Monday, October 31, 2016

Book Feature: Altered Starscape by Ian Douglas

 
 

Inside the Book:


Title: Altered Starscape
Author: Ian Douglas
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Format: Ebook

Galaxies collide in a thrilling new series from bestselling author Ian Douglas, as the last humans in the universe face off against a new threat 2162.

Thirty-eight years after first contact, Lord Commander Grayson St. Clair leads theTellus Ad Astra on an unprecedented expedition to the Galactic Core, carrying more than a million scientists, diplomats, soldiers, and AIs. Despite his reservations about their alien hosts, St. Clair is deeply committed to his people—especially after they're sucked into a black hole and spat out four billion years in the future.Civilizations have risen and fallen. The Andromeda Galaxy is drifting into the Milky Way. And Earth is most certainly a distant memory. All that matters now is survival. But as the ship's Marines search for allies amid ancient ruins and strange new planetary structures, St. Clair must wrap his mind around an enemy capable of harnessing a weapon of incomprehensible power: space itself.
 
Q: Please tell us about Altered Starscape, and what inspired you to write it.

A: Four billion years from now, the galaxy M31 in Andromeda will be colliding with our own Milky Way galaxy, in a maelstrom of stars and (presumably) civilizations. Altered Starscape takes a million 22nd century humans and drops them in the middle of this "altered starscape," where they must explore godlike technologies, separate the good guys from the bad guys, and make difficult decisions about how they will govern themselves in this radically post-human future.

Q: Why do you write?

A: How can I not?

Q: How picky are you with language?

A: I'm quite picky about my words. Dialog, in particular, shapes the characters in the minds of the readers, and characters (as people) don't always speak in the complete, grammatically correct sentences that professional editors prefer.

Q: When you write, do you sometimes feel as though you were being manipulated from afar?

A: No, I’m wearing my tinfoil hat.

Q: What is your worst time as a writer?

A: When I finish writing a book.

Q: Your best?

A: When I finish writing a book.

Q: Is there anything that would stop you from writing?

A: Death. Really. I will write until I can't write any more.

Q: What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?

A: The first time I hit the New York Times bestseller list.

Q: Is writing an obsession to you?

A: No, it's more of an addiction.

Q: Are the stories you create connected with you in some way?

A: I have loved science and history from very young age. In my youth I was a Navy hospital corpsman (Marine medic) and a laboratory technician, and I employ my Navy experience in all my military writing.

Q: Ray Bradbury once said, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” Do you agree?

A: I prefer to stay well grounded in reality so that my inherent insanity can show through.

Q: Where is your book available?

A: At any bookstore (if they don't have it in stock, they can order it for you), and at your local library.

Q: Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about you and your work?

A: My website is whkeith dot com. (There’s a page there which explains why I, William H. Keith, use pen names such as Ian Douglas.)


Meet the Author:

Ian Douglas is one of the pseudonyms for William H. Keith, New York Times bestselling author of the popular military science fiction series The Heritage Trilogy, The Legacy Trilogy, The Inheritance Trilogy, Star Corpsman, and Star Carrier. A former naval corpsman, he lives in Pennsylvania.
 

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Book Blast: Spaces Between Notes by Kristina Sanchez



Inside the Book


Title: Spaces Between Notes 
Author: Kristina M. Sanchez 
Publisher: Amazon 
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Nikolai Amorosa is one of those men’s men. You know the type—allergic to feelings, couldn’t have a heartfelt discussion if he tried, which he never did. Then, he lost his voice, and any chance of communication went out the window.

Unable to speak or otherwise interact with anyone, Niko’s anger was off the charts. It could’ve been worse; he could’ve been in jail. Instead, he found himself doing construction on Carys Harper’s house. Carys talked—a lot—both with her voice and her hands. She was also at the beck and call of her deaf little brother, Benny, which drove Niko nine kinds of crazy. Not that he would’ve said anything, even if he could.

Something else that drove him crazy? Carys was stubborn. She wouldn’t let him wallow. More than that, she seemed to hear all the things he couldn’t say. She understood him like she understood music. She heard what existed in the spaces between notes. She knew that sometimes silence screams the loudest.
buying-links

Amazon

Meet the Author


Kristina Sanchez is a lifelong insomniac whose creative career began when she used to make up stories about Bugs Bunny in her head while the rest of the house slept. She’s a Southern California native who can frequently be found at Disneyland because it’s easier to park there than go to the beach, sadly. Although writing is her first passion and only love, she finds fulfillment working in social services with the county of Orange. Currently, Kristina is the mother of a grumpy old man-cat named Mutt and a strange flight risk named Sirus Blackcat, who is, indeed, a black cat.

