Where I Write

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Nina Soden

I’m a new writer, or fairly new. I published my first novel in 2012, but I still feel like I’m learning everyday. By no means do I believe I know how all this “writing stuff” is done or supposed to be done, but I do know what works for me… right now anyway. What will work for me two years from now or somewhere down the road might be completely different, who knows.

So, where do I write? EVERYWHERE I CAN!

OK, let me clarify, I write – as in type my manuscripts – only three places at my desk, sitting in bed (I’ll explain below), and at a corner table at Starbucks. BUT… that isn’t where the majority of my writing process takes place. By the time I sit down at my computer, I’ve already written the next page, chapter, story, etc. My writing process starts well before my fingers tickle the keyboard.

Where it all begins…

The shower – I take long showers. Really long showers sometimes. Maybe even too long. But I always find it fascinating that I do some of my best brainstorming in the shower. It’s the only time I have where kids don’t interrupt, the tv isn’t blaring, and I can hear my own thoughts, also known as the voices in my head. Shower-time provides a quiet oasis where I can imagine my characters, the situations they can get into, and what they would do to get out of them. I’ve even gone so far as to ‘write’ out, word for word, dialog scenes. I’ll repeat the conversations over and over in my head until I can get out and type or write them down.

Running Errands – In the car, walking, in the checkout line at the grocery store. I do a lot of notetaking while I’m out running errands. Many of my notes never amount to anything, but I still write them all down because every now and then there’s a great one that I can mold into something really fun later on. I’m the girl with her phone or iPad out typing up my book title ideas, character descriptions, conversations, etc. in my “notes” app. Yup, there’s an app for that. I even carry a notebook around in my purse, just in case I get a really good idea that I need to run with right then. That way, if inspiration strikes… I can grab the bull by the horns and run with it.

Where words meet paper…

At my desk – My favorite place to write has to be my desk. I mean, isn’t that every writer’s dream? To have a desk of their own… maybe even a whole office, with a window and a great view, some art for inspiration, and a wonderful bookshelf full of their favorite authors. I have the desk, the office, poster-size images of my book covers hanging on my walls for inspiration. I even have the window. However, my bookshelves are full of “work” stuff – not books. But, four out of five isn’t that bad.

When do I write at my desk? That’s a great question because I can’t always do it. If the kids are awake they tend to pull me in a thousand different directions and I get way to distracted. If it’s Monday – Friday between the hours of 7:00am and 3:00pm, I’m working… from home, but still working. Therefore, writing is put on hold. That leaves evenings, when the kids are distracted with other things, very VERY early mornings, and weekends. I actually prefer the mornings. I like waking up early, sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee, and getting into the writing zone. I try to devote 30-60 minutes every morning to my writing before I start work if possible, and one weekend morning each week. I feel the most productive in the early hours while the house is still quiet and birds are chirping outside my window. I leave the blinds closed and can imagine I’m out in a cabin, secluded and surrounded by trees. The idea of nature tends to help get my creative juices flowing.

In Bed – My second favorite place to type is my bed. I get all comfy cozy and surround myself with pillows and cuddle up with my laptop. My favorite time to do this? Late at night, after I’ve put the kids to bed, or early Saturday morning before the kids have woken up. There is just something about being so comfortable that your body is lost halfway between sleep and consciousness. It’s like your mind can slip more easily into creative thinking… kind of like day-dreaming. I come up with some of my best action scenes while I’m writing this way, but I always have to go back and re-read them when I’m more awake, because inevitably I’m so tired that the number of spelling and miss-used words increases.

Starbucks – Just a little plug for my favorite coffee shop. The Starbucks I like has a comfy chair in the back corner where I can sit, without being bothered, and just zone out and type. The aroma of coffee surrounds me and I can just give into creativity. It’s wonderful but very rare that I actually get there to write.

So, if you’re a writer, where do you write? If you’re a reader, where do you read?

My Social Media Goals

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Nina Soden

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 & Twitter: Post at least once weekly

Tumblr: Post daily as part of the Book Photo Challenge by Books & Cupcakes

Instagram: Goal 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.

