Down Home with Durham Editing and E-books: Special Interview

Dear RWPP's,

Today, the All Authors Blog gladly presents Durham Editing and E-books. We are so happy to have them here with us to share some of their time, knowledge, current work and experiences. So brace yourselves, this is going to be some good stuff.

Durhams, thank so much for joining us today. It's great to have you. We here at All Authors enjoy nothing more than networking with other people/companies in this industry. We believe that we should all stick together.

Today you'll be interviewed by our Founder and Creator, the President of All Authors P&P, Ms. Y. Correa.

1. (Shaking hands and smiling) Welcome, Durhams! Thanks for joining me. Please sit, sit. Could you please tell us a little bit about Durham Editing and E-books, what you do and why?

Hi, Y! Thanks for having us. Durham Editing and E-books is a small, online editing company that also offers e-book and print-on-demand formatting and cover design. We also offer publishing opportunities for writers which, in turn, brings us to the why part of your question.

We do what we do for two reasons: 1) to help authors get going in the e-publishing world and expand their audiences, and 2) to be able to look our kids in the eyes and tell them that we’re proud of the work we do and that it helps others, especially helping others share their story with the world.

2. I'd love to know a little bit about how you started out. How, why and when was Durham Editing established?

We started out in the e-publishing world back in 2010 when we both released our first poetry collections. We started getting involved in the indie world, and we realized that we weren’t the only people who felt a little uncertain and even overwhelmed when faced with releasing their first indie publication. We saw a real need for quality, affordable editing, formatting, and cover design and decided to help fill it. We began freelancing, and in 2011 Durham Editing and E-book Design was born. In 2013, we decided to put together a poetry anthology in honor of National Poetry Month. It was an absolute blast, and so our publishing opportunities were born. We also shortened our name in 2013 to Durham Editing and E-books since it just felt more natural to us and our clients.

3. That's a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing. Now as a publisher, literary advocate and author, I know the importance AND difficulty of editing. I also see that that is one of your specialties. Could you tell us a little bit about your editing services and how they differ from others?

We offer different levels of editing based on each writer’s needs. We offer basic editing--you know, spelling, grammar, typos, punctuation, flow, some syntax. We also offer content editing that’s more in depth, helping with syntax, conciseness, clarity, coherence, and basic editing. We also have manuscript consultations which are a great “pre-editing” service.

We have a couple real differences from most of our competitors. The first big difference is price. We try to save our writers as much money as we can. That means that if we can offer you some suggestions that would take your needs down a bit on the cost scale, we try to offer those to clients. The reason we do this is really tied to our second difference. That second reason is our love and support of our authors. We love our writers, and there is really no other way to put it. We try to promote our writers and help them expand their audience. If that means they contact us to tell us about a promotion they are running on their book, we tell people about. We also do Featured Author blog posts that feature our authors. We even promote the authors who work on our anthologies with us. We want to help authors make it in the e-publishing world, and we do everything we can to help them.

4. I am also aware that Durham Editing has put together several anthologies. Could you please share the inspirations behind those anthologies, as well as the premise?

We do these anthologies to help authors widen their audience and even to get started in e-publishing. Our thought process is that there is power in numbers, and if indie writers pool their work into a really great collection, then every writer featured benefits. Every writer has at least one reader--even if it is just him or her. If that reader is exposed to every other author in the collection, then each author in the collection has the opportunity to win over a new reader. It’s a win-win situation. For new writers, it is also a way to get involved in e-publishing that is supportive and caring, an experience that is sometimes hard to find. We offer opportunities in short stories, poetry, memoirs, Christmas stories, and more, so there is always something going on.

5. From all of Durham Editing’s anthologies, which is your personal favorite and why?

Wow. Our favorite. That’s a really hard question. Each one is so special on its own. The poetry anthology for 2013 will probably always be our most-loved as it is what really got us going in the publishing opportunity field.

6. I realize that you regularly take submissions for upcoming anthologies. What is it that you look for in a submission? What catches your attention when reading over the vast amount of entries that you receive?

We look for good writing first and foremost. We want writing that is open and inviting to a wide variety of readers and will embrace rather than reject. Our Christian values really guide us, as well.

7. Could you tell us a little bit about what services Durham Editing offers and how they benefit the recipients?

When you hear that first impressions matter, this couldn’t be more true that in publishing. Every writer can benefit from a second set of eyes. We actually offer two sets of eyes to each piece. We also offer manuscript consultations that offer writers advice and insight into their manuscripts’ character development, plot, dialogue, pacing, and coherence, and are a really invaluable service for new writers--or seasoned writers for that matter.

8. Now, this may be a little bit of a biased conversation piece, but we here at All Authors are extremely proud of our very own Nicola (Nikki) McDonagh & Queen of Spades, who happened to make it into Words of Fire and Ice. That being said, what things were you looking for when putting together that particular poetry anthology and why?