You can find Kristina easily enough on most social media platforms, where she will share her viewpoint on all the taboo subjects: religion, politics, and Supernatural, with the odd cat video thrown in for flavor. Prolific. Opinionated. Nerdy as all get out. Have fun, because you can bet she will.
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WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Participants

Monday, October 24, 2016

Book Blast: Dowsing and Ley Lines by Gerald Chatfield - Win a $25 Gift Card

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Inside the Book:

dowsing-and-ley-lines
Title: Dowing and Ley Lines 
Author: Gerald Chatfield 
Publisher: iUniverse 
Genre: Reference 
Format: Ebook

This book contains information on dowsing for beginners and advanced alike. It provides information on how to find and follow more than five hundred ley marks across the south of the British Isles. It also contains unique insight on how shadow ley lines are connected to time as we measure it in minutes and hours. Also answers as to why the legendary figure of the Long Man of Wilmington is positioned where he is on the South Downs. There is also information on both Woodhenge and Stonehenge.

Giveaway

Gerald is giving away a $25 Gift Card!

 
Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
  • This giveaway begins October 24 and ends on November 4.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on November 5.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Nearest and Dearest by Caroline Jolly - Win a $25 Gift Card



 

Inside the Book:


Title: Nearest and Dearest 
Author: Caroline Jolly 
Publisher: iUniverse 
Genre: Humorous 
Format: Ebook

Effie McIver has been living quietly on her own since the break up of her marriage to Jack who left her for her best friend. A visit to the doctor leaves her feeling restless and she experiences further disturbance during a visit to her daughter's house. These events lead her to conclude that something must be done to change her life. With the help of her friend Susie she decides to venture into the uncertain world of dating. Here she encounters a variety of people and situations, hilarious or humiliating, in her search for a new partner. The search takes place against the backdrop of her increasingly complex relationship to her daughter Cathy and her family. Meanwhile, on the dating front, she meets Oliver, a widower and a 'no hoper' who through persistence and a degree of change enters Effie's social life. A cluster of circumstances precipitate her into a shocking crisis within the family which slowly evolves, with the help of friend Susie and the keeping of a diary, towards a resolution. The mood of the story is essentially light, compassionate and humorous, as Effie explores her strengths and obvious weaknesses both as an older woman negotiating the choppy waters of dating and also as a parent managing her relationship to grown up children.

Meet the Author:
Caroline Jolly was brought up in Scotland, studied in London and East Africa, and works as a psychotherapist in private practice in London where she now lives.  

Giveaway

Caroline is giving away a $25 Gift Card!

 
Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
  • This giveaway begins October 24  and ends on November 4.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on November 5.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

October 24
October 25
October 26
October 27
October 28
October 31
November 1
November 2
November 3
November 4

Friday, October 21, 2016

Cover Reveal: Guarded by the Warrior by Eliza Knight

 

Inside the Book:




Title: Guarded by the Warrior
Author: Eliza Knight
Release Date: November 29, 2016
Publisher: Knight Media LLC
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Ebook

A lady in need of protection...

Suffering through a short marriage to an enemy of Scotland, Lady Emilia MacCulloch manages to escape just before her husband dies. But the Ross clan will stop at nothing to get her back, for she plays a big part in their plans to thwart Robert the Bruce. She fears for her own family being labeled traitors and for her life. Placed by her king as a governess in the household of a devastatingly handsome warrior, Emilia finds herself drawn to the man, when she had previously sworn off love all together. His passion, charisma, loyalty and strength shake the very foundation she's built around her heart.

A warrior in need of saving...

Ian Matheson has spent his entire life trying to prove himself. To belong. When his father passes away and his mother takes her vows at a nearby abbey, he is suddenly left in a position he was wholly unprepared for. And then his father's dozen illegitimate children arrive on his doorstep in need of a father figure of their own. They are adorable and reckless, and he's certain they'll drive him mad. Just when he thinks he might actually need to find a wife to help him, Lady Emilia is presented to him by the king. She needs his protection, and he needs her help with the bairns. Ian is tempted by her angelic face, her fiery tongue, and the secrets that surround her. He must resist the growing desire that's laying claim within him. He must prove to his clan that he is a worthy leader. But maybe, just maybe, he can have the respect of his people, and Emilia, too.


