July 2015 in Review

July 2015 in Review

So, I have finally made the decision to really focus on marketing. Yes, as an indie author, I should have been doing this all along, but I didn’t feel like I had the time. However, recently I had the opportunity to talk with Shayla Lee Raquel, of Curiouser Author Network. We talked all bout why marketing is so important for indie authors and what I can do, with the little time I have available, to increase my visibility.

In order to keep myself motivated I have decided to post my monthly progress/stats here, for the world to see.

WRITING

  • Blog Posts – 6 (I’ll shoot for 7 this month. Since this is my first one in August – I better get to work.)
  • Fiction Writing – Completed the manuscript for SECTOR C ~ The Hunted, it is now officially in the editing process.

BOOKS

  • Reading:
    • I need to find a new book to read. Anyone have a good suggestion?
  • Finished:
    • 61YCasIvf9L._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_ by John Berendt
    • by James Schannep
    • Never Never 1  by Colleen Hoover

 

GOODREADS & AMAZON STATS

July Stats

FANS / FOLLOWERS

Quotes from some of my reviews:

Loved it. Could not put it down. Finished it in 1 day. Gotta get the next book!” – Rockings03 (Amazon.com 5-star review of Awaken)

The stakes are raised, the action is fierce, and the suspense KILLED ME. I nearly skipped several times just so I knew what happened! But of course I didn’t, because the story was so great. All the time. The romance is sweeter, and the plot twists twistier.” – Amazon Customer (Amazon.com 5-star review of Beginnings)

The pace of this story was fast and steady throughout this story. Many twists and turns were presented that kept my curiosity piqued and when truths and secrets were revealed, I was simply shocked because I had no idea or inkling that these would occur. That in itself makes this a perfect story/ending for me.” – WisperingWillo (Amazon.com 5-star review of Revenge)

Think of a recipe that has a dash of Hunger Games, a pinch of Mystic Falls and a splash of Divergent. Then mix it all thoroughly with Nina’s flair of the supernatural and you have a great novel” – Jonas Lee (Amazon.com 5-star review of The Chosen)

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:

  • SECTOR C ~ The Hunted – Book 2 of the SECTOR C Series will be out later this year. It is currently with the editor, but I will post a blurb soon, so be watching.
  • YA FICTION NEWSLETTER – I have decided to start a Monthly (maybe quarterly – we will see how it goes) newsletter all about young adult fiction. It will include reading suggestions, reviews, author tips, etc. I hope you will sign up and join the mailing list (I WILL NOT SPAM) to check it out. I will also be doing Newsletter Subscriber Giveaways too. Sign up by clicking HERE .

 


I’ve linked to all of my social media sites throughout this post, so please come help my numbers grow in August!! Friend, Like, Subscribe, and as always please share my posts with your friends. Lastly, thank you to anyone who follows me and especially to those of you who have actually read through this entire post. I know it was long, but I think we all need a little accountability in our life. Putting everything out there, is how I hope to keep myself motivated to do all this marketing stuff everyone keeps telling me I need to do.

Where is Publishing Headed?

Ever wonder where publishing is headed in this ever-changing paperback vs. e-book world?

Publishing

I have to say, as an indie author, John B. Thompson’s article, in the Huffington Post, gave me hope. Sure, things might be getting harder for the publishing houses, but they are also leveling the playing field of book marketing for those of us indie authors. On a day-to-day basis, we are fighting through the weeds, trying to figure out how to get our names out there. We’re attempting to find new and innovative ways to get our books in front of readers.

By the time the publishing houses figure out that they also need to focus more on the online social media platforms, maybe some of us indie authors will have a small advantage. Having worked for years, build our online communities or readers and other authors, we indie authors are developing a strong network. No, I might never be the next Stephen King (Oh but I wish I was), or the next J.K. Rowling (wouldn’t that be amazing), but that doesn’t mean as an indie author I can’t still make my place in the literary world.

[The section below is provided as an excerpt from Thompson’s article. Check out the full article here, written by John B. Thompson on the Huffington Post.]

