Internet Dating at its Best

Title: Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace
Author: Dianne Sweeney
ISBN: 978-0-578-04179-7
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 214
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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More then a meeting, deeper then a connection…


Like many before her and many more after her, Dianne has ventured into the world of dating. That is where the similarities stop as the world of dating has drastically changed. Technology has added a twist to the age old practice of approaching a man or woman and asking him/her on a date or picking up a phone and asking. With the invention of online dating and associated websites single people can practically shop for the man or woman of their dreams.

As easy as that may sound “Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace” outlines the unspoken rules of navigating the cyber single scene. Along the way Dianne shares with us the adventures of dating, the outcome of those dates and the daunting task of managing dating services.

Will Dianne find her knight in shining armor or will she be a damsel in distress, forever caught in cyberspace?
Dianne’s bravery to step into the dating scene is evident throughout the book. She holds nothing back as we see her frustration, anger, joy, sadness and eagerness. By adding actual communications and e-mails from possible matches “Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace” has a fresh, unique dose of realism and credibility.

Dianne’s writing style is very natural and relaxed which fits perfectly with a book such as “Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace.” By throwing open the door to her thoughts, feelings and emotions we see first hand the impact online dating has on an individual.

“Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace” is more then an entertaining read it is an experience not to be missed. You will find yourself laughing, shaking your head in disbelief and rooting for Dianne to find her man. If you love humor, honesty, perseverance and a well written memoir I highly recommend “Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace.”

If you would like to learn more about this extremely entertaining book and the author please visit her site HERE.

Creative Promoting

I waited way to long to post another article. I apologize for that. At this moment the snow is falling rather hard. We are in a blizzard warning! Yep, don't get those very often. Have you noticed my new additions to the blog? I added some links to some of the social networks I visit. I hope that you will pop over and join me over on the other sites as well.

Today I thought we could look at the aspect of promotion. This happens after we get our book(s) published and many would agree that this is the hard work portion of being an author. Promoting a book is like promoting anything else - it starts by drawing attention to it. Promoting a book has changed throughout the years as we have seen the rise of blogs, twitter and the IPhone but some of the tried and true methods still work.

How do we promote our books? We do book signings and participate at expos and craft shows; you know, getting out in the public eye. We also have articles placed in the newspaper and some have the opportunity to get on the news. Nothing is out of bounds when it comes to promotions (as long as it is legal). To prove my point I have the perfect example for you. Before I get to that we need to look at one more avenue for book promotion. The Internet is quickly becoming the number one source for finding books and driving sales. I say that because I still think word of mouth is the number one way to promote a book. For example, 'The Shack' got a huge springboard from word of mouth when it was released.

The Internet is a wonderful thing. We have blogs, social networks like goodreads.com and facebook, we have other networks like Twitter and we have youtube.com. I separate Twitter from the other social networks because, at this moment in time, this is as close as we can get to word of mouth promotion through cyberspace. All of these things can come together for a major promotion push for your book if used properly.

Like I mentioned before, nothing is off limits when it comes to promotions. We are encouraged to be just as creative drawing attention to our books as we were when writing them. The more creative the promotions the more attention we draw - or so I'm told The great thing about promoting your book is that it can be fun. We should think of ways that are fun for us because readers and fans will pick up on that energy.

Wait a minute Brian, I'm not published yet so I don't have to worry about it. Yes you do. An author platform is nothing more then promoting yourself as an author. You want to be fun and energetic when introducing your name to the public because everyone feeds and shares that excitement.

A friend of mine has her second book coming out soon and she ventured into the world of book promoting recently that made a massive splash. How she tops this one is beyond me but she drew a lot of attention.
She is the author of "Tender Graces" and her next book out is "Secret Graces." To promote her new book she decided to do a naked reading. That's right, she read a portion of her book in her birthday suite but it gets better; she was covered by a replica bear skin rug and she posted it on Youtube! Oh I hope she doesn't get mad at me for writing about it her but she did it and even her publisher got a good laugh out of it. The exposure (no pun intended) was great though. This is a great example of stepping out there on a limb, being creative and generating some energy for your book release.

What crazy ideas do you have for promoting a book? For more information about this author's naked reading you can read more about it HERE and from her own site HERE. 

Bradley Does it Again

Title: She Came From Away
Author: D. Edward Bradley
ISBN: 1-933094-10-9
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 275
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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Surprises around every corner…

Riley Barnett is your typical college student, eager to learn and broke; but that changes with the visit from the postman. Now she finds herself spending the summer in Newfoundland. Who knew one little envelope would open the doors to romance, new friends, mystery and danger?

The peaceful and tranquil feel of the summer house that once belonged to her late uncle is disrupted as strange events build upon each other. These events only add to the lore of the suspicious death of the uncle she never knew but in whose home she is now living. What began as a fun, relaxing vacation has turned and now Riley is looking over her shoulder, wondering what will happen next and if her life really is in danger.

What is so special about this house? Will she learn who is behind these strange events and why they are happening? Will she live to tell the tale?

Author D. Edward Bradley does it again but this time he uses suspense and action to carry the readers through this tale of mystery. Just as he did with “Harry’s War”, “She Came from Away” puts you in the story to experience exactly what the characters are.