Meet the Author:


Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a princess…

Growing up, I was a proficient story teller, with most of my plots encompassing princesses and princes and dreams coming true. Now as an author, some of my stories are still about royalty, knights, duels, ladies, intrigue, betrayal. History fascinates me and I try to bring history back to life in each of my stories.

My favorite time periods are medieval, renaissance and Regency eras of Europe. Growing up, I was lucky to have grandparents who lived in Paris, so many a summer was spent exploring medieval ruins and historical sites.

One of my all time favorite books is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, and I am of course Jane Austen fan, my two favorites being Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I love the in-depth, emotionally riveting and intriguing works of historical author, Ken Follett. I am also a fan of Shakespeare, and you will find in a lot of my writing reference to the literary God and his work. Not only Shakespeare, but other period poets and literary notables of history are on my keeper shelf. My love affair with the romance genre started young. I picked up my first romance novel, The Bride, by Julie Garwood when I was in high school, and I haven’t been able to stop reading or writing romance since.

When I’m not reading or writing I am usually doing research for fun. If you love history, come visit me at History Undressed, where we discuss all the wildly fascinating and titillating facts of history! Recently I’ve started to post reviews of historical fiction and romance novels as well.


You can visit her website at http://eknightauthor.com





Book Feature: Of the Abyss by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

 
 

Inside the Book:


Title: Of the Abyss
Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror
Format: Ebook

  After decades of strife, peace has finally been achieved in Kavet—but at a dark cost.  Sorcery is outlawed, and anyone convicted of consorting with the beings of the other realms—the Abyssi and the Numini—is put to death. The only people who can even discuss such topics legally are the scholars of the Order of the Napthol, who give counsel when questions regarding the supernatural planes arise.Hansa Viridian, a captain in the elite guard unit tasked with protecting Kavet from sorcery, has always led a respectable life. But when he is implicated in a sorcerer’s crimes, the only way to avoid execution is to turn to the Abyss for help—specifically, to a half-Abyssi man he’s sworn he hates, but whose physical attraction he cannot deny.Hansa is only the first victim in a plot that eventually drags him, a sorcerer named Xaz, and a Sister of the Napthol named Cadmia into the depths of the Abyss, where their only hope of escape is to complete an infernal task that might cost them their lives.

 

Meet the Author:

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is the author of seventeen young adult novels and three short stories.  In addition to writing, she has a full-time job teaching high school special education English, and is the mother of a brilliant baby girl named Becks. 

Yes, it is possible her daughter's nickname came from a favorite zombie trilogy (Newsflesh, by Mira Grant).  That there probably tells you more about Amelia than anything else I have to say. 

Amelia started publishing novels when she was a freshman in high school.  As she tells her students, she knows every excuse to get out of doing homework because she got away with them all.  These days she works a bit harder to balance her responsibilities, which means she is sometimes a terrible web-mistress, but she still loves to write. 

The Atwater-Rhodes household also includes two cats, Chivas and Morgan, and some goldfish in an aquaponics system set up for book research and maintained for yummy indoor home-grown food. 

If you want to chat with Amelia, you can reach her through Facebook or Twitter.  She maintains her social media and website herself, which means she's currently writing in third person and isn't that kind of odd? What can I say - I'm an odd duck.