I Just Published my Book. Now What?

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Nina Soden

Have you written a book? Did you publish it? Are you confused as to what you should do next?

Well, you are not alone.

Nicholas C. Rossis attacks those very issues in his post I Just Published my Book. Now What? Check it out and let me know what you think.

Nicholas C. Rossis

First of all, congratulations! You’re now a published author – and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Second, you’d be amazed how often I hear that question in LinkedIn’s author groups. With some 3,000 new books published every day, I have serious doubts that you can just sit back and wait for readers to stumble on your book, or for word of mouth to work its magic. The chances of that happening are probably similar to that of winning the lottery, in which case you don’t even need the long hours and hard work that goes hand-in-hand with a career as an author (if you don’t believe me, you may want to check out this post by Pedro Barrento on Indies Unlimited).

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SECTOR C ~ The Chosen — NOW AVAILABLE

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Nina Soden

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

SECTOR C ~ The Chosen

IS NOW AVAILABLE

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Release date: March 31, 2015

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Set in a futuristic Dystopian where society is governed by a council of vampires and lycanthropes, selection students are sheltered and raised in a deceptively Utopian world. Strict rules are imposed to control population growth, education, and even personal interactions with other members of the sector, all in the name of safety.

When ‘A’ comes of age she, like all youth throughout Sector C, and her selection classmates aren’t sent out into the world to find jobs, make money and lead happy carefree lives. They are forced to endure the rigorous physical and mental testing of Selection Week before choosing their destiny or being forced into a fate far worse. Those that make it out alive are announced as sector residence, given a position within the society, and allotted all the privileges of their chosen “culture.” However, when your only choices are vampirism, lycanthropy, breeder, blood donor, or banishment to the Wastelands, what choice do you really have?

Suspenseful, intense, passionate, and awash in paranormal delights, SECTOR C ~ THE CHOSEN captures the enchantment and mysteries of the supernatural world and the power of friendship.

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WHERE TO PURCHASE:

PAPERBACK: https://www.createspace.com/5379797

EBOOK: COMING SOON to http://bookstore.bookcountry.com/

AMAZON: http://amzn.com/0985885335

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Come along on this JOURNEY with me!

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Nina Soden

OK, this post is short – but very VERY important, and I do hope that you re-post it and share it with all of your friends.

One of the most important things for an indie-author is friends and followers – READERS. With that in mind I’m reaching out to you, my amazing blog followers, and asking that you follow me here and everywhere (see links below) and that you share this post. Tell your friends, bribe your families, and blackmail your enemies into following me too!

BOOKS

Awaken (book 1 ~ the Blood Angel Series): http://amzn.com/B008Q8ZPE4 | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-4K | http://bookbzz.com/awaken-nina-soden/

Beginnings (book 2 ~ the Blood Angel Series): http://amzn.com/B00D3G7RWM | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-7J | http://bookbzz.com/beginnings-nina-soden/

Revenge (book 3 ~ the Blood Angel Series): http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR | http://amzn.com/B00MUT6XQY | http://bookbzz.com/revenge-nina-soden/http://bookbzz.com/revenge-nina-soden/

SECTOR C ~ The Chosen (book 1 ~ SECTOR C): http://wp.me/p1Ft9W-444

Author Interview – Jonas Lee

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Nina Soden

I am very excited to welcome Jonas Lee, Author of A Time to Reap, to my blog. I have to say I fell in love with this book from the moment I opened it. The story sucks you in and has you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Before I give away to much, let me introduce Jonas…

1. What is your name and where do you call home?

My name is Jonas and I reside in the temperate climate of Rapid City, SD (South Dakota, not San Diego like most people think)

2. Do you have a pen name?

I go by Jonas Lee instead of my actual last name. I’m not trying to hide or fool anyone with it. Just my last name is more of a mumble when putting it all together and Lee is already my middle name. So there it is.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?

