I had the unpleseant pleasure of having to go to the doctor's office last week. It turned out that I had a sinus infection on top of a flu virus that was reaking havok on my system. The unfortunate aspect of this realization was having to wait three hours in their lobby to get to this conclusion. I'm pretty sure that by the time I was called back into the exam room that I could have taken the morning news anchor's job with no problem.
The real fun began when I got back there... I swear - I think that doctors today are playing some sort of twisted game with us as patients any more. They sit back there behind their computer screens scribbling God-knows-what on their clipboards. Well, I can tell you what I believe they're doing back there... MadLibs. After this particular experience, I'm certain that these professionals are working off of a fill-in-the-blank symptom MadLib, and then googleing it online:
DR: What are your issues today?
YOU: Sore throat, runny nose, cough... ya know...
DR: Umm hmm... (looks at clipboard and thinks to self) 'Eight letter word in Latin... Noun... ' Influenza.
YOU: Come again?
DR: You have influenza... or maybe cholera... no, that's only six... oh, nevermind.
Ok... So, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration... maybe. Let's face it, though... most PAs and doctors these days are only doing what we could do for ourselves in searching up the symptoms online. So, maybe they do have more years of trained experience, and perhaps they do know what's best. Who's to say that they aren't really doing this unbeknownst to us all?
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Marketing Corner
In this blog string, I would like to share some free marketing concepts that may boost your ebook sales. There are already the tried and true methods that have been put out in regards to this subject such as (but not limited to): writing another book, starting a blog, working in the affiliated marketing program, creating a website for your works, and conducting interviews with well-known authors in your genre -- just to name a few.
So, let's say you've done all of that, and you're STILL not getting many/any sales. I'll use the two books featured on the blog for this week to illustrate a couple of techniques that you might not have considered. You've written a fantastic End of Days epic. The first thought might be marketing it to the Christian consumer market. You would be right in doing so, but what happens after that pool runs dry? I would suggest that you do something a little counter-intuitive. Take your work and market it to blogs and forums that run counter to the belief system that your book portrays. Sure, you will likely take some lumps along the way, but you'll also get more sales. No publicity is bad publicity.
In the other example featured on the blog this week, we have a children's book about an adventurous feline. Once again, the logical place to start would be in children's book circles. Since this story is about a cat, why not also market it to forums and websites for pet lovers? They likely have children or grandchildren that would read your work. As with all things, I would suggest that you not just go into a forum and spam everyone there. Get in and get involved. Feel out where your potential sales might be.
Both of these tips also lead to the bigger picture which is being more sociable and making yourself more visible. The more that you get out and about on the web, and in the real world the better your chances will be for success.
Come back and visit the blog again in the near future for more tips on marketing your books.
Cheers!
So, let's say you've done all of that, and you're STILL not getting many/any sales. I'll use the two books featured on the blog for this week to illustrate a couple of techniques that you might not have considered. You've written a fantastic End of Days epic. The first thought might be marketing it to the Christian consumer market. You would be right in doing so, but what happens after that pool runs dry? I would suggest that you do something a little counter-intuitive. Take your work and market it to blogs and forums that run counter to the belief system that your book portrays. Sure, you will likely take some lumps along the way, but you'll also get more sales. No publicity is bad publicity.
In the other example featured on the blog this week, we have a children's book about an adventurous feline. Once again, the logical place to start would be in children's book circles. Since this story is about a cat, why not also market it to forums and websites for pet lovers? They likely have children or grandchildren that would read your work. As with all things, I would suggest that you not just go into a forum and spam everyone there. Get in and get involved. Feel out where your potential sales might be.
Both of these tips also lead to the bigger picture which is being more sociable and making yourself more visible. The more that you get out and about on the web, and in the real world the better your chances will be for success.
Come back and visit the blog again in the near future for more tips on marketing your books.
Cheers!
Books You Should Read
The first ebook that I will review for this blog is a great one... and comes from Len du Randt. It is entitled "Son Of Perdition", and was a pleasure to read. It did remind me a bit of the "Left Behind" series that was so popular years ago, but this novel takes the reader into a slightly different direction giving them an in-the-trenches view of what the End of Times might be like.
The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional. The plot is well-paced and action-packed. The level of diction is spot on for a piece in this genre. Even if you come from a different cloth, the action in this work will keep you entertained the whole way through. Mr. de Randt's work can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Son-of-Perdition-ebook/dp/B0079II88M
Other works by du Randt include "The Incubus", "The Succubus", and a collection of short stories entitled "Love and a .38". They are all available on www.amazon.com .