Website | Twitter  

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Tour Schedule

Monday, October 3 - Book featured at A Title Wave
Tuesday, October 4 - Book featured at Write and Take Flight
Wednesday, October 5 - Book featured at Literal Exposure
Thursday, October 6 -  Book featured at The Dark Phantom
Friday, October 7 - Book featured at The Literary Nook
________
Monday, October 10 - Book featured at Don't Judge, Read
Tuesday, October 11 - Book featured at CBY Book Club
Wednesday, October 12 - Book featured at Bound 2 Escape
Thursday, October 13 - Book featured at Perfect at Midnight
Friday, October 14 - Book featured at The Bookworm Lodge
________
Monday, October 17 - Interviewed at Deal Sharing Aunt
Tuesday, October 18 - Book featured at I'm Shelf-ish
Wednesday, October 19 - Book featured at The Review From Here
Thursday, October 20 - Book featured at From Paperback to Leatherbound
Friday, October 21 - Book featured at Voodoo Princess
________
Monday, October 24 - Book featured at The Hype and the Hoopla
Tuesday, October 25 - Book featured at As the Page Turns
Wednesday, October 26 - Book featured at Bent Over Bookwords
Thursday, October 27 - Book featured at Harmonious Publicity
Friday, October 28 - Book featured at My Bookish Pleasures
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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Character Interview with Sai from Chaste, the latest release by Jesse Teller

 

Inside the Book:

Title: Chaste Author: Jesse Teller
Release Date: October 5, 2016
Publisher: Amazon Digital
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror
Format: Ebook/Paperback

  When her devout parents died, Cheryl turned her back on her god. Years of denial and self-loathing have defeated her. Her life consists of taking orders and succumbing to abuse. A group of strangers stops in Chaste for the night, but an unnamed threat is preying on the town. Tragic deaths have become more and more frequent. Cheryl wants to protect these travelers, expose the evil force, and save her fellow citizens, but she must find a way to believe in hope.
 

Thank you so for this interview, Sai. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?

I’m not proud of this. I learned things about myself during this book, learned that I’m not what or who I thought I was, learned that there is a darkness within me that can be exploited. I once thought I was above manipulation, that I was too strong-minded, too strong-willed, too focused and direct and decisive to ever be turned into somebody’s toy. By the end of this book, I had learned otherwise. I’m not proud of it. To read this book is to look at a hole that runs right through me. I did a lot of great things in this book, and you could call me a hero, but I don’t feel like one.

What do you believe is your strongest trait?

Love is my strongest trait. It’s directed my footsteps for countless years. It has given me focus, a rock to stand on, and hope. My ability to love one person has defined me and defined my life. I am nothing without it. I know that now.

Worst trait?

At times I’m too casual, too carefree. I see things moving around me and, because of the great things I’ve done in the past, and the fact that I cannot be beaten at what I do, I’ve gotten flippant and nonchalant about important things. Things that should outrage me, I deal with. Instead of seeing them for the storm they are, they hit me like a light breeze. It’s not fair to the tragedy around me that I am so distant and unaffected by the horrors of what I’ve seen. Because of who I am and what I can do, I walk through life untouched, because it is all so easy for me. At times, I think that makes me a monster.

Do you have a love interest in the book?

She’s everything. Years ago, how many, I’ve lost count, I dreamt of her. I fell asleep and woke up on a bed in the middle of a vast void with the most lovely woman I’d ever seen lying next to me. She curled up at the head of the bed, me at the foot, and we stared at each other, alarmed. It was all so real. We sat there, looking at each other, afraid to talk, afraid to move. The next night, when the dream came again, I introduced myself. Soon, I was dreaming of her every night. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love. Whenever she tried to tell me where she was, or where she was from, or what she was doing, the words blurred, became nonsensical. I finally realized all I could do was step out into the world and seek her. One day, she will be in my arms in more than a dream. But today is not that day.

At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?

When Ambul vanished. He’s always been a wanderer. He would walk away and be gone for a day or two. He always caught up with me, usually with a story to tell. But this time it was different. This time, it felt less like wandering away and more like vanishing, like a wisp of smoke, or a fair scent on the breeze. He was just gone. And I was less without him. It was then that I realized this town was not something I would walk away from and forget, like so many other towns on the road I’ve walked. This town would leave its mark on me.

If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?

Oh, Sob. Sob’s haunted. We all know she’s insane. Something was taken from her. She lost something of her sanity, something of herself. My fear is, she will never get it back. She was tragic going into this book, a powerful figure, fragile as a rose, deadly as a blade. But she was something else after, something I think there is no name for. I fear what she’s become will consume her, because there’s no coming back from the look in her eyes and the set of her jaw. She’s stepped out on a road of blood, one that I would never want to walk.

How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?

