learned that I was more than capable of making the daily word count goal, something I was unsure of when starting out. At that time, 1,667 sounded like an awfully lot of words, but I did it most of the days in November, and when I didn’t do it, I made up for it on the days I wrote two thousand or more, and by the end of the month of November, I had exceeded the overall word count goal of 50,000. (For the sake of transparency, I started with a partial manuscript, so although technically I was successful, I did not write enough new material to make the goal.)
Last year, 2023, I was well on my way to being successful, this time for real, and it was coming down to the last week, when my computer crashed and I was digitally down, making it impossible to complete the challenge. From this, I learned that it isn;t the end of the world to not finish, and I still feel that if my computer hadn’t crashed, I would have successfully met the challenge. I was making or exceeding the daily word counts each day and was on schedule to finish early, before the end of the month.
This year I went into NaNoWriMo with a very positive attitude. I knew I could make the daily word count, so I didn’t stress about it, but I did paln for it. I approached with a plan to implement strategies which had been successful in the past, and a good working plot outline, so I would be clear on where the story was going. Last year, I had abandoned the time blocking strategy which I’d implemented the first year, for an “ass-in-chair, write-the-book” strategy which I’d learned from one of my graduate school professors. (Don’t get me wrong, time blocking is a valid strategy for some people. It just wasn’t effective for me.)
At first, things seemed to go pretty smoothly, until life got in the way during the first week out, when where I live received almost four feet of snow and I was snowbound for four straight days. I didn’t think it would ever stop. It just kept coming. But even with all the shoveling I had to do, and the firewood I had to split to stay warm, I was able to meet my daily word count goal in the evenings. It started snowing on Wednesday, and when I was finally able to get out, on Monday, the 11th, I had to go to work at my day job. I was so tired, that I wasn’t able to make my word count for the first time. I fell asleep in front of my computer at 8:30 p.m. that night with only 634 words for the day.
But, I found that it wasn’t the end of the world that I didn’t get the badge for making the word count goal every day. And I made up the words I’d missed getting down the very next day, with a total word count for the day of 2624. It’s amazing what a decent night’s sleep will do for you. I really do write better if I take care of myself properly, and that proved it. It is also important to take time out for yourself, even though you may be pushing to make a word count goal or a deadline on a writing project. I’ve been looking forward to each new episode of Tulsa King, with Sylvester Stallone, each Sunday, after my shift at work, and I’ve learned that I can watch an hour or two of television and still get my word count done. This is something I had to teach myself. For the first two years I took the challenge, I took every moment I had to write, like a driven person, and now I’m finding that I’m more productive when I block out time for other things, too.
In the end, I didn’t make it. My Internet went down on the last day, so I didn’t get to log my last days totals anyway. (That is also why this Monday blog segment isn’t coming out on Monday. I just got my Internet back up and running this evening.) My total on November 30th was around 43,000 words. Not quite making the goal, but you know what?
It’s okay, because I’m still working on it everyday and I currently have 45,630 words of my story. I started out from a blank page this year. That’s not bad for a month’s time. And it’s a fantastic start toward the completion of the novel.
What I Learned
I learned that if I just keep at it, the book will take shape
I learned that my style of edit as you go is okay. It’s a part of my writing process and it works for me and I end up with a much cleaner first draft. It’s necessary for me in order to obtain the proper foreshadowing and also when planting the little easter eggs which helps connect the books for series readers.
I learned that thinking about time travel sometimes makes my head hurt. It’sa lot to wrap your head around, and it’s easy to get your plot lines twisted when writing about it. Also another reason to edit as I go. With time travel, changing one thing may change several others, jumping from chapter to chapter for revisions became common place for me with this book.
I learned to use multiple P.O.V.s to make the plot flow smoothly. This was the most P.O.V.s I’ve ever used in a story.
I learned how to write in multiple subplots – again, the most I have ever tried to use – and multiple time periods.
About the Book
There is not a lot I can tell you about the second Time Travel Adventure Series book without throwing out huge spoilers to those who haven’t read book 1, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Although each book can be read as a stand alone, book 2 has references to events in the first book and they are complimentary to one another. Book 2 picks up where the first book leaves off, which is why I can’t explain further without giving away the ending of the first book.