With Words of Fire and Ice, we wanted poetry that really rocked both sides of the balance, the passionate and the pointed. We wanted poetry that truly made an impression on the reader and would invite some sort of personal introspection as well.

9. What sort of things do you envision Durham Editing doing in the future?

Our real dream is to keep doing what we are doing: helping indie authors make it in the e-publishing world. It doesn’t get much better than this.

10. Could you please share with us where our readers/followers can connect with you? Also would you please share some closing words, maybe something inspirational?

Certainly. We can always be found at http://editingandebooks.com. We can also be found on Twitter (@DurhamEditing), Pinterest (Durham Editing), Linked In (Durham Editing and E-books), Google+ , and Facebook (Durham Editing and E-book Design). You can also follow our RSS feed or join our mailing list via our website.

We owe our success to the Lord, and we hope to pass that love and success on to all the writers we work with. It is truly our honor to work with all of them. Helping writers’ publish their masterpieces is our dream come true.

As April wrote in Words of Fire and Ice, “No matter the strength of the proverbial sticks and stones, words have a power that no other thing holds. Words can build and break, create and destroy, inspire and defeat.” What will your words do?

Thank you, Y., for taking the time to talk with us and to let us share a little about our company and services. It’s been a true pleasure. Best wishes and God bless!

Well, thank you so much, once again for being here. It was a lovely time. We hope to have you again very soon. Maybe with a guest blog post about your books.

Cheers!

Y. Correa

A "Rising" Invasion (featuring Da'Kharta Rising)

Da'Kharta Rising

Goodreads

Koobug

Blog: Thoughts of a Slightly Social Anti-Socialite

Today All Authors is honored to showcase Da'Kharta Rising.  Getting her to come out is almost as hard as getting Harrison Ford to do interviews so we definitely cherish this time with her.  Miss Rising, take it away:

What’s good?  Luckily a lot of things.

(Wait!  Is cussing allowed on here?  Well, just in case it's not I will keep it to a minimum or nonexistent.)

1st off: a Phonics lesson if you will.  Simply because I already know some folks are going to mess up my name.  First name is Da’Kharta.

• Da= like “Duh”
• Khar= like “car” (what you drive)
• Ta= like “Tata, for now”

Rising is self explanatory.  I mean, how can anyone f (sorry had to catch myself) that up?

Only adaptations of my name I will respond to are:

• D
• Kar 
• DR (my initials) or if you are want to be uber proper,

“Miss Rising” (not Mrs.  Do I look old to you, and even if I do, don’t say it!)

Um...no.  Not my style.

My writings are of a dark somewhat sarcastic nature.  You won’t find any chic lit here.  There’s enough of that out as it is.  Why should I add to the pot?  I have no aspirations to prove that I can dabble in a little of this and a little of that.  I’d rather master what’s already in my sick twisted mind than to have happy thoughts flood in and get dammed on sight.

My recent short story “Vocal Remedy” is available on Smashwords, Goodreads and Scribd.  Vigilante type goodness without the risk of being jailed or the cost of getting bailed out. (#FREE)

Blurb: Vaser is not surprised when Mr. Choice selects him. He does have a great voice and only the best should compete to win the cash prize for the music program. Everything falls into place as Vaser prepares to deliver a vocal remedy to compose his own award winning tune.

Genre: Psychological Dark Drama

My next release will be another short story entitled “Simi’s Komma”.  I’m giving All Authors an exclusive by giving you an excerpt:

Yeah shocker! #RisingAlert

Excerpt:

Two evergreen trees sat on either side of Sentence Avenue.  In front of one tree was a blue-gray marble sign.  Shiny gold words were embossed on the sign's surface.  It read: Welcome to Papyrus.

Papyrus was like any small town.  Sentence Avenue was the one major street.  If one was to ask a local for his address, he may not be able to tell you the name of his street.  He'd probably say “two roads off of Sentence” or he would name a landmark just on the outskirts.  Sometimes, even the GPS would get confused.  That was a testament to the small construction of Papyrus.

No one would have taken note of this town if it weren't for what occurred.  There had been so much speculation—the main one being motive.  Did things really have to turn out this way?

No, Hiphen wasn't featured on Dateline.  No money was offered by any magazines (tabloids included) or any enticement of a book deal.  The record had to be set straight by someone who was actually there and knew the people involved.  Hiphen was that connection.  It is for that reason alone he granted me permission to share his story with the world.  

This is where my intro ends and his story begins.  

***

Hi.  The name's Hiphen.  The “ph” is pronounced like an “f” but the rest is as it looks.  My parents are blue collar and proud of it.  My dad works as a local mechanic while my mom stocks at the local supermarket.  If they ever yearned for more in life, I never knew of it.  They never complain: begin and end each day with smiles on their faces.  Perhaps that was why not too much ever bothered me.