I wanted this book to be a waystation on the side of the road. I wanted this book to be like the countless other tales I’ve been a part of. I never wanted this book to haunt me. I never wanted to feel as though I had lost something in the telling of the story. After the things I saw and the things I did in this book, I can smile, and I can laugh, but behind it all is a sadness. Behind it all is a haunted man. If I had it to do over again, I would have found another road, rode another day, slept in the rain one more night, and never gone to that town. I think all of us would agree on that, if we were together to agree on anything ever again.

What words of wisdom would you give your author if he decided to write another book with you in it?

Forgive yourself.

Thank you for this interview. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?


Yes. My journey has not ended. My need is unfulfilled. I am not home yet.

Meet the Author:

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Jesse Teller fell in love with fantasy when he was five years old and played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The game gave him the ability to create stories and characters from a young age. He started consuming fantasy in every form and, by nine, was obsessed with the genre. As a young adult, he knew he wanted to make his life about fantasy. From exploring the relationship between man and woman, to studying the qualities of a leader or a tyrant, Jesse Teller uses his stories and settings to study real-world themes and issues.

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Tour Schedule

Monday, October 10 -Book featured at The Review From Here
Tuesday, October 11 -Guest blogging at Literal Exposure
Thursday, October 13 - Book featured at As the Pages Turns
Friday, October 14 - Guest blogging at Lover of Literature
________
Monday, October 17 - Book featured at CBY Book Club
Tuesday, October 18 - Guest blogging at A Title Wave
Thursday, October 20 -Interviewed at Voodoo Princess
Friday, October 21 - Guest blogging at From Paperback to Leatherbound
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Monday, October 24 - Book featured at The Writer's Life
Tuesday, October 25 - Book featured at All Inclusive Retort
Wednesday, October 26 - Guest blogging at Straight From the Author's Mouth
Thursday, October 27 - Book featured The Bookworm Lodge
Friday, October 28 - Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
________
Monday, October 31 - Book featured at Bound 2 Escape
Wednesday, November 2 - The Literary Nook
Thursday, November 3 - Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty
Friday, November 4 - Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
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Monday, October 17, 2016

Guest post from Emre Gurgen, author of Don Quixote Explained

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Inside the Book:

Don Quixote Explained
Title: Don Quixote Explained Author: Emre Gurgen Publisher: AuthorHouse Genre: Literary Criticism Format: Ebook/Paperback

  Don Quixote Explained focuses on seven topics: how Sancho Panza refines into a good governor through a series of jokes that turn earnest; how Cervantes satirizes religious extremism in Don Quixote by taking aim at the Holy Roman Catholic Church; how Don Quixote and Sancho Panza check-and-balance one another’s excesses by having opposite identities; how Cervantes refines Spanish farm girls by transforming Aldonza Lorenzo into Dulcinea; how outlaws like Roque Guinart and Gines Pasamonte can avoid criminality and why; how Cervantes establishes inter-religional harmony by having a Christian translator, on the one hand, and a Muslim narrator, on the other; and lastly, how Cervantes replaces a medieval view of love and marriage―where a woman is a housekeeper, lust-satisfier, and child begetter―with a modern view of equalitarian marriage typified by a joining of desires and a merger of personalities.

"AN ERUDITE EXAMINATION OF THE THEMES AND IDEAS IN DON QUIXOTE. I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE WRITING AND EXPOSITION OF THIS WELL-REASONED CRITIQUE. BUY IT AND STUDY IT. GERALD J. DAVIS, AUTHOR OF DON QUIXOTE, THE NEW TRANSLATION BY GERALD J. DAVIS" WWW.DON-QUIXOTE-EXPLAINED.COM