Today, the publishing business is in turmoil. For 500 years, the methods and practices of book publishing remained largely unchanged, but today the industry finds itself faced with the greatest challenges since Gutenberg.

These challenges are the outcome of two processes. On the one hand, the publishing business has been transformed beyond recognition by a set of profound social and economic changes that have been underway since the 1960s, resulting in the publishing landscape we see around us today: a handful of large corporate publishers based in New York and London and owned by large multimedia conglomerates; an array of powerful agents who have become the unavoidable gateway into publishing for writers and would-be writers; and a retail landscape dominated by a dwindling number of retail chains, mass merchandisers and Amazon.

On the other hand, the technological upheaval associated with the digital revolution is now having a major impact on the book publishing business. After a decade of numerous false dawns, e-books have now arrived and they are here to stay. In 2006, e-book sales amounted to only around 0.1 percent of the overall revenue of large US trade publishers – an accounting irrelevance. Today this figure is around 20 percent, and for some kinds of books, like romance, science fiction and thrillers, the percentage can be 60 percent or more – a huge change in five years. The digital revolution is disrupting many of the traditional practices of the publishing industry, opening up new opportunities and at the same time threatening to dislodge some of the players who have shaped the business of book publishing for half a century or more.

So where is book publishing now headed? Will the traditional print-on-paper book become a relic of a bygone age, a collector’s item to be found only in second-hand bookstores and garage sales, much like the old vinyl LP? Will publishers – and perhaps agents too – be displaced by a flourishing of self-publishing and by powerful online retailers like Amazon who can offer to publish writers’ work on royalty terms that are much more favorable than those traditionally offered by publishing houses?

[The section above is provided as an excerpt. Check out the full article here, written by John B. Thompson on the Huffington Post.]

So, if you’re an author (traditionally published or indie) I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. Leave your comments below and let’s start a conversation on the future of the publishing world.

Social Media Marketing 101

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SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING 101

With 355 social media platforms available (see list here) it can be a little overwhelming for authors to figure out the ins and outs of social media marketing. As an indie author, I find marketing myself and my books to be the hardest part of the process, followed closely by editing. However, marketing is alway one of the most important jobs of an indie author. You can write a great book but if no one knows about it – no one will read it.

Like I said, there are 355 social media platforms out there, today. Tomorrow there may be more. Not all of these platforms are right for authors, but how are new authors supposed to figure out what platforms will work for them? Good question. I wish I had the answer, but I don’t. I’m learning by trial and error. The reason for this post is so that I can share my thoughts and experiences to maybe help you on your journey.

Below I have listed the top social media platforms that I am currently using, or trying to use. You may already be using these sites, but if you’re not and want to start this may just be the place to get your foot in the door with some new ideas.

PLUS… the are all FREE!

Top Social Media Sites all Indie Authors Should Be Using:

FACEBOOK PAGE

 With Facebook’s ever-growing popularity, it would be crazy for an indie author not to have either an author page or a book page on Facebook. When I first started my page I decided to do a book page for my Blood Angel Series. I have since changed it to an author page. Why? Well, I published a book that wasn’t part of the Blood Angel Series, and I didn’t want to have to keep up with two pages. No, its not that much extra work, but when you add up all of the marketing an indie author has to do daily/weekly/monthly just to get their name and books out there, one extra Facebook page did seem a bit overwhelming.

My recommendation – DO NOT USE YOUR PERSONAL FACEBOOK PROFILE! Make a page that you control. As an author, I want to keep my personal life separate from my author life. Photos of my kids don’t belong on my author page. When I connect with other authors I don’t need to know what movie they just saw. I want to connect with them on an author-to-author or author-to-reader level and be informed about their coming book releases, writing tips, etc.

Join Facebook groups to reach your niche audience. Engage in group discussions, contribute helpful ideas and comment on posts. Make sure you check out blogs and twitter accounts of other group members and read and comment on their posts. Talk about your books, writing tips, what inspires you, etc. Be a part of the community so that the people in that community want to get to know you and your books. Word of mouth will help build your audience and grow your brand.

