Author Interview: Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Today I am pleased to present to you all the third in a series of Author Interviews. Recently I sat down with the fascinating Phyllis Zimbler Miller and our conversation went something like this:

---

Paul: Do you have any writing rituals?

Phyllis: I have one – I try to squeeze in creative writing time whenever possible.

Paul: What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Phyllis: I am an eclectic fiction and nonfiction reader, although I especially like thrillers set against a background of history. At the moment I’m going through Alan Furst’s WWII-era thrillers because I very much enjoy learning about the historical settings.

Paul: If someone had the power to step into your creative mind what would they see?

Phyllis: Scenarios. I don’t particularly care what a character looks like or what the character is wearing. I’m interested in what happens because such and such happens first. For this reason I do a lot of my writing in my head.  Then when I do get time to sit at my computer for creative writing, I can immediately start writing. (Currently I have been toying with different openings for a sequel to CIA Fall Guy.)

Paul: What is a typical day for you? 

Phyllis: I am attached to my computer, so I am there for hours a day if I’m not walking for exercise, doing errands, etc.

Paul: How do you find the time to write?

Phyllis: As I mentioned above, I write scenarios in my head.  Then I squeeze in the time between other tasks on my computer.

Paul: What is one thing you hope I do not tell the readers?

Phyllis: I prefer my fiction books to my nonfiction books because I love a good story.

Paul: If you are self-published, what led to you going your own way?

Phyllis: After years of rejection for my novel Mrs. Lieutenant, I was about to be 60 and I decided I could not wait any longer.  At the same time I entered the manuscript in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition, and Mrs. Lieutenant was a semifinalist, which helped vindicate my belief in the novel.

Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Phyllis: I am a logical person, so I begin my story and then figure out what could happen next and then next and then after that.

Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Phyllis: I truly believe in editing. For Mrs. Lieutenant I rewrote that book several times because of the complexity of four equal main characters. I love eliminating excess words and needless sentences, finding the holes in the story, and making things clearer.

Paul: Do you have to do much research for your stories?

Phyllis: I wrote the techno-thriller Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders with my husband Mitch Miller and we did a great deal of research for that story, although my husband already had a lot of the knowledge. Mrs. Lieutenant was partly based on my own experiences in 1970 as a new Mrs. Lieutenant during the Vietnam War. I still have all my original documents from that time so I could use my own primary sources. CIA Fall Guy is also partly based on my own experiences and knowledge.

Paul: What is your most recent book? Tell us a little about it

Phyllis: CIA Fall Guy takes place in 1997 when a woman is called to CIA headquarters to identify someone from 25 years earlier when she lived in Germany. When what she is told does not add up, she fears she may become a fall guy for the CIA and sets off on her own to discover what is really going on. Her quest takes her to Europe and back again to the U.S., and pairs her with the man who may have been responsible for her husband’s death.

Paul: What inspired you to write this book?

Phyllis: Part of the backstory for CIA Fall Guy is the May 1972 bombing of the U.S. Army’s Officers Club in Frankfurt, Germany. My husband and I took the train that day from Munich to Frankfurt, the train was late, and we went directly to the U.S. Amy chartered flight that brought us back to the U.S. The next day I learned about the bombing that took place the day we had been in Frankfurt.

Paul: Do you also write any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?

Phyllis: I write nonfiction – and have just published the first two books of a 3-book How To Succeed series for teens and young adults.

Paul: Do you have any pieces of work that will never see the light of day?

Phyllis: In the 90s I wrote three mystery novels with the same protagonist – newspaper reporter Rebecca Stone. I am considering resurrecting the manuscripts to evaluate whether they are past saving.

Paul: How much marketing do you do for your published works or for your ‘brand’?

Phyllis: I do a great deal of marketing for my online marketing company, so my published works have to take a back seat to these marketing efforts. In addition, I continually write blog posts for my own blogs and as a guest blogger.

Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have any hobbies or party tricks?

Phyllis: When I’m not writing or working on my business, I read fiction and nonfiction books. I also watch certain TV drama shows, partly to watch how the shows’ writers integrate character and action. I have written screenplays by myself and with my husband, and one screenplay is currently under option for a possible film.


Paul: Well thank you, Phyllis. You certainly have led an interesting and varied life, and I hope my readers take a look at your books.

---

About Phyllis Zimber Miller: Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of fiction and nonfiction books as well as the co-founder of the online marketing company Miller Mosaic LLC.


Phyllis' Blog: PhyllisZimblerMiller.com
Phyllis on Facebook:  facebook.com/phylliszimblermillerauthor
Phyllis on Twitter: @ZimblerMiller
Phyllis' latest book: CIA Fall Guy (Amazon)

The 10 Hour Project Manager: Excerpt (Chapter 5)

Today I thought I'd publish a small excerpt from The 10 Hour Project Manager, my best-selling project management reference book. Take a read and then head on over to my website (or Amazon) to check it out and buy a copy.