The Benefits of Agent Representation
Though it is possible to win a contract with a traditional publisher without a literary agent, if you are professionally represented, your chance of securing a book deal greatly increases
If you represent yourself to publishers.  If you eagerly mail unsolicited query letters directly to a publisher the likely outcome is that these houses will place your letter directly in a slush pile, often times unread, never to be looked at again. If you are extremely lucky, however, and somebody does read your letter, this person is usually a novice reader, a student just out of college, who rarely knows what they are doing.  Though, perhaps, intelligent, this person is extremely untested.  Thus, they read your query letter to gain experience.  That’s it.  Nothing less.  Nothing more. 
But let’s say, for arguments sake, that this person, though junior, likes your book and tries to help.  You may find that they lack the authority to get you represented.  Even if they bring your query letter to the attention of a more senior editor, this person usually dismisses you, and your book, offhand, in favor of an established author. So you lose anyway.
Though, occasionally, you hear of the strange case of an author winning a contract directly from a publisher against all odds, the probability of this happening is slim to none, since most publishers will not even consider a new book unless it comes from a reputed agent. Getting a book deal without an agent hardly ever happens.  It is the stuff of legends.  Usually, what happens is that publishers want to make fast money on a safe bet. So they go with agent represented manuscripts, even if they are horrible. 
Unless publishing houses are desperate for new leads, they will not even consider non-represented manuscripts, despite what they say in their submission guidelines.
Big box publishers, to repeat, rely on literary agents to make wise manuscript choices. Not authors shopping their wares.  This is because publishers generally believe that agents will only pitch a new book to them if it is viable in the marketplace. 
Commercial publishing houses, sadly, rarely consider manuscripts from inexperienced writers.  And if the nature of your work does not synergize with their list.  Forget it.  You have no chance. 
Furthermore, even if your proposal is a good one, it will probably get lost in the clutter,   since traditional publishers receive tons of junk mail,
Penetrating the old boy network of publishing professionals is very hard, since agents and publishers enjoy reciprocal relationships based on a lengthy track record of success.  Because both sides think they know what is sellable in the marketplace, they pass on many great books.   Mine included.  The cold reality is that many publishers will not even consider manuscripts that do not have an agent, since they want to back a book they think will succeed.  To them, manuscripts that have a chance of success have already been vetted by literary agents.  They have passed an initial screening round.  Most publishers, alas, will only ponder manuscripts forwarded to them by literary agents, because they believe that an agent will not jeopardize their reputations by advocating less than impressive books. 
So, if you want to avoid having you query letter go directly to the dreaded slush pilethe final resting place of many novelsI encourage you to get a literary agent. 
Yes, you can win a contract directly from a publisher, without agent representation.  But doing so is the exception, rather than the rule. 
If you think you can do it, by all means, be my guest.  Congratulations if you do.  But if you receive one rejection after another, as most of us do (or, worse yet, no response at all) try hard to get a literary agent, since agent representation helps. 
How to Get a Literary Agent
Query Letter
Gaining and sustaining the interest of a literary agent so they sign a contract with you is easier said than done.  The first step is writing an effective query letter. 
Address your query to the right editor or agent with the right title.  Format your query according to industry standards.  Spell the agencies name correctly and get its address right.  Pitch a great lead.  Tailor your query to the specific agency.  Offer a fresh idea.  Be creative in your presentation.  Tighten your query angle.  Sweeten the pot with photos, graphics, illustrations or renderings: with sidebars, sidelights, and giveaways.  Follow the submission guidelines of the agency exactly.  Ensure that your letter begins with an opening hook, provides supporting details, links your qualifications to the book being pitched, and includes a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). 
Book Proposal
Once you have hooked a literary agent with a good query letter, the next step is to send them an outstanding book proposal. 
A book proposal is written for one purpose only, to convince an agent that investing their time and effort in you, and your book, is a wise bet, one that will pay off.  To get an agent, then, you have to persuade them that your book is capable of making real money.  If they do not believe that, expect a polite brush off, at best. 
Here are a few basics of a good book proposal.  A clear book proposal consist of:
·         a cover page, with the name of your book, and a table of contents;
·         a short description of your book (4 sentences);
·         a more detailed synopsis of your book, with a brief chapter-by-chapter summary;
·         a marketing plan, stating how you will sell and brand your book;
·         an author bio, connecting your occupation and life experiences to the nature of your book;
·         an audience section detailing who will buy your book and why;
·         a competition section differentiating your book from the dozens of other books out there on identical, or similar, topics .
·         a description of follow-up books you are writing in a series, so they can make money from you again and again. 
To reiterate, a strong book proposal should have a cover page. The cover page should have:  the name of your book at the top; a by-line with your name; your manuscripts word count; the status of the manuscript (i.e. complete) and a numbered table of contents with the following sections:  I. Description; II. Synopsis; III. Marketing Plan; IV. Author Bio; V. Audience; VI. Competition; VII. Follow-Up Books. 
·         On the cover page include your contact information, such as your office and e-mail address, your telephone numbers (i.e. office phone, cell phone, and home phone), so agents can correspond with you by snail-mail; e-mail; by phone; etc.. 