A Time to Live is my most recent book, set to release February 12, 2015. Twenty or fewer words: A teenager who can time travel, teleport and has a knack for sarcasm goes up against terrorists with similar abilities. (<— This was super hard)

4. Is the above book part of a series?

It is, The Legend of Carter Gabel series. The above is the second novel, the first, A Time to Reap is already available.

5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?

I can’t really say that anyone inspired me other than myself. I just loved putting words to thoughts and entertaining people with stories. My mom was my very first fan though, so she encourage my writing to grow. I’ve been writing things since I was at least 9, but publishing only since July of 2014.

6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)?

I tried to keep a steady imagery of time throughout the series, so with the help of my cover artist Amanda Simpson at Pixel Mischief Design, we played around with various concepts. The newest cover was cool to me because it shows more timepieces signifying the additional characters being brought into the mix.

7. Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)?

I usually listen to something melodic and dubstep. This is to keep my mind energized and also not have to focus on words or much more than the emotion the notes bring.

8. How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?

I originally titled it The Time Traveler’s Grandchild (it started off as a fan fiction piece from The Time Traveler’s Wife). To stand apart from that, since the story in no way follows that wonderful book, I played with various time elements. I landed on a song by The Byrds called Turn, Turn, Turn and in it was a lot time references and I focused on the few that made the most sense for me and the story. Needless to say, I could make a lot of stories based off those lyrics alone.

9. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books?

For me, I love having an ebook and a hard cover close by. I love books and I think that covers are art, so I love displaying the good ones. Ebooks are just so easy to have a small library at my disposal though.

10. Are you a self-published/Indie author?

Indie through and through so far. Always opened to finding a Literary Agent though 😉

11. If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route?

Being an Indie is liberating and a very educational experience. I have more freedom with my work and know that I can rely on myself to get what I need to done. The down side is that I’m in a sea of other author (some great, some not so) and we’re all trying to find our way onto that lifeboat that will help us shine nationally.

12. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?

I have read a couple of books more than once. Lord of the Flies was my first one, but The Thief of Always was truly fun to go through again. I also want to dive into the Left Behind series again once I find my way into a plethora of free time.

13. What is your opinion of novellas?

I think novellas have their place. All writing has a place from the epic to the poem. Novellas help me think I’ve read a lot more than normal, so it’s kind of a motivational boost.

14. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?

I have and I can’t say I was thrilled or really disappointed. Mainly, someone did their job well enough to make me buy it.

15. What is your favorite film based on a book?

The Green Mile is one of those books (more of a short story turned novella really) that I think turned out wonderfully on the screen.

16. What is your favorite book genre at the moment?

Currently, I love the paranormal. Supernatural is never far behind that. I should probably read more YA Sci-Fi, but hey, I think of that stuff all the time. Daddy needs a break.

17. What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why?

Take Me Tomorrow by Shannon A Thompson is one. She’s an author I’ve followed since I started blogging and it seemed like an interesting read. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg looks interesting with the magic elements he is working. Spin by Robert Charles Wilson was recommended to me and after reading the blurb, thought it belonged in my collection.

18. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?

I’m reading three books right now

a) Revenge by yours truly, Nina Soden. I have it in .pdf ARC format and I look forward to buying physical copies one day and having her sign them for me.
b) Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake on my Kindle
c) The Former Hero by Jeffrey Allen Mays in paperback

19. If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?

Morgan Freeman because he has the coolest voice ever and talking with him would be fun in itself.
Stephen King – he’s a legend in the biz and I think we could get some pretty interesting thoughts firing off together
Heath Ledger – a great actor who was taken out in his prime, a cool guy from what I’ve read and I think he’d round out the party
Bruce Lee – Another monumental figure in this world that I think was gone too soon. His thinking, teachings and philosophy was very pure and I’d have to have him give a nunchuk demonstration

20. What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?

Don’t stop writing and reading. Simple. True. Every page read or wrote gets me further and I can only think it would help others finding their own voice too.

21. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?

I love going on walks, hiking. I enjoy art and plays. I help coach teenage girls softball and all the crazy things those girls think up.