---

The 10 Hour Project Manager
Strategies for managing successful projects

---

NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON - ONLY $5.99

Amazon Top 100 seller in two categories
 during 1st week of release in April 2011!
(Please click picture)

"Clear, concise and valuable Project Management advice for the price of a beer (Two if you want the paperback)!"

---

5. Project Lifecycle – From dawn ’til dusk

“Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey.” (Unknown)

...

Understanding the level of Organizational Maturity

You may think this an odd choice for a first section on project lifecycle but without understanding organizational maturity you run the risk of completely under or over-estimating the effort needed to complete your project.

I like to think of the various levels of organizational maturity in a company as follows:

• Defined – the organization has ‘defined’ many of the operational processes
• Repeatable – the organization can demonstrate ‘repeatable’ operational processes
• Standardized – the organization has, over time, ‘standardized’ the operational processes
• Managed – the organization proactively ‘manages’ the operational processes to ensure they remain current and relevant
• Optimizing – the organization actively ‘optimizes’ the operational processes to make cost and time savings and perform activities as efficiently as possible

There are many books on organizational maturity but suffice to say by looking at the list you can probably at least get an idea of what I mean.

The primary reason for understanding where an organization falls in organizational maturity is so that you as the project manager can navigate through your project lifecycle as efficiently as possible. An organization that has only a few ‘defined’ processes will need projects to be managed very differently than one that ‘optimizes’ processes on a regular basis. Simply put, if the organization currently has no templates or expectations for status reporting, be careful how much standardization you introduce. On the other hand if the organization currently has a complete project management methodology that you need to follow, including status reporting templates and distribution requirements, make sure you follow them to the letter!

Understanding the Project Methodology (Iterative v Waterfall)

Again, you need to understand just how the organization usually runs its projects, either as iterative (agile) or waterfall-like lifecycles. Trying to introduce a methodology that is counter to that currently employed will probably lead to disaster.

Once you have answered both the questions of organizational maturity and project methodology you need to combine these two pieces of information together in order to start designing your strategy of attack (This is also discussed in some more detail in Chapter Seven).

An organization that has only a few ‘defined’ processes and usually runs iterative projects will require a very different strategy than one that is ‘optimized’ and waterfall. Listen for key words as people talk to you about previous project experiences. It is especially true in today’s environments that many organizations do not fully understand iterative methodologies but use words like ‘agile’ to justify what they are doing. If you encounter an organization that is definitely in the ‘defined’ maturity stage but that tells you they use ‘agile’ methodologies, look out! You are in for a tough time. Usually this means nothing is ever documented, projects constantly overrun and testing is very rarely carried out.

So now that we’ve got a basic knowledge of how the organization sits in its understanding and performance of project management, we can run through the typical stages of a project manager’s project lifecycle (geared specifically neither to iterative nor waterfall) and discuss a little about what kind of savings we can help make...

Author Interview: Paul Rice

Today I am pleased to present to you all the second in a series of Author Interviews. Recently I sat down with the sleep-deprived Paul Rice and our conversation went something like this:

---

Paul: Do you have any writing rituals?

Paul Rice: I have to have tea; I can barely write without it. I also have to correct misspellings; I’m unable to leave them for some other time.

Paul: What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Paul Rice: I’ve always liked science fiction. I didn’t know it a year ago, but after sampling other Indie authors’ works, I found that I also like genres such as crime mysteries. I usually read ebooks on my phone during my daily train commute. I stayed up late last night reading Fatal Exchange by Russell Blake, because I couldn’t wait for the rest of the week to find out how it ended! Other Indie authors I’ve recently read include Terri Long, Daniel Adams, Suzie Carr, Nicholas Rose, Lissette Manning, Frederick Brooke, Wodke Hawkinson, Lisa Stull, Philip Catshill, and many more.

Paul: If someone had the power to step into your creative mind what would they see?

Paul Rice: I try to write with my feelings. What a person stepping into my creative process would probably experience would be extensions of my feelings as they interacted with ideas, images, sensations, and beliefs.

Paul: What is a typical day for you? 

Paul Rice: I’ve been a poor sleeper the past few years. I get up somewhere between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. after sleeping less than eight hours. I write until 6:30 a.m., and then it’s time to get ready for work. Ten or eleven hours later, I return, and run errands or do other household necessities. I haven’t watched any television for two months.

Paul: In all the years you’ve been publishing your work, what is the biggest mistake you made that you could share so others can avoid making it? 

Paul Rice: I published four short eBooks during the past year. Each one had its own lesson to teach me. The first one’s lesson was to use a copy editor. The second one was to use a graphic artist. The lesson of the third eBook was to engage my audience. The latest eBook is trying to teach me to see things as they are, and not to mistake reality for how I want things to be. I’m stubbornly resisting, though. :)

Paul: How do you find the time to write?

Paul Rice: I exchange sleep for writing time. A side effect of the exchange is that I’m less productive at my day job. After a while, there just so much caffeine a person can drink before it doesn’t do any good in the workplace.