I’m having a lot of fun writing this book, maybe even moreso than I did with the first. Like the first, this one has musical inspiration, with song titles for chapter titles and a playlist in the front of the book. By having mutlple P.O.V.s, it opened this one up to even more music artists and songs. And by dealing with temporal loops, it allowed me the opportunity to change events which occured in the first book, creating a whole new story stemming from the same events. It is a crazy, wild ride and you never know where the characters will end up.
I can’t say too much about the new book, but I can share the book trailer for book 1, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, which is also a wild ride through time, for those who haven’t read it yet.
I crossed the 10,000 word mark on November 5, well ahead of schedule. What a great feeling. And I only missed making the daily word count goal once. Unfortunately, life got in my way, as it usually does. This time, it was a huge snowstorm that dumped about 42″ of snow on my front steps. The snow made even the daily chores more difficult, and then there was all that snow to shovel! But even with moving all that snow I managed to make the word count on most days. That is until it all caught up with me and at the end of the day, I was so tired I couldn’t think straight, and then, my word count started to fall.
I have managed to at least write something to log into the updates daily, and I’m sitting at around 34,500 words to date. That means I just have a little over 15,000 words to reach my goal and six days to do it in. I think I can do it. What do you think? Wish me luck. 😉
2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle
There’s still time to get in on the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, but grab it while you can. It only runs through the end of November. After December 1st, it will no longer be available.
This year’s Writing Tools StoryBundle, curated by bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson, is another treasure chest of vital handbooks covering aspects of the writer’s craft, business, and way of life. We have thirteen titles on a range of subjects, plus a 12-month subscription to Indie Author Magazine, your best source to stay up-to-date on the industry.
On writing craft, there’s The Illustrated Super Secrets of Writing, Vol. 1—Wulf Moon’s award-winning system on how to write stories and does so with creativity, fun, and humor. Tara Grace Ericson presents Romance Character Tropes—far more than your average trope list; this is an encyclopedia packed with info to help you use and leverage each trope successfully.
Freelance editor Joshua Essoe teaches about Mood and Atmosphere in his series of special-edition writing guides, each examining the most-common issues he encounters from writers he works with. Word by Word by award-winning author Kerrie Flanagan, shows you how to unlock your creativity and transform your writing. This is an essential guide for writers that offers inspiration, genre-specific strategies, and practical tips.
Jana S. Brown gives you Steps to Self-Editing. You’ve finished your novel! Now learn the self-editing steps to smooth off the rough edges and really make it shine!
And in the new revised edition of On Being a Dictator: Revised Edition, by Kevin J. Anderson, Martin Shoemaker, and Greg Vose—available exclusively in this StoryBundle,—you’ll learn how to use dictation to increase your productivity. One of the foundational books on a popular writing method, On Being a Dictator will help you think outside the box and up your game in the fast-paced ever-changing world of publishing.
Now, on to the writing business. Dollar by Dollarby Kerrie Flanagan is a comprehensive guide packed with proven strategies to help writers boost book sales, increase income from writing, and succeed in both traditional and self-publishing. Mark Leslie’s Author’s Guide to Branding for Success shows you how to make your Author Brand into one of your best long-term Intellectual Property assets!
Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn provide guidance and inspiration to share your message with the world from the stage in Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker.
AndBooking the Librariesby Jessica Brawner is tailored for authors, speakers, storytellers, musicians, puppeteers, and all living-wage entertainers. This guide is your key to unlocking fresh markets, cultivating a dedicated fanbase, and revolutionizing your livelihood.
And finally, on the writing life, these titles will help you stay inspired and remain strong as a creative.
The D.I.Y. Authorby Kaye Lynne Booth shows you the ropes in the business of being an author.
Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle—exclusive first release in this StoryBundle—is chock full of quips and snippets to help authors stay focused on the right things to accelerate their business.
AndFalling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock is a deeply personal exploration into the creative process and the publishing industry. This is truly the book to read before you give up on your writing dreams.
In addition in this StoryBundle, you will receive full year’s subscription toIndie Author Magazine, your go-to resource for news, tips, and advice on self-publishing. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry.