The next ebook that I'd like to get you in the know about is a children's book by Adrian Marshall entitled, "BOGOF the Supermarket Cat". This is a cleverly written piece about a cat that goes on a hair-raising adventure to the local supermarket. Along the way our friend makes new acquaintances, finds some new work and eventually finds his way home. The level of diction is very suitable for children of all ages, and the artwork is great. Marshall's work can found at:
http://www.amazon.com/BOGOF-the-Supermarket-Cat-ebook/dp/B009229B9S
What will be the next adventure for our furry friend, Tiddles? Keep an eye on the series at www.amazon.com.
The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional. The plot is well-paced and action-packed. The level of diction is spot on for a piece in this genre. Even if you come from a different cloth, the action in this work will keep you entertained the whole way through. Mr. de Randt's work can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Son-of-Perdition-ebook/dp/B0079II88M
Other works by du Randt include "The Incubus", "The Succubus", and a collection of short stories entitled "Love and a .38". They are all available on www.amazon.com .
The next ebook that I'd like to get you in the know about is a children's book by Adrian Marshall entitled, "BOGOF the Supermarket Cat". This is a cleverly written piece about a cat that goes on a hair-raising adventure to the local supermarket. Along the way our friend makes new acquaintances, finds some new work and eventually finds his way home. The level of diction is very suitable for children of all ages, and the artwork is great. Marshall's work can found at:
http://www.amazon.com/BOGOF-the-Supermarket-Cat-ebook/dp/B009229B9S
What will be the next adventure for our furry friend, Tiddles? Keep an eye on the series at www.amazon.com.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The Castle Ciphers
My new work "The Castle Ciphers" is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/The-Castle-Ciphers-ebook/dp/B009HTFOR4. The associated website with other photos and evidence to the research can be found at http://castlepros.weebly.com. Approximately $2 million USD remains undiscovered.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Book Reviews Coming Soon!
In the coming weeks and months, I'll be reviewing and featuring the works of fellow writers on the blog. Be sure to check in every now and then to get a look at some interesting reads.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Today's Messed Up Mythology
Because a great deal of the best science fiction and fantasy works have roots in myth (and just because I can), I will devote an entire blog string to the little-know mythology that surrounds many of our daily items and functions. Today's focus - the Porcelain Gods...
There are three Porcelain Gods that exist today namely Urini - goddess of the golden flow, Fecus - Bringer of Crap, and Retchus - Bringer of Bile. They are all the offspring of the one mighty god of Porcelain - Sloan. Today we will focus on on instant when Sloan sent his elder son Fecus to deal with the persistant witch Gonnorhea...
And behold! a great clapping of light and thunder did materialize, and with it Sloan sent his elder son Fecus to dispatch of the powerful witch Gonnerhea.
"Off with you, foul witch," said he, "or I shall smite thee by calling forth my mighty thunder!"
"Nay, poopsmith!" said the witch. "For if you so do, then will I curse you with a burn and stench more foul than all the emanations of the lands combined!"
Fecus was stunned by the persistence of this witch, but stood his ground nonetheless.
"Behold the mighty blast of my winds, wench!" said he as the cheeks of the sky split in twain sending forth an odorous rumble that shook the very foundations of the Earth.
Gonnorhea tried to fend off the assault, but to no avail. She was swept away in a sea of fire when the thunder of Fecus met the flames of a nearby encampment.
There are three Porcelain Gods that exist today namely Urini - goddess of the golden flow, Fecus - Bringer of Crap, and Retchus - Bringer of Bile. They are all the offspring of the one mighty god of Porcelain - Sloan. Today we will focus on on instant when Sloan sent his elder son Fecus to deal with the persistant witch Gonnorhea...
And behold! a great clapping of light and thunder did materialize, and with it Sloan sent his elder son Fecus to dispatch of the powerful witch Gonnerhea.
"Off with you, foul witch," said he, "or I shall smite thee by calling forth my mighty thunder!"
"Nay, poopsmith!" said the witch. "For if you so do, then will I curse you with a burn and stench more foul than all the emanations of the lands combined!"
Fecus was stunned by the persistence of this witch, but stood his ground nonetheless.
"Behold the mighty blast of my winds, wench!" said he as the cheeks of the sky split in twain sending forth an odorous rumble that shook the very foundations of the Earth.
Gonnorhea tried to fend off the assault, but to no avail. She was swept away in a sea of fire when the thunder of Fecus met the flames of a nearby encampment.
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