Paul: What is one thing you hope I do not tell the readers?

Paul Rice: Three of my eBooks are essentially free, because I’ve republished them as a series of blog posts.

Paul: What led to you going your own way as a self-published author?

Paul Rice: I never considered any other method than independently publishing. I don’t see how else I can say what I want to say when I want to say it. It is fast, it is efficient, and my work can have a long lifetime here in the Digital Age.

Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Paul Rice:  I outline each work before I start. I try to keep the outline updated, especially when I have a co-author. The outline remains broad, and allows my co-author and myself plenty of room to write what we need to express.

Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Paul Rice: I’m not at the point where I can write well-formed sections of text that don’t require editing.

Paul: What is your most recent book? Tell us a little about it

Paul Rice: My most recent work is Pimp ur Blog Episode Two: Increase Search Results with Articles and Feeds. My co-author, Messie Jessie, and I are in the middle of writing the Pimp ur Blog series for authors and bloggers with the idea that discoverability is the key here in the Digital Age. The first two episodes show many ways to get into Google search results for relevant search terms so that people will discover your book and blog. The third eBook in the series is due out in August, with the title Pimp ur Blog Episode Three: Working with Amazon and Google.

Paul: What inspired you to write this book?

Paul Rice: I was inspired by my co-author, Messie Jessie, who makes an effort to put it all out there in her blog. She wasn’t getting the recognition I thought her work deserved, so I ran a few experiments with her permission to enhance her blog’s discoverability, at least to the search engines. When the various methods worked, she and I teamed up to tell others about the techniques via the Pimp ur Blog series.

Paul: How much marketing do you do for your published works or for your ‘brand’?

Paul Rice: I am always on the lookout for different marketing avenues. I came across one yesterday while reading a blog post where a guy was complaining about Amazon’s take. One of the things he did about it was to sell “direct” through Gumroad.com. You give them your PayPal email, upload your eBook files, and Gumroad will provide a selling link to put wherever you want. When your customers click that link on your blog, it looks like the sale is made directly from your blog. And you, the author, get 95% of the sales price instead of the much lower percentages offered by Amazon, B&N, etc.!

Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have any hobbies or party tricks?

Paul Rice: My life is in a lot of turmoil this year. I’ll publish a piece of fiction later this year that has a lot of my recent factual experiences as its base. Though it hasn’t happened yet here at mid-year, I still hold out the hope that this year will be a turnaround year for me socially.

Paul: Well thank you, Paul. I hope it hasn't been too confusing for our readers with all the Pauls! I wish you every success for the future.

---

About Paul Rice: I work as a software developer for my day job.

In 2012 so far, I have co-authored with Messie Jessie the first two eBooks of the Pimp ur Blog series, Pimp ur Blog Episode One: Boost Search Results with Social Bookmarking, and Pimp ur Blog Episode Two: Increase Search Results with Articles and Feeds.

I used to have a lot of interest in consumer education topics, as shown by the out-of-print titles that I wrote and marketed to libraries in the late 1980s. With my two 2011 eBooks, Getting Well for the First Time, and When Do I Get to Live My Own Life?, I'm now more interested in human development and psychology.

Paul's Blog: PimpUrBlog
Paul on Facebook:  facebook.com/PaulFRice
Paul on Twitter: @GettingWell4
Paul's latest book: Pimp ur Blog Episode Two (Amazon)

Paul Dorset Press Release: Self-Publishing Comes Of Age

Self-Publishing Comes of Age

Expert Reveals Three Reasons Why

It’s No Longer Considered ‘Vanity Press’

Paul Dorset has something in common with Spartacus and it’s not that he wears armor or led a slave revolt against the Roman Empire. It’s that they both gained prominence through self-publishing.

Rejected by the traditional publishing houses in 1960, Spartacus – which inspired the iconic Kirk Douglas film – was self-published by author Howard Fast during the McCarthy era in 1951. He wrote it as an allegory of his own experience being imprisoned for his alleged involvement with the Communist Party because he refused to disclose the names of contributors to a fund for a home for orphans of American veterans of the Spanish Civil War. He sat in jail for three months for contempt of Congress, which resulted in him being blacklisted as an author. So, he self-published, which led to the landmark movie.

Dorset, who is about to launch his seventh book, didn’t self-publish because of the red Scare. He self-published because he found the traditional publishing industry slow, unresponsive and annoyingly dismissive of new ideas – and he’s not alone. Many bestsellers have been self-published, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and What Color is Your Parachute? Dorset believes that with the advent of affordable print-on-demand programs and e-books, self-publishing is no longer the realm of the wealthy who once used self-publishing as a vanity tool. Today, he believes self-publishing is a legitimate and growing publishing trend.

“Anyone who feels they have a book inside them, waiting to get out, should seriously consider self-publishing,” said Dorset, author of New Blood (pauldorset.com). “It’s no longer the second-class citizen of the publishing world. When I started self-publishing in 2003, it wasn’t nearly as accepted as it is today. Now, I am enjoying a following, steady sales and higher profits than the traditional publishing industry would have ever offered me.”