Where can your readers follow you?

    Blog: http://jonasleeblog.com
    Facebook: http://facebook.com/jonasleeauthor
    Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8417690.Jonas_Lee
    Twitter: @AuthorJonasLee
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jonas-lee/95/b42/7a9
    Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jonas-Lee/e/B00M9EV6EO

Author Bio:

Jonas Lee is an author making his way from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Living in the ever-changing climate with his wife and daughter, he likes to keep his mind occupied with stories that entertain and provoke thought. A child of the 80’s, his imagination has always been rampant as thoughts of time travel, other dimensions, religion and the fight of good versus evil has always been prevalent in his stories.

A Time to Reap:

Pemberton Academy is not just a school, it’s a gathering place for the children of the future that are afflicted with Temporal Displacement and Telepathy; in short, time travelers and mind readers who have been diagnosed with this “disease.” The Academy is not all as it seems after an explosion nearly takes one of its classmates, but not before Carter Gabel rescues her by using an unknown symptom related to his described illness. An unsanctioned group called the Program begins taking notice as the two classmates exhibit stronger abilities when they are together. Carter’s sense of reality begins to unwind as he learns more about his estranged father’s involvement with it all.

Carter will have to overcome the past of his father leaving, the present of an unknown adversary hunting him down and a future that seems to change with each decision he makes. He will have to learn who to trust out of the people in his life if he wants to conquer the looming notion that the government may be hunting him down because of his developing abilities.

A Time to Live:

Carter Gabel had to overcome a lot in the last year, and time travel as a side effect of his “genetic disease” was only the beginning. He’s lost his mother, reunited with his estranged father, crippled a city and destroyed his school. If he thought he could fade into the sunset, Carter has another thing coming.

A terrorist group known as Pirates has infiltrated his hometown to overthrow the Program designed to monitor those with potentially harmful abilities. Carter is a teenager, but he’s forced back into the mix as his grandson, David, has been put into a coma. He will have to try and stay out of sight as much as possible and work with new Eventuals along the way in order to stop the Pirates from turning Lincoln Square into a ghost town.

Why YOU should follow ME!!!

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Nina Soden

Hi, my name is Nina Soden and I’m an author.

Wow, it feels really funny to say that. I mean, I am an author. I have four published books, 3 novels (the Blood Angel Series) and 1 poetry book, but calling myself an author still feels strange.

Author is only one of the many hats or ‘personalities’ I wear throughout my day. My most important? Mommy, that one simple word means the world to me and hearing it when my kids call me – well, that melts my heart. The other hats I love to wear: wife, daughter, sister, actress, and artist. The hats I wear because everyone has to make a living and keep the house in order: employee, consultant, chauffeur (when you have kids – you are nothing if not a chauffeur), cook, assistant cheer coach, etc., etc., etc. Hats I’m learning to wear: self-publicist, marketing specialist, social-media specialist, and all the others that go with being an Indie-Author – man, it is HARD WORK!

This blog was originally started to keep a record of my journey as I wrote, edited, and published my first young adult series ~ the Blood Angel Series ~ Awaken (book 1), Beginnings (book 2), and Revenge (book 3). Well, I did it! It was a long yet exciting adventure and the final book was published in August of 2014. Before publishing the final book I put the first two books through a rigorous re-edit and rewrite in order to make sure that they were the best they could be. Now, I feel fully confident that all three of my books are exactly how I want them to be. I would love to share them with you and find out what you think. If you are interested in learning more about the Blood Angel Series please take a few seconds and spend the few dollars it takes to download my eBooks or order your printed version – and please tell your family, bribe your friends and blackmail your enemies into picking up a copy of their own.

Where to “follow”, “like”, “subscribe”, and buy the Blood Angel Series:

Author Blog: http://www.ninasoden.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ninasoden

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BloodAngelSeries

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Nina_Soden

Awaken (book 1): http://amzn.com/B008Q8ZPE4 | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-4K | http://bookstore.bookcountry.com/Products/SKU-000597366/Awaken.aspx

Beginnings (book 2): http://amzn.com/B00D3G7RWM | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-7J | http://bookstore.bookcountry.com/Products/SKU-000663440/Beginnings.aspx

Revenge (book 3): http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR | http://amzn.com/0985885327

What Is Next?