In the house right across the street from me lived this guy named Piereod.  He's “Rod” for short.  I don't believe Rod's parents were in their right minds when they named him.  Think about it!  Who would name their kid after a girl's menstrual cycle?  That was merciless teasing waiting to happen!  Rod and I got along right away.  His dad and my dad loved fishing and playing spades.  They would go fishing on Saturday mornings and play spades on Saturday nights.  Spades’ nights used to be Sundays but since my mom got saved years ago, she didn't want any “gambling” done on the Lord's Day.  My dad respected that and moved it.

Two houses down from Rod resided Exclaim.  Rod and I gave her a rough time when her family first moved to Papyrus.  Rumor had it that Exclaim's mom and dad wasn't her biological parents.  That was a new thing to Papyrus so we didn't treat her fairly.  One can only tease someone so much before she reaches the limit. Exclaim's limit came the day Rod stole her bike from her front yard.  We thought she was going to cry and tell her parents: typical girl shit.  No—she hunted Rod down and pummeled him something fierce.  After that we had a new found respect for Exclaim and never teased her again.  A few years back, she declared that we call her “Point.”  When Rod and I asked why, she told us it sounded more masculine and fit with her tomboy image.  With her elfin cut, athletic build and boyish clothes, we tended to forget “Point” was a girl. That's how she preferred it.

Slightly diagonal to Point's house was where the fourth and final member of our squad lived.  His name was Simi.  We all hung out at his house the most because it was the biggest house on the block.  Although Simi's parents came from money, they never acted like they were better than others in the neighborhood.  Once people picked up on their down-to-earth nature and generosity, the initial cold shoulder thawed.  At times, I thought Simi's life was a lonely one.  Simi's father was an international banker so he did a lot of traveling. Simi's mom and dad divorced when Simi was very young but the split was amicable.  She visited Simi as often as she could and would bring him gifts after her travels.  Simi's mom did off Broadway shows as well as infomercials.  A few times, she would even hand out some of the products from the commercials.   It was as if Simi raised himself but he took it all in stride.

end of excerpt

Enjoyed what you’ve seen so far?  Then stay tuned.  Perhaps you might not have to wait long but that’s all up to my publisher.

I'm out!

It's a MANN Invasion

Adonis Mann

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Greetings everyone!  Today on All Authors Blog, we have a MANN invasion.  Adonis Mann that is.  The latest addition to All Authors Publishing House stops by to introduce himself and to give us a peek into his WIP.  Adonis, take it away!

Salutations!

To all of you who do not know me--and that's many of you--my name is Adonis Mann. Oh, but if we were all but a name, what would we truly be?

Sorry. Shakespeare moment.

Here is a little bit of me.

I have been an "in the closet" aspiring author for some time now. I've always wanted to write, but never really knew what I wanted to write about. Another problem was that I knew I'd never be able to write a full length novel. I was like "HOW many THOUSAND words?!?!"

Then one day...

I swear it was like lightning  !  A little voice in the back of my head said "Adonis, you twit, write short stories! People love those too!"

In comes my friend Synful Desire...

She was all, "Hey Donny, I got signed up with this new up-and-coming publishing agency called All Authors Publishing House. These people are the bomb. They've got a magazine, a blog, I mean everything! Give'em a try. Cause they actually took a few of my short stories and now they're working on my full length. Good thing is that they're taking newbies like you and me."

And I was all, "O! M! G! Genius!!" And following the prompts, I went to their site, submitted my stuff and VUALA! I am now under their label.

As for the story ideas, they pretty much took a life of their own. I just took what I knew, added a little spice and BING, BANG, BOOM! I had my first short story... then my second... and my... well, you get the idea.

Things I stand for:

• I stand for equality for all and freedom of being. I'm so sick and tired of the damn divide between people because of their sexual preference, their race, color, religious beliefs and such.
• I stand for my people. Those being my friends, family, and my All Authors Family.
• I stand for GOOD FOOD! Holy hell, I don't think I can do another salad ever again!
• I stand for gaming! Hey, we all have a little nerd in us.
• But most of all, I STAND! And that's all that matters.

My current WIP is entitled "...and we".  Why? Because every other title I wanted for it was already taken.

So, without further ado, an excerpt of "... and we" by... well, ME! Enjoy! 

DISCLAIMER:  This is a work of an erotic nature and will have sexual and sensual content.  (Make the kids go out and play or read something that's not this stuff.)

The bitter sweet sizzle of my tongue against her scorching hot nipple was like a droplet of water on a searing hot piece of coal. It sent a tiny shock wave of electric revelry coursing through me; from the tip of my tongue ton the edge of my indulgence, which at that very moment was battling to come free of its confinements. By this point, I could feel that it was red with throbbing need to feel the slick warmth of her inner cove.

She hummed deep in her throat as the delightful sensation tickled her erect pink nub. She liked it—I licked it—it was fantastic.

Gripping it between my teeth, a grazed it, running it through them. She moaned again. "Mmmm." She was a vixen for pain, this one.

From behind, I felt his hands caress my back from bottom to top, and top to bottom. He puffed his satisfaction. He enjoyed watching—he was fond of participating even more.