Bradley challenges his writing style with his latest release by venturing into another genre. The end result is a resounding success. His development of the characters is exemplary. Bradley’s selection of words to describe the multiple settings paints a vivid and breathtaking picture.

“She Came from Away” will leave you guessing until the last page. If you love mystery, romance, action and thrills then “She Came from Away” is a must read.

To learn more about Author D. Edward Bradley and all his books please follow HERE.

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Catch the Wave

We have talked about the flow of a novel before and the importance of that flow. We need highs and lows with a pace that is both fast and slow strung throughout our manuscripts in order for the story to really sink in. That is one of the many ingredients needed for a really good read. If the story flows like water, as smooth as silk, we can really grab hold of it and run. However, if that same story has the flow of a busy intersection during rush hour, that is a different story.

There is another time when flow is critical to an author. That time is when we are actually writing the manuscript. How many hours have we spent trying to string together a few pages because we simply cannot get started? I know I have stared at the screen for some time by the first word is even typed. As an author I don't think anything can beat that feeling we get when we catch that wave and the story comes alive. Those are the times when we really enjoy writing. We can see our progress and get absorbed in the story. When we are struggling to catch that wave it's just not that fun. Think of it as being in the ocean on a surf board or a boogie board. You're waiting for that wave to come in, pick you up and hurl you towards the beach. Oh, how much fun we have doing that. What if the waves are not coming in? What if we are just sitting there, staring out over that blue horizon, waiting for that wave to appear? It can get difficult at times and it can push our patience to the limit.

What are we to do at those times? Of course we could write our ideas concerning that story and try to put a few paragraphs together that may or may not work after we read them. Is this productive? In my opinion, no written word is a waste; however, our time may be spent in a better way. We should never forget that writing comes from within. It is a passion we have to put words on paper. If we force these things to come about we could run into writer's block, becoming discouraged or getting upset with our work. These are not good things. Maybe we should change things up a little. If the waves are not coming in maybe we should go on the beach and build a sandcastle instead. That is, maybe we should work on something else but keep one eye on the ocean for those waves. Keeping another project going could keep us relaxed and keep the juices flowing so when the wave comes in we will be ready to catch it and ride it to the end.

If you are sitting there, staring at your screen, don't get discouraged, upset or frustrated. Move it to the side and just write. Even if it is nothing more then a few incoherent sentences it may be enough to bring in the waves. As I said before, no written word is ever a waste. Now go out there and hang ten!

When It All Comes Together

Title: Connecting Peace, Purpose & Prosperity 
Author: Rob Severson
ISBN: 978-159858-913-9
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 80
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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Peace leads to purpose and ends with prosperity.

Life is more then just making money. It’s about living a life of purpose through faith. Rob Severson has seen both sides of this situation. As a very successful banker he experienced working in the fast lane. Life soon throws him a curve ball. He is still successful but his purpose in life is rather different. In “Connecting Peace, Purpose & Prosperity” we travel with Rob as he reflects on his career and the growth of his faith which leads to his purpose.

Unlike other memoirs, “Connecting Peace, Purpose & Prosperity” delivers a life lived by the author in a way that imparts knowledge and wisdom to his main audience – his children. While he shares memories of his working life, he places the importance of life on peace, faith and purpose.

From the first word, Rob Severson’s faith and love for his family is evident. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to relate to his desire to express his love and the importance of faith with his family. He shares this by passing on his knowledge. A gift that is sure to benefit all who read this book.

Rob’s forthright and sincere writing style is comforting as he shares lessons learned with us. His engaging personality gives “Connecting Peace, Purpose & Prosperity” a warm, at home feel that is easy to connect with.

I recommend “Connecting Peace, Purpose & Prosperity” to those seeking wisdom from the experiences of others. There is much to be learned from people if we would only take time to listen.

Passing on the wisdom and experiences of life to our family is…priceless.

You can learn more about Rob and his book HERE.

The Panel is Set!

We are one step closer to the second annual New Author writing contest. At the end of last week I completed my panel of judges. I must be honest; if you win this year's contest you have something to be very proud of. Why? I will not give out the names of the judges but I will give you their occupations. I assure you, the panel covers the full range.

The judge's panel consists of a publisher, an editor, a book promoter, an avid reader, a published author, and a two aspiring authors. This is a total of seven judges. I am very happy with this number as it covers such a diverse group.

Where do we go from here? Well, the prize package is set, the judges are ready and I am ready. All we need now is a schedule of events. I think we should take care of that right now. I will begin accepting submissions at 8:00 a.m. on March 1st. The cut off date for submissions will be March 14th. That means you have approximately a month to get your stories and poems polished and ready to shine. On March 17th I will announce the submissions that will be moving on to the judges. At which time, I plan to post the submissions right here for all to read.

The judges must have their vote for best poem and short story to me by March 29th and I will announce the winner on March 31st.

As we get closer I will post reminders on the New Author. I can't wait to read your poems and stories!