Now I begin a new journey as I work on my next series. I can’t say too much, but I promise to keep you all informed as I learn more about where this new adventure is going to take me – and my readers.

Hop on… join the ride… and click follow to come along on this new adventure.

And, if all that isn’t enough… follow me because I randomly (often) get writers block and end up going way off topic, and challenging myself to discover new things about myself, or just new things about the world in general!

Want to know when my new releases are available for pre-order before they hit the shelves?

Just fill out the following form and I’ll be sure to let you know about any discounts, giveaways, and pre-order offers I’m having!

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Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Nina Soden

I originally published this article as a guest author at http://timothy-oullette.blogspot.com/ and http://www.timouellette.com on August 8, 2014, but I felt that the information was important enough that I wanted it in my blog feed as well. I hope you enjoy my take on Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts. You can let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Are typos in a book a big deal?

Of course they are – to some extent! Typos happen. Typos happen in books that are self-published and traditionally published. Typos happen to new authors and seasoned authors. Typos happen in eBooks and print books. It doesn’t matter how many people you have edit, proof read, re-read, etc. there is always a chance a typo (or two – or three – or four) is going to slip through. Does that mean the world is over, the author should never write again, or that the author should lose all credibility? NO!

Let me say that again – NO!

It goes without saying, although I will say it, that every author should take the time and effort to make their manuscript the best that it can be. Not only do readers deserve the best product an author can provide, authors deserve to produce their best work – manuscripts they can be proud of for years to come!

You might be asking yourself, ‘how do I, as a self-published author without the backing of a traditional publishing house, afford to make sure that my manuscript is ready for publication?’

Good Question! Editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing services all cost money! Plus, and here is the catcher, even professional editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing service professional make mistakes! Even when you pay good money for these services you can’t be 100% sure your manuscript is flawless. That doesn’t mean you should just accept the fact that typos happen and therefore you don’t need to worry about them. There are a lot of things you can do to ensure that you publish your best work, and I will give you some examples, but you have to remember that you are never going to please everyone. There will always be someone that finds something wrong with your book.

What can you do to ensure minimal typos and errors in your final manuscript?

Below is a list of tools (free and/or low cost) that all self-published authors should be using:

SPELLCHECK – I LOVE spellcheck. No matter what I am working on I have spellcheck set to mark spelling and grammatical errors while I am typing. No, it doesn’t always catch misused words – but it is a great start to catching those words frequently misspelled. You can also add words to your computers dictionary. This is a great way to allow your computer to know that names (or other words) you use frequently are not incorrectly typed.
READING ALOUD – Yes, just like you did when you were a kid. One of the reasons teachers have their students read out loud is because we often retain more information when we hear text read out loud. For me, as an author, I like to either read my books aloud to myself or have someone else read them to me as I follow along. The down side to this is that it can be a rather lengthy process, but the upside is that it allows me to catch words that have been misused and dialog that doesn’t sound natural.
FIND / REPLACE – If you don’t use this Microsoft Word tool yet – you need to! Microsoft can find just about anything from double commas or periods, extra spaces, repeat words, etc. Once you find them you can fix them. Although, what I really like about this feature is that you can easily replace mistakes with corrections. (Example: FIND: .. REPLACE WITH: .) Don’t get me wrong, you don’t want to just trust your computer to make all of your corrections for you. When I do a search for an error I look at each of the results and decide if I want the correction to be made.
TEST READERS – Or as I like to call them guinea pigs! My mom, my sister, and a number of my friends have all been my willing and loyal test subjects in this area. They have read, edited, and re-read all of my books throughout the writing process looking for errors that I might have missed. It isn’t easy seeing your manuscript covered in red edits, but trust me this process makes your final manuscript much better than it would be with only you reading and reviewing it.
PRO WRITING AID – This is an online writing editor and personal writing coach. It checks grammar and spelling; helps to improve overall readability; finds overused words; improves dull paragraph structure; locates repeat words and phrases; checks for consistency of spelling; hyphenation and capitalization; warns you about clichés and redundancies; and so much more. I learned about this tool through a friend that does line editing as a freelancer. She told me that it was an inexpensive way to help improve writing as you go and that it was extremely user friendly – SHE WAS RIGHT! I highly suggest trying it out. What is the worst that could happen?
ARC – Advance Reader Copies! Okay, once your manuscript is complete, as complete as you feel you can make it, you need to offer advance reader copies. This is a great way to get feedback. You can request feedback in the form of reader notes and/or book reviews. I have even gone so far as providing a list of questions at the end of the advance reader copies I have sent out, this helped me to target key areas of my story and/or editing that needed to be fixed.
EDITOR – OK, this one costs money. All of the tools above are free or can be done at a very low cost, however hiring an editor is not cheap. If you decide to go this route – which I did – you don’t want to skimp! You get what you pay for!!! But, you still have to remember – Editors are only HUMAN, they make mistakes too! Again, there is no way to guarantee – 100% – that your manuscript isn’t going to have typos or errors.