·         The description section is a succinct three sentence description of your book noting its topic and theme. Generally, it attracts an agent’s immediate attention by noting how your topic is timely, original, and significant (i.e. why anybody would care).   

·         The next section of your book proposal is a more elaborate synopsis of your book which breaks down, in short paragraphs, each major section or chapter.  Agents read this part to correlate the theme of your book to a hot topic extant in the real world.  A good synopsis answers the “so what” question to literary agents.  So what?  Why should I read this? 

·         Then, comes your marketing plan. This section should detail, in bullet form, not only what you have already done to brand your book but what you will do in the future, too. Things to write in this section include participating in professional conferences, preferably as the key-note speaker.  Any book signings you have completed or have scheduled.  References to the URL of your personal author website (if you have one) which is stronger if it has:  high-traffic; a blog with high-quality, viral, posts; an online store with a high click through rate; and an impressive CV.  If you have a Face Book fan page connected to your website with thousands of genuine (not purchased) likes, mention this.  If you have a dedicated twitter account linked to your book, especially one that fans are tweeting about incessantly, mention this. If you have a distinguished career connected to the subject matter of your book talk about it.  If you host a radio show, with many listeners, discussing issues related to your book, tell them this. If you have professional, or social, networks in place that you can use to sell your books, highlight this. If you host a popular pod-cast centered on a relevant topic linked to your book, preferably a forum that can reach thousands of subscribers, let an agent know.  In brief, the marketing section of your book proposal is the most important section to literary agents, since they want to pitch a book that will sell quickly and well.  That’s it.  They only care about you and your book if they think they can make money from both. 

·         Then comes an Author Bio section.  Here is your opportunity to emphasize how your occupation, education, life experiences, and social connections, position you to have written the book(s) you have.  This section should describe why people will listen to you?  Are you an expert in the field?  Do your life experiences qualify you to write about a certain topic?  Why are you credible?  Explain this. 

·         Then comes a competition section emphasizing how your book is different from, or better than, recent books on the same, or a similar topic.  Be careful here.  Emphasize the strengths of your own book, in relation to the marketplace, rather than criticizing the competition. Differentiate your work and convince an agent why it will sell, especially if the topic has already been done, many times over.  If you are in the fortunate position to have written an important book on a topic that is little explored, or underexplored, but also has a large audience, definitely emphasize this. Then pat yourself on the back.  This is rare. If you write a strong competition section that conveys the originality, timeliness, and relevance of your book in relation to what has already been done on the subject, agents and publishers will want to acquire your book.  In short, if your book explores an old topic from a new angle, or pioneers a groundbreaking analysis of a new hot topic, congratulations, you deserve a book deal.  Hope you get one.  If not, go back to the drawing board. Start again.  Maybe, you can get a book deal with your next novel

·         Then comes an Audience section detailing who will read your book and why. The wider the audience the more likely agents and publishers will sign you.  Since publishing is a risky business, a gamble that produces frequent flops, publishers need to be reassured that your book has a chance of success.  (One friendly word of advice:  be realistic when evaluating your audience. Give specific statistics about who will buy your book and why.  Not vague promises.  Typically, literary agents have built in BS detectors.  So, whatever you do, do not jeopardize your credibility with ridiculous claims.  After all, most literary agents only represent books if they think they will do well in the literary marketplace.  If you make sweeping, unrealistic claims, you can do more harm than good by shooting your credibility). 

·         After this section comes a follow-up books section. In this section, outline how other books can flow from, or spin-off of, your proposed book.  Since agents want to pitch introductory novels to publishers with the promise of more books to come, it behooves you to pitch your book to agents as part of a larger narrative, so agents do not view your novel as a one-hit wonder, or a no-hit flop.  The truth is that agents are more likely to represent you to traditional publishers if you are able to deliver popular follow-up books. So, if you have written, are writing, or will write follow-up books, speak-up.  Remember, the first billionaire author, J.K. Rawling, wrote 3 Harry Potter books, in trilogy, before she even approached publishers.  Learn from this woman.

If all this is too abstract for you, and you want to view a sample of a decent book proposal, please visit my personal author website at www.don-quixote-explained.com and click on the book proposal tab.