TWITTER

With only 140 characters to communicate your message, you must capture your audience quickly. Like they say, readers form their opinion about a book within the first two to three sentences, so Twitter is a great place to develop your writing skills. 

According to Twitter, a tweet is “an expression of a moment or idea. It can contain text, photos, and videos. Millions of Tweets are shared in real time, every day.” 

This is a place to get to know your readers, meet and share ideas with other writers, and find out what readers within your genre are interested in reading. DO NOT spam the twitter feeds with “buy my book” posts. Make sure you are engaging and share information that people want to read.

Make sure to include appropriate hashtags (no more than three for each post).

GOODREADS

I’m still getting to know Goodreads, but I love it so far. This is where authors post their books, connect to readers and authors, get ideas about what people in their genre like and are actively reading, post what you’re reading, write reviews, etc. Goodreads has a great author program dedicated to helping authors understand all the benefits of using their platform. You can even post giveaways, videos, blog posts, etc.

Join groups and participate in group discussions and reading challenges to get to know your potential readers. 

Have questions that you want to ask other authors? Reach out to them here!

AMAZON AUTHOR PROFILE

Amazon gives authors the ability to create their own author profile which links to their books. This is where you can post your bio, photos, and even link to your blog, twitter, and other social media accounts. You can even have a reader/author question and answer section within your profile.  

TUMBLR & INSTAGRAM

I am VERY NEW to both of these sites, but much like Twitter they are a snapshot moment in time that you can share with your friends, family, and followers. For those of you who write YA (Young Adult) Fiction, like me, this is the place to find our audience. Social media is all about the “now” and what is happening in real time. The youth of today are the primary drivers when it comes to social media, so if you have a book or books that are geared for YA – POST THEM HERE.

Use photos that relate to what you write about and to you as an author. Make sure to include appropriate hashtags (no more than three for each post).

LINKEDIN

LinkedIn is typically seen as a professional business community social media platform. However, there are a large number of networking groups on LinkedIn, especially for authors. By joining author groups and writing groups, you can share your books, share marketing ideas, collaborate on writing projects, and learn from your peers. I have learned so much from reading posts by other authors, editors, cover designers, etc. and I think you will too.


Next Steps:

The world of marketing is SCARY, but you aren’t alone. There are so many indie authors out there, just like you and me that are trying to find a way to get their foot in the door. So, don’t worry if you are feeling overwhelmed – I know I am. Just take it one step at a time. Set up your free accounts with each of the above sites and then start having fun and get to posting.


If you have suggestions on other social media sites to use, please list them below with how you use them and the benifits you’ve seen.

My Social Media Goals

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I recently met with Shayla Lee Raquel of Curiouser Author Network and we talked all about MARKETING. For me, marketing is the BIG BAD. I am not a sales person and I have a hard time talking about myself. However, as an author, especially an indie author, it is very important to be able to sell yourself and your books.

Considering that I published my first novel, Awaken, in 2012, I should be much farther along in the marketing game. So, with the help of Shayla I have made myself some social media marketing goals. In order to keep myself on track and push myself to do better in the upcoming months and years I am going to post my monthly results here for the whole world to see. Call it my accountability system.

Below are the monthly goals I am setting in order to start off on this new social media marketing adventure. I do hope these will increase with time, but I’m aiming for ‘better than current’ right now. I will aim for the stars at a later date.

Monthly Goals:

Blog: Post at least once per week

Writing: Write at least 5,000 words per week (20,000 words per month)

This will change depending on where I am in the writing process. Currently I am finishing up the first draft of my next novel The Hunted (book 2 ~ the SECTOR C Series) When I get into editing the word count will go out the window and the goal will be based on editing revisions

Reading: Read at least 1 book per month and post a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and my blog if appropriate. These reviews will also be included in my new YA Newsletter – sign up to receive the newsletter HERE.

YA Newsletter: My new YA Newsletter will be sent to my mailing list once per month at the beginning of the month, starting in August. You can sign up to receive your copy HERE. This is also where I will hold subscriber only giveaways. Yes, GIVEAWAYS.