His reasons for self-publishing include:

• Control – With traditional publishing, they control when you’re published, what your cover looks like and all the final edits. Sometimes, you’ll finish your book in December, but it isn’t published until August of the following year. If you self-publish, you control everything, and when your final edit is done, you can release the book when you want, not when some publishing executive wants.

• Money – Most of the traditional publishing houses will offer a minimal advance against royalties, and that’s about all the money you’ll ever see. They’re royalty rates, after their fees and percentages, can amount to a few pennies on the dollar. With self-publishing, you retain every dime after your cost of goods, which in some cases can be as low as a buck or two per book. For instance, if you go with a print-on-demand provider, and your cost of goods is $2 per book, and you sell it for $14.95, you can keep around $12 per book when it’s purchased directly from your Web site.

• Ancillary Rights – If you’re an author with a decent literary agent, and you get a book deal, your agent will get 15 percent of everything you make, and the publisher may even have a stake in the movie rights. If you’re one of the lucky few who have their book made into a film, you’ll be giving away as much as 50 percent of your film royalties. With self-publishing, you retain all your ancillary rights, including film, TV and foreign market licensing.

“Best-selling authors, New York Times columnists and many others are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon, and since more than 50 percent of all books sold in North America are sold online, you don’t have to worry about old prejudices on the part of buyers for the big book chains,” Dorset added. “You can market directly to consumers and, if you’re book is good enough, have a fighting chance at selling as much as if it were published traditionally.”

About Paul Dorset

Paul Dorset was born in Poole, Dorset in England in 1960 but has been living in America since 1995. He began self-publishing back in 2003 with his first novel. Since then, he has published several more novels in a series, as well as a business book. He plans to release several more books by the end of 2012.

PRESS RELEASE: Teen Epic Fantasy Series Re-Imagined: Xannu - The Healing

Teen Epic Fantasy Series Re-Imagined: Xannu - The Healing

Author Paul Dorset has published the 2nd edition of Xannu – The Healing, a 400 page book that is the 2nd in a thrilling teen epic fantasy series. The book is available for $3.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Smashwords.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Xannu - The Healing

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun 21, 2012 - Anacortes, WA author and resident, Paul Dorset has published the second edition of “Xannu – The Healing,” a 400 page book that is the second in a thrilling epic fantasy series written especially for teens. The book, published at an introductory low price of $3.99, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Smashwords.

Written for all for fans of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Narnia Chronicles, the second installment in a thrilling epic fantasy series…

English schoolboy Terry West’s life has been turned upside down. His best friend Joe is missing and presumed dead. And it is all his fault. If only he hadn’t given Joe one of his rune coins. Those damn rune coins that transported him to another world where Terry is a soldier, Teern Truthbringer, who was tasked with finding the Xannu. Wars are brewing and people from many lands and religions want the ailing Xannu for themselves, and it is Teern’s job to protect him. But first he must make a perilous journey to get him healed.

Terry’s dreams also leave him out of touch with the magical woman Maria who has charge of healing Joe. How will Joe fare and will he survive in this world inhabited by warlocks, seductresses, priests and prophecy? Terry is praying he does.

But Terry’s other life is the least of his problems. Back at home his strict Granddad is coming to stay, his school work is suffering badly, and the leggy sister of his school friend Brian is trying to ask him out on a date. Why can’t everyone just leave him alone?
How will Terry balance the two lives he leads, solve two sets of problems, and understand the lessons he receives from both? Only time will tell. But time is something Terry doesn't have too much of, as everything is unfolding in ways he could never have imagined!

Book 2 of 'The Southern Lands' saga
“Listen to what the animals have to say. Listen to their advice. Do not rely on the word of mankind, for theirs is already a path leading towards disaster.” (Foretellings of Taesso 6:12-13)

About Paul Dorset
Paul Dorset was born in Poole, Dorset in England but has been living in America since 1995. He has been writing for many years and some of his early works were published in 'teen advice' columns. He has also had many technical articles published, mostly in the field of Computing. Paul currently lives in the Pacific Northwest but has traveled extensively and worked many times with teens and youth groups. It is this background combined with a vivid imagination that has enabled him to weave a tapestry of magic into complete novels. His first epic fantasy series, aimed at young adults, is entitled 'The Southern Lands'. However, the storyline is more than exciting enough to keep adults turning pages as the story unfolds. Paul is currently working on several other projects and plans to release new books later in 2012. For up to date information on his projects, please read his blog which is at http://blog.pauldorset.com

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11903754/1

--- end ---

Six Sentence Sunday #3

On the theme of six sentence Sunday, here are a few sentences from Fergus Fedderfeeny's Food Factory. The book is a Middle Grade comic adventure and is available from all the usual places for only $0.99 as an ebook, and $16.99 as a paperback.