Marketing Plan
A marketing plan, in short, will tell an agent what you will do to sell your books.  How, put simply, you will attain and maintain readers’ attention. 
A well-conceived marketing plan consists of many things.  A lecture circuit helps.  If you have delivered, or will deliver, speeches in prominent forums. Talks that have established you as an expert.  Mention this.  Also, if you have driven around the country, selling your self-published books, like John Grisham did, speak-up.  Agents love hearing that your book is already on store shelves.  If you are a reporter, a journalist, a regular columnist, a magazine editor, or a writing professional, mention that you have a potential network of colleagues you can call on.  Agents want to know how you plan on getting publicity / reviews for your books.  If you have a popular blog, with a high SEO, that is highly ranked by google algorithms and has an impressive click-through rate as well, broadcast this immediately!  If your blog posts have gone viral, or are commented (not spammed) mention this.  Agents are interested in getting people to talk about your book.  If you are ready to put your money where your mouth is by buying your books tell a publisher this.  If publishers believe that their print-runs will be bought by you, that there is no downside risk for them whatsoever, because you yourself will be their main customer, sure, they will publish your book, since they have nothing to lose and the world to gain.  If you are ready to fulfill consignment orders to book stores from your private supply of books, mention this.  It may help.  If possible, tout positive book sales before you even ask a literary agent asking to represent you.  If you can, they will probably sign you.   
Write Books in a Series

Big name publishers sign multi-year contracts with writers, not just because they have written one great book, however stellar, but because a writer can consistently produce best sellers, at the rate of one book a year:  Follow-up novels that are as good as, perhaps better, than the original.  In other words, big box publishers often form contracts with writers based on them authoring multiple books in fairly rapid succession.  Thus, if you write one book, then another, then the next, and so on, building a larger and larger audience with every publication, just like John Grisham did, eventually, you will be in the enviable position of having publishers approach you to publish your books, not the other way around. 
Meet the Author:
Emre Gurgen, the author of Don Quixote Explained: The Story of an Unconventional Hero, has a Bachelor’s degree in English from Pennsylvania State University. Currently, he lives in Germantown, Maryland, where he is writing a follow-up Don Quixote essay collection and study guide.

Tour Schedule

Tuesday, June 28 - Interviewed at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Wednesday, June 29 - Interviewed at  at I'm Shelf-ish
Thursday, June 30 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
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Monday, July 4 - Interviewed at The Review From Here
Tuesday, July 5 - Guest blogging at My Bookish Pleasure
Wednesday, July 6 - Guest blogging at Voodoo Princess
Thursday, July 7 - Guest blogging at The Literary Nook
Friday, July 8 - Guest blogging at All Inclusive Retort
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Monday, July 11 - Guest blogging at A Title Wave
Tuesday, July 12 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life
Friday, July 15 - Guest blogging at As the Page Turns
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Monday, July 18 - Guest blogging at A Taste of My Mind
Tuesday, July 19 -  Guest blogging at Write and Take Flight
Wednesday, July 20 - Guest blogging at Harmonious Publicity
Thursday, July 21 - Interviewed  at Bent Over Bookwords
Friday, July 22 - Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
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Monday, October 10, 2016

Book Feature: Perfect Prey by Laura Salters

 

Inside the Book:


Title: Perfect Prey
Author: Laura Salters
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Witness Impulse
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Format: Ebook

"Laura Salters is a vibrant new voice." --C L Taylor, Internationally bestselling author of THE LIE

When best friends Carina Corbett and Erin Baxter are assigned to cover a Serbian music festival for their magazine, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. And it is, until Erin vanishes into thin air on their last night in the country. Terrified, Carina launches a desperate search, discovering that the details of her friend’s disappearance are eerily similar to another tragic incident ten years before. Could history be repeating itself?Frantic to find Erin, Carina takes off on a journey deep into the Serbian criminal underbelly, and uncovers a world more sinister than she ever dreamed . . .

A twisting, edge-of-your-seat suspense perfect for fans of Jamie McGuire.
 

Meet the Author:


Laura Salters is a suspense author (represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media Inc) from Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England. When Laura isn’t writing, reading or thinking about writing or reading, she’s a music lover (and terrible singer), pet cuddler, beach-goer, runner (*cough* jogger), passionate foodie, caffeine addict, tennis player, lipstick wearer, Harry Potter fangirl (yes, still), housework dodger and relentless chatterbox.

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