"That's right Papa, take her!" He commanded in a sensual, sing-song voice. It was a combination of horniness and ravishment—a male siren.

Lifting my other hand to her awaiting breast—one unoccupied by either a mouth or hand—I fondled it too, pinching that nipple between my fingers, knowing that she enjoyed the olio of indulgence and pang. She was a rarity, the sort that happily mixed business with pleasure, and pleasure with pain. A sexual phoenix.

He was wanton. Libidinous was his desire.

All of this was the foreground of a masterpiece night. The three of us, a room full of passion, pheromones and testosterone—a banquet for coition. The spice for magnetism which would produce a night full of carnal merriment. Three covetous souls with each other. A cocktail of absolute perfection.

And perfect it was...

Thank you so much for stopping by Adonis!  If you want to connect more with Adonis, all of his contact information is below his fanny. (lol)

Cover Art Needed?

Do you need cover art, a banner, or graphics for your website?

Are you not tech savvy?

Are other graphic designers charging ridiculous prices for images they've used time and time again?

All Authors Publications and Promotions understands the struggles authors confront so we makes things easy and inexpensive!

There are so many challenges with being an author--especially if you're Indie--many more than most people tend to think about. Only you know what's going on behind the scenes. You face struggles such as:

* Low or no funds, and when you do find an affordable graphic designer, often times they offer underwhelming work or images that they've utilized several times, giving you recycled art.

* The pre-made or stock pictures offered on many photo purchasing sites are either too drab or too generic.

* Most high-end graphic designers want to charge an arm and a leg, which you simply do not have to offer. After all, one of the reasons you've written a book is to make money, not give it.

All Authors provides hassle free and understanding customer service. We hear you out, try to see your vision and then work vigorously to make it happen, ALL at a very low price.

* Banners range from $5 - $15 (USD)

* Front covers range from $15 - $35 (USD)

* Front and back cover combos range from $25 - $45 (USD)

Note:

You will be expected to provide your own blurb to insert into the back cover unless otherwise requested. We do offer blurb writing services at a very reasonable price also.

Please visit out website for some SAMPLES, or CONTACT US for more information.

All Authors Proudly Presents Ms. Harmony Kent

Harmony Kent

She’s All About Indie!

Ten things you should know:

1. She was born in 2013 (at least, the author in her was) … the rest of her is … err … just a LITTLE bit older than that.
2. She is really boring.
3. She has absolutely no sense of humour.  At all.
4. She reads.  A lot.
5. She writes.  Even more.
6. She’s completely sane (in).
7. She doesn’t have any children, but is surrounded by loads of cute gremlins who claim to be her nieces and nephews.  Stranger still: they seem to like her.
8. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably as sane as she is.
9. If you still want to hang around, and if you’re feeling brave …
10. She’s online …

Harmony Kent Online

At Twitter: @harmony_kent

At Facebook

On Goodreads

Email

At Koobug

Amazon Author Page

Indie Author Harmony Kent has written three books. The Battle for Brisingamen, her first novel, is a work of fantasy fiction and was approved by Awesome Indies within weeks of its release.

Her second book, The Glade shows her equally at home in the realms of mystery, suspense and thriller – with a dash of magical realism.  This book has also been approved for the Awesome Indie List. The cover was also featured in “All Authors Magazine” in their Awesome Covers feature in issue 3.

Her third book, Elemental Earth, is a Young Adult Fantasy Fiction novel, and will be released on May 31^st 2014. It has already received its first 5 star rating!

“You turned the god of gnomes into a garden ornament?”

Sarah looked closely, but couldn’t tell if her dad was annoyed or amused—perhaps he was both …

Whilst 15 year old Sarah may be struggling to regain her feet, after being ripped from her everyday mundane life and ending up in a whole new dimension, she still knows how to have a bit of fun along the way. The Earth Elemental isn’t the only one whose feathers she manages to ruffle, and it’s only been four days. Meanwhile, her best friend is missing, and big trouble is brewing. She soon has a lot more to worry about than what happened to her phone or iPod, or even how much of an idiot Caleb obviously thinks she is.

Elemental Earth is the first book in The Mysteries series, and is aimed at Young Adults. Even if you’ve already reached an age where the young ones might call you ‘old enough’, if you’re still young at heart then you’re bound to enjoy these books just as much as the next—err—younger adult.

Age aside, perhaps we should be more worried about what further havoc Sarah’s antics might be about to wreak on the universe as we know it? We’d probably all be sleeping a lot more soundly if she’d only stuck to applied maths and the odd pillow fight. But no, sadly the lure of the proverbial rabbit hole proved just a tad too much. And now she’s taken the plunge, there’s no turning back.

Available to pre-order now at a special discounted price until its release day: 

http://harmonykent.co.uk/harmonys-book-store/

Order your copy today and don’t miss out on this incredible deal.