Fergus Fedderfeeny only wore white shirts. Never blue or gray or green. Only white. The mere thought of any other color sent a shiver down his spine. His suits however were a slightly different matter. He had eight in total.

---

Fergus Fedderfeeny's Food Factory

Age Group: Middle Grade (9-12)
Category: Comic Adventure
Pages: 186

Farnsworth is worried. He’s counted them over again and again, but bags of the Food Factory’s vegetables are definitely missing! What will his boss, the ever so exact Fergus Fedderfeeny, say when he finds out? And then there’s the matter of the new wonderful tasting pies that Farnsworth is making. Farnsworth doesn’t exactly know how the recipes got changed or if the missing vegetables played a part in it. Armed with his toolbox of hammers and staying well away from The Mangler, he’s determined to get to the bottom of it all.

But things get complicated when unknown to Farnsworth, Fergus’ evil brother, Hamish, wants to get in on the action and steal the recipe for the famous pies. What ensues is a comical adventure the likes of which Farnsworth has never had before. Can he save the day and also win the love of the beautiful policewoman Daisy Driftwood? Or will time and The Mangler catch up with him and lead to his ruin?

Fergus Fedderfeeny’s Food Factory is a comical adventure story set in the dummy town of Gwillville; a small coastal harbor town with a Fire Station, a Police Station, a school, restaurants and stores. There are houses too, where the dummies live and work and carry on their ageless day to day life. Yet not everything in Gwillville is exactly as it seems. Some of the laws of nature, which as humans we take for granted, work in slightly different ways.

Gwillville is populated with colorful characters that every reader will soon take to their hearts. With the bumbling hero Farnsworth, the precise and exact Fergus Fedderfeeny, the self-professed police action hero Sergeant Romeo, and the mafia dummy mastermind Sofia, there are a wealth of citizens to get to know. And you will as you follow the crazy everyday antics in Gwillville. After all, ventriloquist dummies get to have a life too!

---

Author Interview: Karen Einsel

Today I am pleased to present to you all the first in a series of Author Interviews. Recently I sat down with the wonderful Karen Einsel and our conversation went something like this:

---

Paul: Do you have any writing rituals?

Karen: I have to play and win a game of Spider solitaire and regular solitaire before I write J

Paul: What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Karen: Since I’ve started writing, I read all different genres by different authors, but my heart still belongs to Stephen King.

Paul: If someone had the power to step into your creative mind what would they see?

Karen: A lot of people talking all at once. There’s constantly a story being played out and many conversations going on.

Paul: What is a typical day for you? 

Karen: Up before 6 a.m. Start the coffee and the computer, check emails, blog posts, and twitter. Then finally tell myself I need to accomplish something around 10 a.m. Housework, laundry, yard work, unless I’m writing; then there is no set schedule. Things get done when I need a break from my work.

Paul: Do you have a favorite character in each of your series, aside from the lead? If so, which one and why? 

Karen: No. I think I pretty much love my characters equally because they have different personalities and bring a different perspective to each story I write.

Paul: In all the years you’ve been publishing your work, what is the biggest mistake you made that you could share so others can avoid making it? 

Karen: Well I wish I could say years, but actually I just published my first book February 3, 2012 (My birthday) But my biggest mistake was when I published The Good Dr. Grant in April. I used Createspace for the print version again, but because I had one photo on the inside that I wanted in color, I choose full color interior and now I can’t list that version for less then $41.55 on Amazon. L I just finished reformatting it in the black and white version and it will be available next week for $12.99. A big difference!

Paul: How do you find the time to write?

Karen: I do a lot of multi tasking.

Paul: What is one thing you hope I do not tell my readers?

Karen: That when I get nervous, I tend to babble and I talk with my hands waving here and there, which ends up with me knocking the glass of wine out of your hand and spilling it all over the floor. I’m really a dork, but shh that’s our secret.

Paul: You are self-published, so what led to you going your own way?

Karen: You and Richard C Hale and just wanting to see what the process was of self publishing.

Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Karen: I get the idea in my head and just run with it!

Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Karen: I am doing a lot of editing on my current WIP, but I believe the reason for that is that it is the second novel I wrote and I was still learning about writing. And I’m still learning!

Paul: Do you have to do much research for your stories?

Karen: No. Well I did have to research how to write a sex scene for the first book I wrote and then I researched what kind of complications a cow can have after giving birth for The Good Dr. Grant.

The Good Dr. Grant

Paul: What is your most recent book? Tell us a little about it

Karen: My most recent book is The Good Dr. Grant. Grant Graysen gets hired as the town veterinarian after Amy’s parents are killed in a head on collision, leaving Amy to take over her dad’s veterinarian practice.  Meeting the good Dr. Grant, Amy finds him to be quiet and reserved and she sets out on a mission to find and unleash a passion in him, but things get complicated when Tom, Amy’s best friend, suddenly takes an interest in her and to make matters worse, Amy’s ex-husband, Kent, shows up wanting to take Amy back to England with him.

Paul: What inspired you to write this book?

