Monthly Archives: December 2011
An author platform? What? How? Oh, just shoot me.
I was so excited about my new book cover that finishing this post flew completely out of my mind. So here it is, a little late but with advice I wish I’d found sooner in my eye bleeding search for answers. Enjoy!
The first time I read the words “author platorm” I thought What? What is that? And how am I supposed to get one? Then I read about branding.
What? How do I do that?
Bring on the panic attacks. Next came heart palpitations and shortness of breath. I was wandering naked through the valley of information overload, and more confused than when I started.
Not a pretty sight.
Then by sheer chance I stumbled on Kristen Lamb’s blog. It was another Hallelujah Chorus moment for me. I immediately downloaded We Are Not Alone. And it all suddenly made sense.
Not only that – it was fun.
Not long after I added Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer to my growing collection. Because of her advice I completely restructured my blog, and how I thought of it.
I was fortunate, because I found these resources early on. They answered all my questions and then some, gave me the confidence to build an author platform and a brand I can be proud of – and still love ten or twenty years on. Because I am here for the long haul.
For all of you just starting out, or lost in information overload valley - do yourself a favor and buy both of these.
Now.
Go on, I’ll wait.
Got them? Good. Now read, then reread. Use that handy notes thingie on your ereader and bookmark everything that grabs you. It will make finding it later that much easier. These two books are your social media bible. Kristen Lamb knows what she’s talking about, and my results after implementing her advice have surprised and impressed me.
Now it’s your turn to go out and wow everyone with your own unique, intriguing author platform. And you’ll be able to say author platform without breaking out in hives. Greatest thing ever.
I wish you the best – and let me know how your own sites and blogs are coming along. I’d love to hear from you!
Now for the weekly shout outs – posts and sites I am loving!
~ A great post by Jeff Bennington with tips on how he realized his writing sucked – and how he fixed it.
~ Rachel Aaron gives an excellent lesson on upping your word count – and it really works!
~ A guest post by Dawn, owner of Book Graphics, on Book Country’s blog – some great tips, and a link to her beautiful pre-made covers for writers on a budget! (You can check out my cover here.)
~ Another great guest post about book covers by Maria Zannini, over on Kristen Lamb’s blog – the more information we can gather on how to get the perfect, eye-catching cover, the better!
~ I have been following Holly Lisle’s advice for years – she even got me to start writing outlines! Check out her excellent articles and workshops here.
Enjoy, and until next time – write on.
~ Cate
Jumping on the H.P. Mallory fan train
Welcome the the first Thrill me Thursday! My intent is to review fellow indie authors, give a shout out and offer my support.
I have to admit, I floundered this week, trying to find a book to review. I searched Amazon, downloaded several to my Kindle, and fired it up in anticipation.
And they just – meandered. I was more than a bit disappointed.
A couple of them started picking up the pace about a third of the way through, but that is much too late for most readers. I stuck it out simply because I wanted to see if they got better. *Sigh*
I ended up returning all of them, and while I was brooding I remembered the list of upstarts I made that I wanted to check out. H.P. Mallory happens to top that list, so I hopped over to Amazon and downloaded the book that caught my eye first.
And without further ado, here is my take on To Kill A Warlock.
a fun, feisty read
I love feisty – especially when it comes wrapped up in an intriguing package. And that is just what you get with Dulcie O’Neil.
I am not a huge fan of first person narrative, but I find myself reading more of it, simply because I am finding more authors just hit it. Right on. H.P. Mallory is one of them.
From the first sentence she sucks you in, with humor and charm, and a situation that is an instant hook.
Add in a world just to the left of weird, with an eccentric cast of characters, and you have the perfect mix for a paranormal whodunit.
There is fun, suspense, and a bit of romance, sprinkled with fairy dust and magic.
I don’t want to give too much away – you’ll just have to go pick up a copy for yourself. And I highly recommend that you do, because if you read the sample, you’ll just want more.
I’ve enjoyed her writing so much I already bought book 2, and book 1 of her Jolie Wilkins series, Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble. I love the literary references in her titles!
At just 99 cents, To Kill A Warlock is an absolute bargain. Do yourself a favor and go get it. Now.
Go on – I’m all done here.
Until next time – read on.
~ Cate
Just a bracing stroll through the cemetery. . . .
Highway to - *ahem* road of the dead, Glasgow Necropolis
Stepping into a cemetery is the type of experience that leaves a smear on the subconscious. It pulls you in, unwilling at first. But the need to enter, to see, to find out for yourself is stronger than the fear.
Once it has lured you inside it gathers you close, whispers its secrets, and reminds you with a cold slap to the heart that no one gets out alive.
Man, I love them.
Walking among the stone markers of the dead, you start to wonder. Am I really alone? Is that the wind that tapped my shoulder? Did I really hear the Gaelic whispered in my ear just before a flock of birds screamed into the still, silent morning sky?
There is only you, and the absolute quiet, so hushed you can hear your own heartbeat. The living fade into the background, and the wind that wasn’t there moments ago tugs at your hair, sends a chill racing down your spine.
You bend over to read the inscription on the gravestone, part of you knowing, just knowing that the inhabitant will be standing behind you when you turn around. The relief when they’re not leaves you giddy.
You whisper an apology as you tiptoe across the graves, because the cemetery is so old and crowded there are no formal walkways.
Or it is a city of the dead, glorious monuments rising above you, surrounding you, crowding you, until you feel like the only living person on earth.
Monuments to the dead
I have explored cemeteries of all kinds around the world – from an unsettling, ant-infested boneyard outside Virginia City, Nevada to a windswept, haunted necropolis above Glasgow Cathedral.
Every one has affected me, in a way that imprints the moment on my soul like a photograph. They spook me, unnerve me, and sometimes scare the hell out of me. But I keep going back for more.
Really – who doesn’t love a nerve-shredding scare every once in a while?
Did I mention Halloween is my favorite holiday?
Yeah – now you’re starting to understand.
Do you have a cemetery or boneyard that knocked you out of your socks? Feel free to scare us here.
Until next time – keep looking over your shoulder.
~ Cate
The magic of Christmas – do you believe?
A spell of white magic takes hold – the kind of magic that lifts the spirit and lightens the soul.
It is the magic of Christmas, wrapping itself in laughter, traditions old and new, creating memories that will linger long after the last ornament is put away.
To believe is to experience the pleasure of giving, sharing the surprises hidden under paper and ribbon, shining on faces flushed with excitement.
There is no other time, no other magic quite like it. A crooked tree with a single glass ball can become a symbol of celebration. Music can sing through the heart. A string of blinking lights can inspire a masterpiece.
Laugh, love, and embrace the magic surrounding you. It is a potent spell, one worth falling under, falling into for the sheer joy.
I believe in the magic – do you?