With a fourth book on the way, Harmony is well on track to being a firmly established multi genre author.

As well as being an avid reader and writer, Harmony also offers editing, proof reading, manuscript appraisal and beta reading services (all at discounted rates, in an effort to assist her fellow indie authors). 

Harmony works hard to promote and protect high standards within the indie publishing arena.  She is always on the lookout for talent and excellence, and will freely promote any authors or books who she feels have these attributes. She also reviews and supports indie authors on her blog, Facebook and twitter. She is proud to be an approved reviewer for both Awesome Indies and The Review Board.

Harmony has her own column in the up and coming “All Authors Magazine”, entitled: “All About Indie”. Don’t miss her debut article in Issue 5!

Harmony is 41 years old, single, and currently lives in Cornwall, England. 

(I’m SURE she won’t mind me giving her True age away!)

Don’t be afraid to stop by and say “HI” … she promises she won’t bite! 

The Writer/photographer Within: Nicola J McDonagh

The Writer/photographer Within: Nicola J McDonagh

I am not comfortable talking about myself.

I often wonder why

Anyone would want to know anything about me.

Then I think okay; maybe I have something to say.

I am a dreamer

I am a watcher of all things; a camera eye

That snatches up images hidden and afraid

To come into the light.

My shutter stutters quick and sharp to catch

The murmurs, the movement, the struggle of words

To capture them raw

And develop their potential through snap shot spiel.

And that my friends, is why I seldom write poetry!

Okay, on to my prose.

I visualise words and see stories appear as I write. Sometimes I have a plan, sometimes a phrase, a single word, or just a name that triggers an idea that turns into a tale. At best, I create worlds that no one has ever seen and characters that readers want to meet. At worst I type out black shapes that do nothing more than bore and irritate. These ramblings I store in my ‘Get over yourself you pretentious bitch’ file’.

When I came to write The Song of Forgetfulness series, a YA dystopian/science fiction action adventure, (phew!) I was out of my comfort zone completely. Echoes from the Lost Ones was a huge challenge for me, as I’d never written in that genre or for that age group before.

It was just as much a journey of self-discovery for me, as it was for my main character, Adara. I saw the world I created through her eyes and as the narrative progressed, I became part of the world I created. I became interested in science for the first time in my life, and loved doing the research about cloning, Nano- technology and the very real threat to our eco-system by global warming, disease and destroying natural habitats. But, I didn’t want my book to be doom and gloom. I still retain some faith in my fellow human beings and hope that the message I have written within the text shines through, and gives all who read it a sense of hope for mankind and the future of this beautiful planet.

A Silence Heard, is the second book in the series The Song of Forgetfulness and is out now!!!

BLURB:

It’s a sickly wind that blows, ash black and full of menace. I hear them through the blackness - voices inside my noggin. Meeks calling from deep within the ground.

I stop listening and catch another sound. Agros, lots of them. Feet pounding, shaking the earth, drawing closer. An unseen army equipped with tech we know nowt about. All I have is my voice and the power of friendship. I must act now before the Agro menace snuffs us out.

But there’s a stone in my guts. A hard thing that won’t move. Yet I must, I must rise from all this grief and sing. Sing to save the Meeks, sing to destroy the Agros, and sing The Song of Forgetfulness to send lost loved ones to a better place and peace.

You’ll see, I’ll save my bro-bro yet.

Synopsis:

A Silence Heard continues the quest of Adara and her friends to save her brother Deogol, and all the missing Meeks. They escape from the monastery in the clouds and with the help of a mysterious map, travel to Agro headquarters. The place where the little ‘uns are imprisoned and Agros carry out sinister experiments.

Disguised as Ladies and their escorts, Adara, Kendra, Eadgard, Wirt and Marcellus, enter Agro headquarters ready to infiltrate their colony and free the Meeks. However, Agros are smart and Adara and her companions find themselves at the mercy of torturers and sleazy seducers. However, there is hope. The Meeks have a secret weapon and outside, folk are gathering. A legion of Woodsfolk, Clonies, S.A.N.T.S, Holy ones and Ladies, are on their way.

But time is running out. Adara’s struggle to save her kin becomes a desperate battle of life and death, as Agros send in their army of cloned killers to destroy the insurgents who are moving ever closer. Adara is forced to use her voice again and again, to try and stop the Agros from winning the war, but each time she does, a part of her dies.

As filthy battles ensue and loved ones perish, Adara must sing The Song of Forgetfulness one last time if she is to save not only the Meeks, but all the folk of NotsoGreatBritAlbion, from a life of slavery and despair.

Contact information:

A Silence Heard is available from Amazon in both paperback and kindle formats:

Amazon UK

You can contact Nicola and learn more about her on the following links:

Email:

nikki@thesongofforgetfulness.com

Facebook

Website

Photography Website

Blog

Goodreads

Twitter

An Unbiased, Objective Look at Authorship

Hello and Good Day RWPP's,

Today All Authors P&P is taking an unbiased objective look at authorship. Let's look at the good, the bad and the ugly.