Facebook & TwitterPost at least once weekly

TumblrPost daily as part of the Book Photo Challenge by Books & Cupcakes

InstagramGoal not determined yet.

Google+: Goal not determined yet.

What I will post in my Monthly Updates:

  • Number of blog posts;
  • Written word count;
  • Books I’ve read and those I’m still reading;
  • Goodreads and Amazon Stats;
  • Number of followers on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.;
  • Review Quotes; and
  • What you can look forward to in the month(s) to come.

Post a Quote Challenge (Day 3)

Hello Again,

I am on the final day of the Post A Quote Challenge. Thanks to Jonas Lee for thinking of me and pushing me into this challenge. 

Here are the rules in said challenge:

* Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).

* Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.

* Thank the blogger who nominated you on each post.

Today’s quote is by the master of words, Oscar Wilde.

read-quotes-7

 

I love this quote. What it is really saying is that what you read can really tell a lot about your personality.

Now, my last batch of nominees (feel free to participate or not):

Ashlee North

Marie Lavender

Zoot

Post a Quote Challenge (Day 2)

So, I am on day two of the Post A Quote Challenge. I’d like to thank, once again, Jonas Lee for nominating me.

Here are the rules in said challenge:

* Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).

* Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.

* Thank the blogger who nominated you with each post.

Today’s selection is by Ernest Hemingway. I think his words can be an inspiration and guide to us all.

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“…Before you quit, try.”

Now, my next batch of nominees (feel free to participate or not):

Jenny

Writers 750

Garry Abbott

Post a Quote Challenge (Day 1)

So, have you seen? There is yet ANOTHER blog challenge going on. I actually love these things they get me motivated to blog. This one is a Post A Quote Challenge.

I’m sure a lot of you have been seeing the Post A Quote Challenge. Thankfully, people like me enough to nominate me for things like this. I want to thank Jonas Lee for nominating me! 

Here are the rules in said challenge:

* Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).

* Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.

* Thank the blogger who nominated you.

So, now for my first-day selection. I decided to post an inspirational quote from http://www.dailyinspirationalquotes.in – I love this page. I am a firm believer that you have to love what you do and no one said it better than Steve Jobs.

Inspirational-Quotes-32

 

In my opinion, this quote is so much more than just work. It also addresses how we approach life. In order to succeed at anything, you have to have a passion for it. As an employee, I love to learn and so I’m constantly learning new things at work. As a mom, my children are my passion, and I strive every day to be the best mom I can be – to do epic for them. As an author, loving to write and read gives me the drive to publish only what I truly believe is my best work.

Now, my first batch of nominees (feel free to participate or not, but if you do – HAVE FUN WITH IT):

Sarah Lena Brown

Amanda Conger

Stephenie

 

Allergic to E Challenge

There is this new “Allergic to E Challenge” going around online. It’s a fun little game for authors, bloggers, and anyone else who fancies themselves fond of writing. How did I learn of the challenge? Well, Jonas Lee, a fellow author on GoodReads decided to tag me in his post and in so doing has challenged me.

I accept your challenge!

The Allergic to E challenge challenges a writer to construct a paragraph (4 to 6 sentences) without using the letter “E”. Sounds easy, right? NO, NO IT IS NOT! However, I did give it my best try, which you can read below.

The Rules:

  1. Write an entire paragraph without any word containing the letter “e”
  2. If you are reading this you are already signed up
  3. Make sure to link back to the challenges creator Redefining Random.
  4. Challenge at least five bloggers to do the challenge. They must do it within 24 hours or it is considered a failure.
  5. If you fail or pass, suffer in the Page of Lame.
  6. If you win, wallow in the Page of Fame.

Now, the fun part, I get to pass the torture onward.

