I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy, going all the way back to the fourth grade. That's, oh my gosh, some sixty years ago! Two of my favorites were the interconnected stories of Ray Bradbury's books like Fahrenheit 451, and The Martian Chronicles, and the original The Twilight Zone. So, I guess it's not all that surprising that I would want to pay homage to these incredible masters of storytelling with my own series of [...]
As you may recall, I celebrated my 70th birthday a couple of Tuesdays ago. It seemed to an appropriate time to reflect not only on where I've been but where I see myself going in the future. The day before my birthday, I completed the rough draft of my 19th fiction novel: Ghost Elephant: Book 3 of the Zak Bates Eco-Adventure Series. (By the way, there are still a few spots left if want to join [...]
I realize that most people who find their way to this blog are readers, but I suspect an occasional indie author finds their way here as well. So, this little tip is for you. Who knows, I may be starting a series of tips in the spirit of collaboration. So, the question asked on Nick Stephenson's First 10K Readers Facebook page was whether or not one could use MailerLite's email service with Optimize Press landing pages. [...]
Let me start by sharing what led me to start the Zak Bates Eco-Adventure Series so you'll understand why this series has such a special place in my heart. My love for reading science fiction and fantasy started the summer before I entered the fourth grade shortly after my widowed mother moved us to Raleigh, North Carolina. It didn't take long before our new neighbor took pity on my harried mom who I was driving crazy [...]
The purpose of this blog post is to debrief the relaunch of the FreeForm science fiction thriller series. Let me start with a little background. This project began several months ago during which time I did a lot of prep work including: All new covers for all six books, (Designed by Victor Habbick. Thanks Victor.) New blurbs/book descriptions (written by Maxwell, aka dogpillow. Awesome job Max) A new prequel story entitled Freeform: Crash, Additional editing, and [...]
Falling through the Rabbit Hole Nia Gaines and her parents had been shopping for hours which felt like days to Nia. And to think how excited she’d been when her dad, Edwardo Gaines, had invited her to come with them on what he’d described as a combination family vacation and business trip. When does the vacation part start, Nia, wondered? So far, she’d been dragged along from one antique store to another. Beijing China has sounded [...]
NOTE: If you've already read this post previously, scroll down for an update on the FreeForm project. To be honest, I wasn’t going to write about my upcoming relaunch project even though it is a massive undertaking that involves six of my previously published books and a new story that’s a prequel to the whole series. But, I told myself, these books aren’t really visionary fiction, and that's the focus of my 100+ Blog Post Game. [...]
As I begin part two on how the100+ Blog Post Game came about, I know that I am in the midst of a breakthrough, a breakthrough in my self-expression as a visionary author. The term, breakthrough, is both a common term in today's vernacular as well as being a Landmark Education distinction. In Landmark terms, a "breakthrough is often thought of as a one-time event—a quantum leap that moves us 'outside the box.'" From the Landmark [...]
...And I think you will too once you give it a try. Not sure what 'Immersion Reading' is? Simple. According to Audible, it's the ability to "read a Kindle eBook and listen to its professionally narrated Audible companion Audiobook – all at the same time. Not only that, but you get the benefit of real-time highlighting." Not only does it increase comprehension and overall retention of content, but it's also FUN! You can really get into [...]
This is an excerpt from my book, From Spark to Flame: Fanning Your Passion & Ideas into Money-making Magazine Articles that Make a Difference. (Just click the link to pick up your own copy.) If you follow the systematic approach we’ve outlined thus far, it’s just a matter of perseverance and time before you’ll receive a positive response to one of your queries. Of course, along the way, you’ll receive a significant number of rejection letters, [...]