A note on the designated charity for this StoryBundle, the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. In 2020 we lost Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush, to glioblastoma. He was my mentor, friend, and collaborator on numerous books, and his loss affected me deeply. Neil’s friends and colleagues and fans worldwide have contributed to this glioblastoma research fund in Neil’s name, and we are proud to add our efforts on this Writing Tools StoryBundle as well. – Kevin J. Anderson
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For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in .epub format—WORLDWIDE.
Romance Character Tropes by Tara Grace Ericson and Jessica Barber
Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan
Essoe’s Guides to Writing: Mood and Atmosphere by Joshua Essoe
Booking the Library by Jessica Brawner
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus 9 more books, for a total of 13 (with 5 StoryBundle Exclusives), plus a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine!
Super Secrets: Illustrated by Wulf Moon
Falling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock
From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker by Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn
A Writer’s Guide to Branding for Success by Mark Leslie Lefebvre (StoryBundle Exclusive)
On Being a Dictator by Kevin J. Anderson (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Word by Word by Kerrie Flanagan
The D.I.Y. Author by Kaye Lynne Booth
Steps to Self-Editing by Jana S. Brown
Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Indie Author Magazine: One Year Subscription by Indie Author Magazine
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get a DRM-free .epub for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
I’m planning to currate a few Story Bundles of my own next year. I’m looking for authors with books in the women’s fiction, dark fiction, science fiction/fantasy, or paranormal genres. I already have a few authors interested from the paranormal genre. So, if you have a book in the above mentioned genres, I want to hear from you.Mention it in the comments or drop me a line at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com and let’s see if your book would be a good fit.
2025 WordCrafter Press Releases
With NaNoWriMo, I’ve got a good start on the second book in my Time-Travel Adventure Series, and I’ll be working hard to complete it throughout the months of December and January, with a hopeful March release. Of course, Book 3 in the Women in the West Adventure Series, Marta is also planned for release in 2025, and a short fiction collection of my own, titled “Little Ditties” to be released in time for Christmas.
With the creation of the Midnight Anthology Series, next year’s anthology is set to be dark fiction again, for volume 3, Midnight Oil. (I recently had a great story idea for this anthology. It’s very dark and scary, and I’m excited to see if I can meet the challenge of writing in a speculative fiction genre I’ve never attempted to write in before.) Submissions will be open in January and the call will post at the beginning of the year.
2025 Writing to be Read
Also, I believe Robbie may already be working on the next volume of Poetry Treasures, with a theme of Simple Pleasures. Guests on this past year’s “Treasuring Poetry” series should be getting their invites soon, if they haven’t already. I look forward to bringing forth another volume of this wonderful series of poetry books.
On Writing to be Read, plan to see more of Robbie’s new blog series, “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle”, which received a good reception so far this year. Catch “Read and Cook” on the second Wednesday of every month. I plan to continue my “Chatting with the Pros” and “Chatting with New Blood” series on the second and forth Saturdays, as well, and of course first or second Monday will see a “Writer’s Corner” post. Monday’s will also see segments of “Review in Practice” and my latest movie review series, “Everyone is a Critic”. And you can catch Robbie’s “Treasuring Poetry on the third Wednesday, and “In Touch with Nature” on the fourth Wednesday, as always. Art Rosch’s monthly “Mind Fields will also appear wherever I can fit them in, as he doesn’t have a set day right now.
I’m also hoping to get some new sponsors in the coming year. Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press. Please consider sponsoring a blog series, or even a single post and help me to keep Writing to be Read up and running.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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This post is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
If you’re an author who wants to improve your craft, publishing expertise and marketing know how, (and who doesn’t?), this Story Bundle is a must have for you. IT’s only available through the end of November, so don’t wait! Get your 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle today.
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in .epub format—WORLDWIDE.
Romance Character Tropes by Tara Grace Ericson and Jessica Barber
Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan (Story Bundle Exclusive)
Essoe’s Guides to Writing: Mood and Atmosphere by Joshua Essoe
Booking the Library by Jessica Brawner
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus 9 more books, for a total of 13 (with 5 StoryBundle Exclusives), plus a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine!