Karen: You know, I haven’t a clue.  I just started writing and didn’t even know where the plot would take me and I had a heck of a time trying to decide on the ending. I had wanted to write another novelette but it turned into approximately 190 pages for the e-book version and 330 pages for the print version. So much for a novelette.

Paul: Do you also write any poetry, non-fiction or short stories?

Karen: I do have two ideas for non-fiction. One is about health and happiness and the other is about having a child with leukemia.

Paul: Do you enter competitions? Are there any you could recommend?

Karen: I have entered one through http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writing-competitions

Paul: How much marketing do you do for your published works or for your ‘brand’?

Karen: Mainly I tweet my books randomly every day. I do post on Facebook once or twice in the beginning when my book first comes out and then only when I offer it for free or at a reduced price. As for my brand, I tweet, post on Facebook, Goodreads, etc. usually every day and I have two blogs.

Paul: What’s your favorite / least favorite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Karen: The initial writing phase is my favorite. Editing and revising are my least favorite and as for surprising me, it has to be my procrastination on the editing.

Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have any hobbies or party tricks?

Karen: I’m a crafter. I find it fascinating that you can take a single strand of yarn and a hook, and create an entire wardrobe. Or take a piece of plastic canvas, yarn and a needle, and create art work, gift baskets, party sets; anything your imagination can come up with. I also like to dabble in  woodworking.

I look at writing the same way. Start with a word, and a word becomes a sentence and then a paragraph, and before you know it you have a chapter.

Well that’s it J Thank you John, for inviting me to be interviewed on your blog. I had a wonderful time.

Paul: And thank you, Karen. This was most enjoyable. I wish you every success with your books.

---

About Karen: The idea of being a writer never crossed Karen’s mind, but after closing her gift shop in 2011 she found herself with too much time on her hands, and a story in her head. Taking pen and paper in hand she found a whole new world open up to her and she’s enjoying it immensely.



Karen's Blog: karensdifferentcorners
Karen on Facebook:  facebook.com/pages/Different-Corners
Karen on Twitter: @K_Einsel
Karen's latest book: The Good Dr. Grant (Amazon)

Writing Experiment #34 - Ryann Manuscript Edit Part 2

This is number thirty-four in a series of posts where I document the complete process of writing a novella - Day By Day!

INTRODUCTION

I am documenting (via my blog) the complete start to finish experience of writing a novella that I will be releasing for FREE once it is written and edited.

Ryann is the story of a thirteen year-old girl who works as a servant for a tyrant of a master, and longs for the day when she can buy her freedom. The novella will serve as the introduction to a new fantasy series I will start writing in 2013.

I have already written approximately 900 words per day and completed the draft manuscript. Now it's onto the editing phase.


The timeline for the experiment is as follows:

• Plotting, Characters and Scene Outlines - April 1to April 20 - COMPLETE
• First Draft Manuscript - April 21 to May 18 - COMPLETE
• First Manuscript Edits - June 18 to June 21 - COMPLETE
• Reader Proofs - June 22 to July 10
• Final Manuscript Edits - July 11 to July 14
• Ryann LAUNCH - July 25

STATUS

Today's Date: June 22nd
Progress: Part 2 of my editing is complete (Chapters 5 thru 14)

Below is a revised portion from Chapter Four. In a few days time I'll be ready to send out copies of the manuscript to beta readers. Are you on that list? If you'd like to be, click HERE. In the meantime why don't you read the complete draft manuscript (the original unedited version)?

---

CHAPTER FOUR

...“Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

Ryann looked up from her dinner. “What?”

“Can I sit here?” the boy repeated.

“Yes,” Ryann replied, staring down at her plate once more. “Do whatever you want to do.”

“I’m sorry about Megan. I know she was your best friend.”

“I don’t have a best friend. I still don’t have a best friend.”

“What about me?” asked the boy.

“Ryann looked up from her plate once more. “You? You never even speak to me usually. You just feel sorry for me today.”

“No I don’t, Ree. I can call you Ree, can’t I?”

“I guess.”

“And you can call me Kieran.”

“But that’s your name.”

“Oh,” said Kieran. “So you know that then?”

“Of course I do. I’m not stupid or anything. I’ve seen you in the kitchens and helping out about the place. I know who you are.”

Kieran smiled. “Well that’s good to know then.” He sat down next to Ryann and pushed his plate along the table. “Do you want any of my dinner?”

Ryann scrunched up her nose and looked into his face. “Why would I want some of your dinner?”

“Well, just. You know?”

“What?”

“Well, since you arrived in the castle you’ve been getting thinner.”

“What?” Ryann shouted, getting to her feet. “You’re sorry for me because my friend died and I’m getting thinner? Did I look better when I was fatter then? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No. No. I… I just meant that…”

“Here, why don’t you have one of my potatoes? I wouldn’t want you to get thin too.” Ryann picked up a potato, dropped it onto Kieran’s plate and sat down again.

Kieran blushed. “I’m sorry, Ree. Can I start again? I didn’t mean to appear rude. I was just saying that if you’re not getting enough food then I am happy to share with you. That’s all.”