There are so many aspects of being a published author--so many sides to the coin--those of which many of us prior to being published never even think about.

In today's world there are so many platforms that Indie authors can use to become a published author. Yet with traditional publishing it still remains the same--submit, submit, submit. What traditional publishers aren't telling you is that they are using the very same platforms indies are! The only difference is that traditional publishing firms have a whole slew of professionals on their side, so this makes it a little different.

In THIS DAY AND TIME, ANYONE--literally anyone--can call themselves a published author.

While the freedom is great, the facts can be depressing! Let's give it a look-see, shall we?

So what's the difference between Traditional vs. Indie/Self-Published?

Traditional Publishing:

This means that you have gone the old-school route of submitting your manuscript to publishers and if accepted have signed a contract to have them represent your book. This also means that you are only eligible for a portion of your royalties. If you are one of the very few to be accepted by The Big 5 then you'll have a whole teams of people marketing your book. BUT if you are accepted by one of the smaller companies, than chances are that you will be required to do a great amount of the marketing yourself. The benefit to this is having the validity of being "under the umbrella" if you will, of good quality reads and a lineage of professionals. 

Indie/Self-Published:

This means that you have opted to do everything yourself. That is, from writing, to editing, to making the book cover, to marketing and everything in between. You do not have an advocate or a group of professionals teaming up to help you. The benefit to this is that you get to keep all of the royalties and recognition of the work to yourself. No one can tamper with your work and/or change it.

Now that all of that is out of the way, let's get to the "real talk" aspect of today's topic.

Personally, I can care less about what publishing platform you've used (Indie/SP or Traditional). All I care about is the downward spiral that is now happening in the market in general.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Y. Correa President/Creator/Founder of All Authors P&P. I am also a published author, a literary advocate and a professional reviewer--doing reviews with The Review Board. Needless to say, I read A LOT! My life practically revolves around books. I do not discriminate genre or publishing platform--I'll read them all (well, maybe excluding the anti-bible).

In so doing I've seen a continuous drop in quality. This worries me greatly.

Let's talk about the Cons of Traditional Publishing:

• They can take your book idea and change it completely.
• There has been an increase in contracts that state that authors can be taken off of their own works.
• You don't always get what you think your getting.
• If you don't look out for yourself, you will get ripped off. 
• You're just a number--literally.
• There is no real interaction with your publishers.
• They get to tell you what they want to keep and what they want to take out of your book.
• Sometimes, if you're not careful, your book can get altered/abridged.
• Most importantly, they aim to "mainstream" you at any cost.

Let's talk about the Cons of Indie Publishing:

• Anyone can publish. While this is a benefit, it's also a downfall. Let me explain why; because people have been publishing low quality reads. So while, if you get props for having published a good book, you will also get fowl reviews if you happened to publish a bad one--and no authors wants to get bad reviews or become part of the "don't read his/her crap" list.
• You have to do EVERYTHING, and I mean everything, by yourself.
• Marketing isn't easy and indies always seem to get the cold shoulder.
• The vast majority frown upon Indie publishing.
• They don't have a very good reputation, especially because of those whom have published lackluster works.
• Not everyone is crafty enough to make cover art and/or format their books interiors.

So, no matter how you spin it, there are good and bad things with both markets. I should know. I am and have been both Indie & Traditional.

So, let's get to the nitty gritty, shall we?

My concern is in the downslide of the literary market.

I have been coming across books, Indie & Traditional alike whose quality have gotten worse and worse. From dreary plots, to excessive wordiness, to terrible syntax, to unoriginal story lines and so much more.

Why is this, you ask?

I think the answer is simple. Competition.

First you have the Indies' trying to prove themselves, then you have the Traditionals' trying to compete with the increase in Indie published authors. The problem is that everyone is focused on quantity, not quality.

And what happens? The grand divide, as I call it.

As integrated as our world has become in racial aspects, it has become more and more segregated in literary aspects. Everyone thinks they are right, and therefore cannot come to an agreement. Sam, wants to prove to Tony that he has what it takes to be an "author". Yet, Tony wants to prove to Sam that tradition is of grater value than independence.

Herein lies the tug of war...

HERE IS THE PROBLEM!

While one party competes with the other, the ones that pay the penalty are the readers!! WE, get stuck with low quality books that are impossible to enjoy!

LADIES, LADIES! YOU'RE ALL PRETTY!!

I believe that it's incredibly important to focus more on quality than quantity.

Here is how we can do that:

Analyze yourself.

• Are you really, truly able to write a book?
• Are you prepared?
• Do you have the skills and know how?
• Are you patient enough to ensure that your work is up to par, well done and exceptional?
• Do you think your book has the makings of an original and outstanding story/work?

Be precautions.

• Don't fall for everything your told.
• Read, and double read your contracts (for traditional authors), and contractors guidelines (for indie authors hiring people to do work for you). If you can't double check it, have someone that you trust do it for you.