Super Secrets: Illustrated by Wulf Moon
Falling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock
From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker by Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn
A Writer’s Guide to Branding for Success by Mark Leslie Lefebvre (StoryBundle Exclusive)
On Being a Dictator by Kevin J. Anderson (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Word by Word by Kerrie Flanagan (Story Bundle Exclusive)
The D.I.Y. Author by Kaye Lynne Booth
Steps to Self-Editing by Jana S. Brown
Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Indie Author Magazine: One Year Subscription by Indie Author Magazine
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get a DRM-free .epub for all books!
More About this great Story Bundle
You can find out more about the books in this Story Bundle at the links below.
This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Don’t write down to children: This is the number one piece of advice I heard about writing for children, and of course, it is true. It doesn’t mean to write about adult subjects filled with sex and cuss words, but they’re trying to get through the idea that kid’s are smart and you don’t have to dumb things down for them.
I think this is one of the biggest differences in writing for children. Children’s minds are like sponges that absorb information. While you probably don’t want to use a lot of scientific jargon to explain the workings of the solar system, plain layman’s terms are usually simple enough for kid’s to digest and understand.
In her writer’s refence book, Word By Word, Kerrie Flanagan offers snippets from interviews with three different teen and young adult authors who tackle sensitive issues in their books and have all taken heat for doing so, about handling real life issues in their writing. Jay Asher, author of the young adult novel Thirteen Reasons, which deals with the issue of suicide says,
“Yes, I shaped the story to reveal the things I wanted to say, but it had to be revealed through the words of my characters, not me. I also knew, out of respect for the seriousness of what needed to be written, that I couldn’t hold back any detail that would make the scenes feel however raw they needed to feel. That caused my book to be challenged, but I know it’s also what made it connect to so many readers.”
And New York Times bestselling adult and young adult author, Ellen Hopkins says,
“Every teen is faced with choices, and without understanding possible outcomes, they often rush headlong in the wrong direction. As authors, we can’t tip-toe around hard truths, because those truths, because those truths are part of the human condition, and fearing a challenge is a sure way to make your writing fall flat.”
When asked for advice to new writers dealing with a sensitive topic, Cheryl Rainfield, author of the award-winning novel, Scars, and other teen novels which deal with the issue of abuse and incest says,
“I think using some of your own emotion and honesty in writing is so important; readers will sense if you’re not being honest or you’re holding back or you’re afraid of the topic….”
I believe this advice is true when writing for younger children, as well. In the My Backyard Friends series, which are aimed at four to eight year olds, I deal with issues such as being lost and alone, and situations where you need the help of others, and the possibilities of self-indulgence, but the message comes through through the words and actions of the characters, and all serves the story, and there’s a lesson in each one. For a small child, being lost can be a scary experience, it can be difficult to ask for someone’s help with a problem when a child is struggling to feel grown up, and children may need help to see the consequences of their actions. My hope is that children can learn through my characters, how to cope in similar situations.
Illustrations
Many children’s books are illustrated, where adult books are usually not. This makes every illustrated children’s book a collaboration, and all parties involoved need to be on the same page about the goal. This is extremely important, and finding the right illustrator, one who understands your vision, can be a daunting process. Finding an illustrator you want to work with who has prices that fit your budget is even more challenging.
Back in 2010, I found an illustrator who met both of these criteria to do Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend, and the rest of the My Back Yard Friend series. I was thrilled with her cover design and sample illustrations, and the price she gave me was reasonable, as well. She even matched me up with a small independent publisher who was willing to publish my book. I was ecstatic.
But, like traditional publishing for adult literature, publishing children’s books takes time, five years or more, and during that time, things can and do change. My illustrator ran into health issues which made it impossible for her to continue doing the beautiful illustrations by hand, and I was forced to accept first, digital illustrations, and then, a whole different illuistrator who I knew nothing about. When I requested the money I had paid for my illustrations five years previous, since they had never been completed and I would not be able to use them, the illustrator refused my refund and the publisher dumped me, and I found myself back at square one. It was enough to sour me on traditional publishing, and set aside my dreams of having my children’s books published.