“And in return you expect me to share with you?”

“Only if you want to.” Kieran pricked a large piece of carrot with his fork and put it onto Ryann’s plate. “Now we’re even. Come on, let’s eat.”...

Writing Experiment #33 - Would You Like To Be A Beta Reader?

First question, just what is a beta reader? For those of you that are not tightly bound to the writing industry, a beta reader is someone who, in turn for receiving an early copy of a book, agrees to check through it for inconsistencies, slow plotlines, grammar mistakes, etc., and then provide feedback to the author before the book is actually released.

If you have been following my blog, you will know that I have been engaging in an online writing experiment. During the past couple of months I have been updating my blog with the plot and manuscript for Ryann, my soon to be released novella. Well, the novella is about ready to be let loose to a small portion of the public. Would you like to be one of those people?

If you say 'yes' I will send you an electronic copy and some instructions. Then you get to read the book a couple of times and make comments about it under several categories. Finally you return those comments to me. I then read through all comments from all my beta readers and make whatever changes I deem necessary to the book, before it undergoes a final edit. I will, of course, be publishing some of the beta reader comments on my blog. Sound interesting? Then drop me an email to john@pauldorset.com. I would love to find four or five beta readers during the next week.

---

Title: Ryann
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Wordcount: 30,000


Ryann is the story of a thirteen year-old girl who works as a servant for a tyrant of a master, and longs for the day when she can buy her freedom. The novella will serve as the introduction to a new fantasy series I will start writing in 2013.

Writing Experiment #32 - Ryann Manuscript Edit Part 1

This is number thirty-two in a series of posts where I document the complete process of writing a novella - Day By Day!

INTRODUCTION

I am documenting (via my blog) the complete start to finish experience of writing a novella that I will be releasing for FREE once it is written and edited.

Ryann is the story of a thirteen year-old girl who works as a servant for a tyrant of a master, and longs for the day when she can buy her freedom. The novella will serve as the introduction to a new fantasy series I will start writing in 2013.

I have already written approximately 900 words per day and completed the draft manuscript. Now it's onto the editing phase.


The timeline for the experiment is as follows:

• Plotting, Characters and Scene Outlines - April 1to April 20 - COMPLETE
• First Draft Manuscript - April 21 to May 18 - COMPLETE
• First Manuscript Edits - June 18 to June 21 - IN PROGRESS
• Reader Proofs - June 22 to July 10
• Final Manuscript Edits - July 11 to July 14
• Ryann LAUNCH - July 25

STATUS

Today's Date: June 19th
Progress: Part 1 of my editing is complete (Chapters 1 thru 4)

Below is the revised opening part of Chapter One. In a few days time I will post the final edit updates. In the meantime why don't you read the complete draft manuscript (the original unedited version)?

---

CHAPTER ONE

Ryann flattened herself against the cold stone wall and closed her eyes. “Don’t say anything,” she whispered to herself as the crack of the whip could be heard once more from the other side of the curtain.

A young girl screamed out in pain and a young man’s voice could be heard laughing. “Now that’ll teach you. Just stay still will you and it’ll all be over soon enough.”

Ryann wanted to cover her ears but dare not move in case she gave her position away. Again she heard the crack of the whip and the crying, screaming, noise the girl made as the whip found its mark. “Just don’t say anything.”

She knew she shouldn’t have wandered into the bedroom, but she had been curious. That was all. And it had been typical of Megan to follow after her. At least she supposed it was Megan. As soon as Ryann had heard the movement outside the room, she had quickly run to hide behind the curtain. And then, not twenty seconds later, Megan had been discovered. Ryann heard the pleading as the young man muttered something under his breath. And then she heard the familiar sound of a whip cracking and a girl screaming out loud. It could only be the master, Lord Cala. He was the only one that had a whip. Or his son. Of course it had to be his son. And that meant it would be even worse. No, she definitely had to remain as still as possible and hope she was not discovered.

Another two screams and it was all over. The room fell quiet except for the silent sobbing of the girl. Ryann dared to lift her hand to her face and she bit into it, stopping herself from shouting out. She waited another couple of minutes and carefully peered around the edge of the long velvet curtain. Megan was lying face down on the bed with her simple dress half-torn, exposing her bare back. Ryann counted five deep cuts where the whip had found its mark. She wiped away a tear from her eye and crossed over to Megan. She bent over the shivering girl, reached out a hand, and whispered to her. “Come on, let’s get you back to your room. Come on.” She carefully helped the young girl to her feet and let Megan lean into her as they walked together through the corridors, back toward their quarters... 

FREE Promotions For Indie Authors

Are you looking for some more exposure as an indie author? Yeah I know, a stupid question! Well the good news is that I am now offering FREE promotions to all my indie friends.