Hit List:

Marie Lavender

Ashlee North

Kim Zoot Holmes

Garry Abbott

Keith Parker

My “Allergic to E Challenge” Attempt:

My brain contains a world, of its own fashioning, cast from imagination, inspiration, and originality. It is a crazy Nirvana, full of fairyland animations that occupy all of my waking thoughts. With a vivacious passion for artistic satisfaction I am thrust into a fanatical, almost manic compulsion to purify my mind. With gusto my hand scripts with ink to lay out my thoughts. My spirits soar as my visions bud, soon to blossom. Individuals, both mortal and immortal, form to spark my mood and impact my writing. It’s as if I’m watching a play unfurl. A plot builds and conflict grows, but what is born of this pursuit is distinct and rich. A manuscript, rough and awkward but of my own making. Following a bit of tidying up, and a book is born. A book, which brings joy to my soul that can only match that of admiration. This world is not for all, but within it, I find my gifts.

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If anyone else feels like giving the challenge a go (or my nominees don’t feel like doing a full blog post), feel free to try posting your comments below, but make sure you don’t use the letter E! Good luck!

The Next Big Thing

the next best1

A Marketing Opportunity for Us All

I want to thank Lois Stern for this neat marketing idea and pass it along to all of you. Here is a way to help market yourself while helping your fellow authors. The basic idea is to respond to ten questions about a book or story you just published or are about to publish.


Would you like to be featured on my AUTHORS’ HALL OF FAME?

If so, just follow the numbered directions toward the bottom of this screen.


MY AUTHORS’ HALL OF FAME

(More to come)


Meet Lois W. Stern

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Books by Lois W. Stern

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CLICK TO READ LOIS W. STERN’S INTERVIEW


Author Bio

After twenty years as an active educator, Lois W. Stern continued to pursue her love of writing, soon becoming co-editor of a popular Long Island web-zine. As she created and authored her column Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives, she solidified her special niche of investigative journalism and put those same talents to work while writing her first full length book,  Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery. She followed up with her second book, Tick, Tock, Stop the Clock. – Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour  to address many of the less invasive paths to beauty. Watch this candid interview with Lois on The Writers’ Dream Show to learn more about these books.

After completing her two books on aesthetics, Lois began writing what she calls ‘Inner Beauty’ stories – inspiring stories to touch the heart and soul. She initiated her Tales2Inspire™ “Authors Helping Authors” project/contest as a means of sharing inspirational messages written by authors from across the globe. One of her goals has been to help talented writers build solid author platforms while highlighting them in a variety of ways to further their paths to discovery.

To learn more Lois and this project: Visit her website at www.tales2inspire.com 

See more at: http://tales2inspire.com/?p=1617#sthash.5PV51uFp.dpuf            



Meet Nina Soden

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Books by Nina Soden

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CLICK TO READ NINA SODEN’S INTERVIEW


Author Bio

Nina has always been creative, be it art, theatre, film – anything but singing… she stresses that that is something you don’t want to hear! She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Theatre Arts with a minor in Military Science from Eastern Michigan University before heading off to Los Angeles like so many other starry-eyed actors in pursuit of fame and fortune in tinsel-town. While there, she worked to pay the bills but her love was always acting. She was actually able to achieve some level of success, mostly in commercials and independent films, but she considers those experiences as some of the best in her life.

After some major life changes, the publication of her first book entitle PRIVATE WORDS UNSPOKEN, a compilation of poetry, and a major cross-country move she moved from poetry to short stories and then to novels. Since then, her literary interests have grown and she would like to think her storytelling abilities have improved. She has done everything from office administration, to business development, to being the Director of a private preschool. She has jumped out of a C130 aircraft, fired an M16 machine gun, and given birth – TWICE! But no matter where she is in life, she always returns to her art.

Though she’ll forever be a Michigan girl at heart, she now lives in the South where she is married with two wonderful children. Is she isn’t working on her latest story you can find her lounging with a good book, playing with her kids, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Starbucks coffee.

To learn more about Nina Soden and her books you can check out her blog, or follow her on one or all of the various internet/social media sites.