This was a tough decision. I shopped around for another illustrator for a short time, I found that illustrations had become quite expensive, far beyond my budget at the time. So, the books of the My Backyard Friends series were shelved, filed away in the archives of my files for many years. You can imagine how excited I became when I learned that the talented Robbie Cheadle had taken up drawing and painting, and was actually illustrating some of her own books. Having written and illustrated her Sir Chocolate books, Robbie also had experience inside the arena of children’s literature, so it seemed to me to be a perfect fit. I was ecstatic when she agreed to my proposal to illustrate the first three books in the series in 2023, to be published through WordCrafter Press. And what a feeling of satisfaction to see them released this past July.
Robbie may live on a different continent, and her hummingbird is a different breed with different coloring than the hummingbirds in my neighborhood, but her Heather is absolutely gorgeous. Readers are not aware of the differences. All of Robbie’s illustrations are wonderful, bringing my characters to life with vivid imagry and brilliant colors. But this lead me to yet, another tough decision.
WordCrafter Press publishes wide, through D2D, and while I enjoy many of the advantages this offers, their print books are not illustration friendly, and they only publish in black and white. I did not feel that black and white would do Robbie’s beautiful illustrations justice, and thus chose not to offer them in print until I could afford to publish through other channels that of color options. Originally, I planned a Kickstarter, but circumstances in my personal life made the Kickstarter platform not a viable option for me, and I tried to do my own fund raiser during the blog tour, but the funds just weren’t there. And so, as disappointing as it may be, the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series is only available in digital format for now.
Marketing Children’s Books
Marketing is the area where some would say children’s and adult literature differ the most. I’ve heard it said, “I just don’t know how to market to children.” But that’s the thing. Children are not your marketing audience, adults are. Kid’s aren’t going to care that the My Backyard Friends series was inspired by the birds and animals that visit my backyard, but their parents might find it interesting enough to buy a book for their childMarketing children’s books really isn’t all that different from marketing adult literature. You just need to look at the value offered from a parent or educator’s point of view, because that’s who you are marketing to.
I haven’t had a lot of success using the same digital marketing strategies I use with my adult books, which blog tours and social media promotion, with the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series. According to Jason Chen, founder of Story Bundle, “We’ve done a children’s bundle once and it did really poorly. Overall parents aren’t looking for digital ebooks for their kids in my experience (yours may be different!)” But, my experience has been similar. I think children’s books fall into an area where print books are still preferable to digital ones. That’s one of the reasons I am so disappointed to be unable to offer my children’s books in print.
With that in mind, I’m thinking maybe in-person selling, which is a bit more personal, might be more effective in selling children’s books. Speaking at your child’s school, or doing a reading and book signing at your local library might just be the way to go. But that’s just my thoughts on the matter. I’d love to hear about what has worked and what hasn’t to sell your children’s books in the comments below.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, and her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
One of the methods I use of becoming more prolific in my writing is to use NaNoWriMo each November as a sort of spring board to get a good start on a novel, and hopefully, complete and publish it the following year. I’ve found it to be an effective way to help meet my writing goals. I have my own method of time blocking, which is more like grab every minute you can to write because I have a busy life, but even when I don’t reach my daily wordcount goals, I get on writing streaks where I more than make them up. And even in situations like last year, when my computer crashed with a week and a half left to go, so I was unable to make the 50,000 word goal, I come out with a healthy start to my novel, offering me a descent foundation to build on. (You can learn more about my NaNoWriMo strategies in my writing reference, The D.I.Y Author.)
This year is no exception and I’ve been busily outlining the sequel to The Rock Star & the Oulaw in preparation for next month’s NaNoWriMo challege to pound out at least 50,000 words of a new novel. Come next Monday, I will be up to my elbows in the writing of book 2, and I can already tell you, it’s going to be a wild ride. The ending of the first book was such that there has to be a second. My readers will be expecting and anticipating it. In this book, Amarylis will be expanding her horizons as she changes and grows, and my inspiration will expand beyond the music of The Pretty Reckless, which served as inspiration for her character in the first book.
I have most of my November blog posts written and scheduled, so my writing efforts can be focused on the book. The dark anthologies are launched in time for the Halloween season and their initial promotions have come to an end. In order to meet those daily wordcounts, I will be doing a minimal amount of promoting, so I won’t be as visible on social media as I usually am, and it may take me a bit longer to respond to email correspondence. The only promotions I will be making are my normal promotions of blog posts on Writing to be Read, and the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, which includes The D.I.Y. Author and runs through the end of November.