What have I got to offer? How about this:

• Interviews of you, the indie author
• Posting of the interview on my blog which receives an average of 1,000 hits per day 
• Promoting your interview on twitter - and I have 59,000 followers - every day for a complete week after the blog posting

And very soon I will be offering book reviews as well. This is becoming a full-time job. Oh wait, it already is! 

Finally, watch out for my other new offering which will hit my blog in July. This will be something big - very big!

In the meantime, if you're interested in being interviewed on my blog - and receiving the associated publicity - then please send me an email to john@pauldorset.com

Have a great day!

Six Sentence Sunday #2

On the theme of Six Sentence Sunday, here's a few sentences from my upcoming novella, Ryann, which I will be editing this week, ready for release later in July. You can read the complete draft online HERE.

Suddenly his sword felt heavier and his legs didn’t seem to be working as well as they should be. He pivoted on his legs and briefly lowered his sword to stop himself from falling over. He looked down at his stomach and blinked another few times. Why was there blood coming from his stomach? Why was the ground rising up so fast before him? Why were the birds singing in the trees? Why…

Have a great weekend!

Only One In Every Five Authors Will Be A Winner

I read a couple of posts this month that stated only one in every five books published this year will make a profit. Phew, now I know. I just need to make sure I publish six books!

No but seriously, this made me think. If that's the case with traditional publishing, then why oh why would I ever consider it? Every book I have self-published has already made a profit. And as time moves on, so that profit will only get larger.

What about you? How is your writing going? How are your books doing? Still looking to take a leap and publish a book? If so, then take a look at my successful book, How To Write & Self-Publish Your First Novel. For a limited time, this book is on sale at $3.99 for the ebook and $8.99 as a paperback. Of course it's available from all major re-sellers and also on my website. You CAN be successful.

Do you want to be an author in that top 20%?

Review: "[Paul Dorset] does a better job at teaching about writing then Stephen King" (Karen Einsel)

---

How To Write & Self-Publish Your First Novel

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes
& Smashwords - ONLY $3.99

INTRODUCTION
Writing and publishing your first novel is tough. It usually takes a long time. Years for most people. It can be soul destroying too. You finally complete your manuscript; you send off samples to agents and publishers, and anxiously watch the mail for the responses. Then they come in, one at a time, rejection after rejection.

How do I know this? I’ve been there. Does this mean I was a bad writer? No, but I could have used some help in those early days. Sure, I had purchased a few books on writing and I had tried to pay attention to the advice they gave, but there were so many of them and sometimes advice seemed to conflict other advice. It was way too much to take in.

But I persevered with my writing and now I have been writing for several years and I have completed several novels and other books, and my writing is a lot better. My early novels could still do with some major re-editing (which they will be finally getting this summer), but my later works, oh wow I can spot the differences!

So, a few months ago I decided I would go the self-publishing route to getting my books out there in the big world. Things are changing in the book markets and so many people now have Kindles and Nooks and iPads and other electronic book readers. I thought to myself, why not do it myself? I know I can write; I have that confidence. Enough complete strangers have told me they like what I write, so why shouldn’t I join that list of published authors? And why should I have to wait for some agent or publisher to take a chance on an unknown author before I get published? So I did it, and now I have the story to tell and the method you can use to generate your own success.

This ebook is a series of essays solely concerned with improving your writing skills and getting your first novel successfully self-published. It is written in a way that you can keep dipping into it, and keep coming back to parts of it, time and time again. It is concise and to the point and it is written from experience; thousands of hours of experience. Every essay in this book is relevant and has a purpose. Every essay will give you pause for thought.

Can I turn you into a bestselling author? No – only you can do that. But I can set you on a path to success. I can give you clear guidelines about what not to do, and how to do things better. And I can tell you exactly how to self-publish that novel. This ebook takes your novel from the beginning and leads you along a path of self-discovery. When you have finished reading you will be Writing for Success and be someone who has a better chance than most every other wannabe author out there of becoming the next Tom Clancy, JK Rowling, Stephen King, or whoever else is your writing hero.

Good luck!

CONTENTS
1. Don't Start the Story at the Beginning
2. Become a Successful Writer in 2,000 Hours
3. Poems and Short Stories
4. Creating a Good Plot
5. How Long Should a First Novel Be?
6. Writing in the First Person
7. Writing in the Third Person
8. Dialog Versus Narrative – Show Versus Tell
9. Writing Your First Novel: Words & Routine
10. Conflict and Its Importance
11. Plot Pace
12. Creating Believable and Well Rounded Characters
13. Writing Dialog – Or ‘He Said, She Said’
14. Creating a Page Turner
15. Letting the Book 'Cook'
16. Self-Editing Your Novel
17. The Process of Pre-Reads
18. Creating a World of Fantasy
19. How to Write & Self-Publish a Novel: The End-To-End Process Checklist
20. Creating a Writing Environment without Interruptions
21. Reading to Write
22. Encouraging All Would Be Authors
23. The Self-Publishing Process - The COMPLETE A-Z Instructions
24. Marketing Your Novel - The Relevance of Social Media, ARCs and Book Bloggers