One more thing, please help me spread the word about the contest. Thanks!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

This is article number THREE HUNDRED for the New Author! I simply could not believe it when I looked at the total a few days ago. Who knew we would be sitting here today? I have to be honest, it feels like yesterday when this all started. To celebrate this milestone (of which I am excited about) I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane. I have searched through all two hundred and ninety nine articles and compiled a list that highlights the journey. Some you may have read and some you may have missed but I hope you enjoy reading them. With that said, I'm curious, which one do you like the most out of this list?

Why I'm Here (the very first one)
That Scary First Step
Pen-Names (I had fun writing this one)
The 100th post and a contest is born
Let the Words Flow Like Water (this, in my opinion, is a good one too)
The Magical Path to Done (just when is a novel done?)
Struck by a Rogue Thought (this one came out of no where)
Are You Driven by Pace or Emotion (I had help from lots of sources for this one)
A Word Written is Never a Waste
One Word - Organization

Okay, I will stop at ten. That was harder then I thought but I hope you like the selection. I look forward to writing more and reading your comments as we travel through the years.

Major Announcement

As I mentioned last week, I am preparing for the second annual New Author writing contest. I am still assembling my judge's panel. I have a few lined up but I need a few more. As I mentioned before, the winner for each category, poetry and short story, will receive a $20 dollar gift certificate, a certificate badge for their blog or website and the opportunity to be published.

That's right; I just confirmed that the winning poem and short story will be published in the May/June issue of Dream Chaser's Magazine. This is a great opportunity to start building your resume. The prize package is now complete. I think this is pretty exciting.

If you would like to know more about Dream Chaser's Magazine you can check out some of their previous issues here.

I know the contest start is still a few weeks away but as things start falling into place I get more excited. As I said above, I need more judges for the panel. If you're interested leave me a comment and/or send me an e-mail through the contact button.

Also, I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me spread the word about the contest. This will be fun. Are you ready?

The Second Annual New Author Writing Contest

Many of you may remember the first annual New Author writing contest I held last March. Well, that time is gaining on us fast. I plan to hold the contest again this March. Just like last year, I plan to have a poetry category and a short story category. What is different about this year's contest? Not only will the winner be awarded an emblem to post on their site but there will also be a gift certificate to sweeten the pot. I haven't decided how much the gift certificates will be but the winner from each category will get one.

To gear up for the contest I'm starting a little early. The first order of business is this - I need judges! I would like to put together a panel of judges that will vote for the ultimate winner in each category. I would like to have anywhere from five to ten judges so there will be a fair amount of people reading the entries. If you are interested in being a judge for this years contest please send me an e-mail through the contact button or leave a comment. Last year, after I implemented the judge’s panel, they did a really great job. I'm sure this year will be no different.

As for the rules, here they are:

Judges cannot submit entries for the contest.
Participants are allowed to submit a total of two (2) entries. For example, you may submit one poem and one short story or two poems or 2 short stories at a maximum.
All poems will be limited to one page in length. Please include your name with your poem.
All short, short stories will be a maximum of 2,000 words. Please include your name and title on each page just in case I get clumsy and papers fly.
I will read all submissions and select the top five (5) short stories and poems at which time they will be posted on the New Author for everyone to read.
The judges may cast their vote at any time after all the submissions have been posted. All votes will be e-mailed to me and I will announce the winner.
Most importantly, we will have fun while showcasing the talents of the New Author community.

I have not set the deadlines as of yet but I will soon. Right now I'm excited to get things started; we had some really strong entries last year. I will have updates about this contest in the coming weeks. Alright, time to get your thinking hats on and come up with some great poems and short, short stories.

Harry's War - A Must Read

Title: Harry’s War
Author: D. Edward Bradley
ISBN: 1-92914-822-4
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 263
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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Thrilling, intense and heartwarming…

As England is continually battered by German forces during World War II, Harry Lockwood takes his first steps into his own war. His first year at the prestigious Markham College is a mix of excitement, fear and trepidation as he makes new friends, becomes a victim to the sadistic traditions of the school and attempts to survive both war-time and adolescence.

As the war rages, Harry and his friends must contend with the rigors of higher education, harsh corporal punishment by both prefects and headmaster while understanding the emotions stirred within them by the females from the local all girls school. Harry soon stumbles into love with a girl named Jenny. Throwing caution to the wind he breaks school rules and jeopardizes his own life to be with her.

Will his newly found love last? Will he survive the abuse of Markham College only to become a casualty of war as German bombs fall from the sky?

The intense realism of “Harry’s War” is evident throughout the book. Author D. Edward Bradley does a superb job of controlling the flow of this marvelous tale by easing the action with both humor and sadness. His use of drama, joy, despair and fear makes “Harry’s War” tangible for readers. You feel the emotions the characters feel; you see, in your mind, what they see.

Bradley’s writing is as refreshing as a cold drink of water on a hot day. His development of the characters is handled with such care. The kids grow and become adults right before your eyes. Bradley uses few words to describe the setting but it is the exact amount needed to paint a vivid picture.

“Harry’s War” is a gem hidden in the mass of books that are rarely discovered. If you love romance, action, strife, perseverance and well written prose I highly recommend “Harry’s War.”

If you would like to learn more about this author and his books please follow the link to his SITE.

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