But most of all, think of your audience!!!!! Put yourself in their shoes! Would YOU read your book if you were them?

AFTER ALL, A HAPPY READER EQUALS A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR!

~~~~~~

Time for y'all to talk to me! Tell me your thoughts, share your input! Interact!

~~~~~

This is All Authors P&P

The good, the bad and the ugly in the world of books, article 1.

All Authors Interview with D. John Watson

D. John Watson

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Howdy everyone!  Today you're in for a special treat.  We sit down and talk to D. John Watson about the Chronicles of Irindia and a few things in between!

1) Could you please tell us a little about the Chronicles of Irindia and how you came across the inspiration for the premise? 

Inspiration behind the cover image
Artist: Jay Van Schelt

Well, let’s start with the premise.  I had mental picture of my hero surrounded by strange lights.  I worked it into a few black and white sketches, even did a full color sketch.  But it kept nagging at me so I decided to explore the story behind the sketch and the first thing I came up with was the ending.

The Chronicles of Irindia is a trilogy and it’s the story of a boy named David who is predestined to save a world he has never heard of.  After an argument, with his mother, he makes a wish to be anyplace else, and learns you have to be careful what you wish for.  He arrives in a land called Irindia and this land is being consumed by a very dark and powerful evil in the form of a powerful wizard named Draga.  The only way to stop this is to find and unite the fragments of an ancient artifact called the Stone of Irindia.  This stone is the only  weapon strong enough to defeat this evil and David is the only one who can do this.  And only by doing it can he return home.

So begins David’s quest even as a massive army to challenge Draga, is being assembled under the banner of a Lady named Akira Nene. He must across a land filled with creatures from out own myths and legends, guided by a powerful wizard who must prepare him for the role he’s expected to fulfill.  It’s also a role he’s not sure he can fulfill despite the confidence of everyone else.

2) I've read some of your work and am fascinated with the names you've chosen for your characters. I also know, as a writer, that sometimes our characters name themselves, for a lack of a better term. Could you tell us a little bit about how you chose the usual names for your cast of characters? 

With Irindia, I used real world languages so when come names were chosen, I tried to make them sound as though their origin was from that culture.  The most widely used language is Irish, I love the way it sounds, it has a magical sound so Alassa sounds right.  For Draga, his magical language is Slavic because of it’s harsh sound so the name sounds like it fits.  Lady Akara Nene has clear Asian influence so I went with a name that sounded like it fit that type of culture.  For others, I have to plead whimsy there.

3) I was particularly drawn to Empress Alassa. She was one of my favorite characters. Could you please share with us a little bit about her roll in the story and how it is pertinent to the story line?

Alassa is of course the empress of Irindia but she is also the guardian of a powerful artifact called the Mirror of Irindia.  This artifact is a gateway to other worlds and something both my main character David and his enemy, Lord Draga desperately want.  The key is, it cannot be used without her permission and that permission can't be taken through force or deception.  Permission has to be given freely.

4) I also loved the concept of David, the main character, being biracial. Why did you go this route?

That was just a whim really.  I was looking for something out of the ordinary for a character and one of my favorite authors takes a similar route, except that his racial mix is Japanese and American.

5) Like every teenager (or preteen) David didn't always agree with his parents, especially because he was always moved around. Could you tell us a little bit about the inspiration for David, who he is and what he means to you?

David is inspired by my own son, who then was only thirteen and is now almost seventeen going on thirty. So when it came time to fleshing out David, I went with the one I knew best.  So many of the same disputes and many of David's likes and dislikes are molded directly from him.  I fact much of his family in general is based on my own, including the move to North Carolina and his father‘s career in restaurants.

6) Youth and Young Adult fantasy is a particularly hard genre to write in. Mostly because you have to keep the story interesting and upbeat in order to keep the target audience engaged. Has Youth/YA fantasy always been a genre that has "spoken" to you?

Not always but I spent several years working with kids as  martial arts instructor and this was right around the time it seemed everyone had a Harry Potter book in their hand. There was just something about this type of book that fascinated all my students.  I eventually started reading them to my son as part of his bed time routine and continued when he lost interest.  I found  books like that and The Lord of  the Rings books had a general appeal that could easily translate into general Fantasy as well as YA without having to change any of the elements.

7) Now, veering off of the "tell me about your book(s)" type questions, most people want to get to know the mind behind the pages. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself; your hobbies, what you wanted to be as a child, things of that nature?