The 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle – Currated by Kevin J. Anderson
This year’s Writing Tools StoryBundle, curated by bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson, is another treasure chest of vital handbooks covering aspects of the writer’s craft, business, and way of life. We have thirteen titles on a range of subjects, plus a 12-month subscription to Indie Author Magazine, your best source to stay up-to-date on the industry.
On writing craft, there’s The Illustrated Super Secrets of Writing, Vol. 1—Wulf Moon’s award-winning system on how to write stories and does so with creativity, fun, and humor. Tara Grace Ericson presents Romance Character Tropes—far more than your average trope list; this is an encyclopedia packed with info to help you use and leverage each trope successfully.
Freelance editor Joshua Essoe teaches about Mood and Atmosphere in his series of special-edition writing guides, each examining the most-common issues he encounters from writers he works with. Word by Word by award-winning author Kerrie Flanagan, shows you how to unlock your creativity and transform your writing. This is an essential guide for writers that offers inspiration, genre-specific strategies, and practical tips.
Jana S. Brown gives you Steps to Self-Editing. You’ve finished your novel! Now learn the self-editing steps to smooth off the rough edges and really make it shine!
And in the new revised edition of On Being a Dictator: Revised Edition, by Kevin J. Anderson, Martin Shoemaker, and Greg Vose—available exclusively in this StoryBundle,—you’ll learn how to use dictation to increase your productivity. One of the foundational books on a popular writing method, On Being a Dictator will help you think outside the box and up your game in the fast-paced ever-changing world of publishing.
Now, on to the writing business. Dollar by Dollarby Kerrie Flanagan is a comprehensive guide packed with proven strategies to help writers boost book sales, increase income from writing, and succeed in both traditional and self-publishing. Mark Leslie’s Author’s Guide to Branding for Success shows you how to make your Author Brand into one of your best long-term Intellectual Property assets!
Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn provide guidance and inspiration to share your message with the world from the stage in Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker.
AndBooking the Librariesby Jessica Brawner is tailored for authors, speakers, storytellers, musicians, puppeteers, and all living-wage entertainers. This guide is your key to unlocking fresh markets, cultivating a dedicated fanbase, and revolutionizing your livelihood.
And finally, on the writing life, these titles will help you stay inspired and remain strong as a creative.
The D.I.Y. Authorby Kaye Lynne Booth shows you the ropes in the business of being an author.
Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle—exclusive first release in this StoryBundle—is chock full of quips and snippets to help authors stay focused on the right things to accelerate their business.
AndFalling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock is a deeply personal exploration into the creative process and the publishing industry. This is truly the book to read before you give up on your writing dreams.
In addition in this StoryBundle, you will receive full year’s subscription toIndie Author Magazine, your go-to resource for news, tips, and advice on self-publishing. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry.
A note on the designated charity for this StoryBundle, the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. In 2020 we lost Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush, to glioblastoma. He was my mentor, friend, and collaborator on numerous books, and his loss affected me deeply. Neil’s friends and colleagues and fans worldwide have contributed to this glioblastoma research fund in Neil’s name, and we are proud to add our efforts on this Writing Tools StoryBundle as well. – Kevin J. Anderson
* * *
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in .epub format—WORLDWIDE.
Romance Character Tropes by Tara Grace Ericson and Jessica Barber
Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan
Essoe’s Guides to Writing: Mood and Atmosphere by Joshua Essoe
Booking the Library by Jessica Brawner
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus 9 more books, for a total of 13 (with 3 StoryBundle Exclusives), plus a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine!
Super Secrets: Illustrated by Wulf Moon
Falling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock
From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker by Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn
A Writer’s Guide to Branding for Success by Mark Leslie Lefebvre (StoryBundle Exclusive)
On Being a Dictator by Kevin J. Anderson (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Word by Word by Kerrie Flanagan
The D.I.Y. Author by Kaye Lynne Booth
Steps to Self-Editing by Jana S. Brown
Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle (StoryBundle Exclusive)
Indie Author Magazine: One Year Subscription by Indie Author Magazine
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get a DRM-free .epub for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
________________________________________
This post is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