Blog: www.ninasoden.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BloodAngelSeries

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Nina_Soden



Hall of Fame Directions

  1. Post your responses to the interview questions about your book on your own blog page.                                                                          (See sample interview questions and answers)
  2. Add my name, Nina Soden, my bio, book images and headshot to your blog page and link them  back to this page.
  3. After completing steps 1 and 2, above, send me the following:
  • The URL of your completed blog page
  • Attachment images of a) you, the author b) and your book images
  • Your author bio

4.  Send this blog to five or more other writers.

5.  Each time you forward this message to someone, start with: “I want to thank  . . .” sentence as seen above, substituting my name, Nina Soden, for the one currently appearing in that first sentence.

6.  Ask them to substitute your name for mine as they send out notices to their circle.

7. Tell them to post this same content on their website or blog, adding their images, URL links, bio and their answers to the same interview questions.

8. Ask the writers you invite to substitute your name in the “I want to thank” sentence at the beginning of this posting and include a link to your blog, before completing the interview questions.

9.  They, in turn, link to five other writers, and the cycle continues.

I will add the first ten authors who complete my AUTHORS’ HALL OF FAME instructions above and e-mail me @ BloodAngelSeries@gmail.com with all the information listed in step 3 above – Please put “Author’s Hall Of Fame” in the subject line of your email.

Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing!

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT BIG THING

(When you post this interview on your blog, don’t forget to substitute your book image and answers for mine.)


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* What is the title of your book(s) (or story/stories)?

My Blood Angel series books are titled: Awaken (book 1), Beginnings (book 2), and Revenge (book 3)

My SECTOR C Series books are titled: The Chosen (book 2) and The Hunted (book 2 – coming soon)

* Where did the idea come from for these books?

I have always loved the supernatural/paranormal stories. I’m a huge fan of horror films that include vampires, witches, shapeshifters, zombies, and anything out of the realm of normal possibilities. Because of that, my writing doesn’t sway too far from the supernatural and paranormal.

The Blood Angel Series takes place in Atlanta, Michigan, a small town in the northern part of the lower peninsula, where I spent most of my summers as a child. I have always had a very active imagination and spending so much time camping and being outdoors I think my childhood plays a big part in how I write.

* What genre do your books fall under?

Young Adult Supernatural/Paranormal Fiction

* What is the one to two-sentence synopsis of your book(s)?

  • Awaken: What if everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world turned out to be wrong?
  • Beginnings: Would you give up everything and everyone you knew in life, just to survive your destiny? What if you didn’t have a choice?
  • Revenge:  Dying in her father’s arms only to awaken in a pool of blood, surrounded by the mutilated corpses of those she loved most, who could blame Alee for what she did next? Wouldn’t you seek REVENGE?
  • SECTOR C ~ The Chosen: When your only choices are vampirism, lycanthropy, breeder, blood donor, or banishment to the Wastelands, what choice do you really have?

* Will your book(s) be self-published or represented by an agency? I self-published all of my books through Create Space (paperbacks) and BookTango (eBooks).

I self-published all of my books through Create Space (paperbacks) and BookTango (eBooks).

* How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first book in the Blood Angel Series, Awaken, took about one and a half years from start to finish (published). The others came a bit more quickly, but I have published one book per year since 2012 when Awaken was published.

The first book in the SECTOR C Series, The Chosen, took one month to write the first draft, but from start to finish (published) it took five months. I am working on book 2, The Hunted, right now, and I am about 22 chapters in writing my first draft.

* What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

With the Blood Angel Series I would say; The Vampire Diaries, the House of Night Series, the Morganville Vampires Series, and other YA supernatural books.

With the SECTOR C Series I think a quote from one of the reviews I received says it best: “Think of a recipe that has a dash of Hunger Games, a pinch of Mystic Falls and a splash of Divergent. Then mix it all thoroughly with Nina’s flair of the supernatural and you have a great novel called Sector C.”

* Who or what inspired you to start writing?

I started writing poetry when I was pretty young. Then, as I got older (college and after) I started acting. The idea of becoming different characters, be it through theatre or film, helped to expand my writing from just poetry into screenplays. After I had left Los Angeles, I began writing short stories and then novels.

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Don’t forget to add at least five more authors to the network by linking to them on your blog.

You can contact me at BloodAngelSeries@gmail.com.

Good luck with your marketing!