First of all, I’m a father, husband and grandfather as well as a self proclaimed beach rat. It’s funny how things work out, I was always into drawing and painting and saw myself in some form of commercial art, maybe drawing for Marvel Comics or something like that.  I even went to art school for a bit while working in restaurants.  Well, I still draw and I’m still working in restaurants but I was never able to finished school.
The writing was an off shoot of the art and my life long passion for reading, which I had to use since being a bad asthmatic sometimes kept me home when I’d rather be outside.  Now back to the funny how things work out line.  It was the writing that got me involved with another passion, martial arts.  I started training really as research for a story, I wanted to have the right feel to the fight sequences.  What started out as a few classes evolved into a seven year journey that ended up with me receiving a 2nd dan black belt and being a part time instructor.  That was my dream job, the one I would go back to in a minute if I ever got the chance.  I believe that all things happen for a reason and it might not be until later that we see what that reason was.

8) I love to ask the following question because is shows what's important to people. If you were stranded on a desert island alone and could only have 3 things with you to entertain yourself, what would they be?  

Just three? A never ending supply of books, art supplies and a fully equipped dojo.

9) What is your favorite color and why? What is your favorite food and why?

My favorite color is blue and I’m sure I have a reason for that one.   As for food, anything with pasta in it. I’d eat pasta with every meal if I could and I think it because of the wide variety of sauces that can be used although I particularly fond of pesto.

10) Going for gold here... Who was your high school crush and what happened with that person?

Her name was Julie and she was a fellow art class fanatic.  We dated a few times but we were better off as friends.  I kind of lost touch with after high school.

Feeling some kind of way...

Hello RWPP's

So, I'm feeling some kind of way about a reply to a blog post from a blog on LinkedIn that I follow. 

Frankly, I'm pissed and have a bone to pick with this person and all others like him that think the same way.

However, I'm turning to you--my faithful readers/followers--for your input... because, quite honestly I might be overreacting. However, how can I not?

The subject is the always famous "Reviews".

Now, although I have TONS & TONS to say about this subject, I'll try to limit myself to the affair at hand.

Here is how it all started...

Something like a week ago, someone on LinkedIn asked in one of their groups/blogs about book reviews. Basically this person is a new author and is looking for book reviews and was asking for information therein.

Now being that I have some information to give, I answered said person's post and recommended The Review Board, as it's a board that I work with hand in hand and I highly endorse, since their reviews are in depth and informative. Moreover, they are FREE! Yes, of course their is a waiting list, but what would you expect from a place that offers quality reviews for no cost at all, plus accept ALL GENRES. We get a little busy from time to time...

Anywho...

Needless to say whenever someone commented on the post, I'd get a notification. I'm sure those on you on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter know what I'm talking about.

Then, yesterday at some point, one individual left the following comment:

"It's not people who provide the most powerful reviews (barring a review by President Obama). It's organizations in your book's genre that count the most.
For example, I wrote a novel about young Jewish lovers during the Holocaust that was trade-published in 2007 ("Jacob's Courage"). My best, most powerful and influential compelling reviews came from Jewish Book World and The Association of Jewish Libraries.
You see, it's not individual readers (bless their hearts) that count the most. It's organizations in your book's genre that count much more. Because, while each person's review may impact a handful of other new purchases, each organization's reviews can impact the purchasing of hundreds of thousands or millions of prospective readers.
Don't get me wrong. I love each of the many personal positive reviews that my books have generated with readers at Amazon, B&N, Alibris, Scribd, Kobo, Sony, Scrollmotion, etc. These people took the time (and cost) to read and positively review my books. I love that. But, those reviews are not likely to drive any really significant new purchases.
However, the organizations that these people belong to and the organizations that oversee the events and credibility of my books' genres count for so much more influence.
So, go ahead and enjoy reviews from readers. But know that reviews from respected organizations in your book's genre are far, far more powerful and influential. Figure out how to get those reviews and you'll be in like Flint.

By Charles W-"

Now forgive me if I cannot see the "helpful" hint in this reply, but is it just me, or is this person saying that us "average" folk aren't good enough to review a book, because our reviews "don't count"??

I mean, I could be wrong... right?

 Right.

 And so...

In continuing with my conversation. 

Point 1)

I thought that it was US, the averages day folk that BUY the book. I mean, am I wrong? And if our reviews don't count, then why the hell are we giving them?!

Point 2)

I am simply NOT A FAN of his condescending and obnoxious tone! Here is what it sounded like to me. (insert sarcastic tone here) "Oh! Those sweet little people, bless their souls! I'm so grateful (wink, wink) of their reviews and all, but it's simply not enough. Besides, MY book is better than YOURS because this high end society says so. Now there!"

Point 3)

How many movie and book critics are out there that either slander a book or give it praise and the general public disagrees completely? I'm just saying!

Point 4)

Made by a good friend of mine Mr. D. John Watson; these high end places only count for "specialty books" meaning things that are not so common. But for us average everyday writers of fantasy fiction and nonfiction, it's the little people's reviews that matter.

Point 5)

I know of high end places that charge RIDICULOUS amounts of money for reviews--and by 'ridiculous' I mean up to $500--and STILL give lackluster reviews or flat out bad ones. So, what's the point in that?

Now...

All that being said, and still not covering the extent of all that I wanted to say, I'll cue you all in. What you are thoughts on the matter??