My novels may still have errors – heck, even award winning authors sometimes have errors in their novels – but I can honestly say that I have taken all possible steps to ensure that the books I publish are the best they can possibly be. So, if there are still a few errors, as I am sure there are, then I’m OK with that. I’m happy with my finished products and that truly is all an author can ask for.

Written by: Nina Soden

Author, the Blood Angel Series

Blog: http://www.ninasoden.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ninasoden

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BloodAngelSeries

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Nina_Soden

Awaken (book 1): http://amzn.com/B008Q8ZPE4 | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-4K

Beginnings (book 2): http://amzn.com/B00D3G7RWM | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-7J

Revenge (book 3): http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR

Author Interview – Marie Lavender

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Nina Soden

Marie Lavendar an established self-published Indie author with 16 published books to her name (including pen names) recently went the route of traditional publishing when she released Upon Your Return. Learn all about her experience in this intimate one-on-one interview.

Marie Lavendar ~ Author of Upon Your Return

What is your name and where do you call home? My name is Marie Lavender and I am a small town girl from Indiana.
What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say? Upon Your Return is my latest release. It came out in February through Solstice Publishing. Upon Your Return is a historical romance about a girl who dreams big and gets into a lot of trouble for it.
Is the above book part of a series?Yes, it is the first book in the Heiresses in Love series.
What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing? I’ve always been an avid reader ever since I was a kid. I suppose that was part of the onset of my writing obsession. But, mainly, it was that I had these scenes go through my head of characters and dialogue and I had no choice but to write them down.
How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)? I had a few ideas for it, but the credit goes to Kayden McLeod, the cover designer, and Jimmy Thomas, one of the cover models.
Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)? Yes, sometimes I listen to different artists. Sometimes, if I am writing historical stories, it helps to listen to Celtic music or love songs. It really depends on the book I’m working on. I like a lot of different music. Some of my favorite artists are Owl City, Paramore, Fireflight, OneRepublic, Switchfoot and Sarah MacLachlan. I have others, but there are really too many to count.
How did you come up with the title for your book(s)? It came from part of the dialogue in the book. It is something the heroine says to the man she later falls for.
Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books? In some ways, I am traditional. I still love to have a paperback or hard copy in my hands.
Are you a self-published/Indie author? Yes. I have self-published fifteen books. Upon Your Return is the first one that is traditionally published.
If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route? I had a lot of works I wanted people to see. And it was fun to self-publish!
Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it? I’ve definitely read some of Catherine Coulter’s books over again. And I’ve read J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood more than once.
What is your opinion of novellas? There is nothing wrong with a novella. It is a short read, but it still tells a good story.
Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? The cover is appealing a lot of the time, but mostly I have read a book because of the blurb or because I already follow that author’s work.
What is your favorite film based on a book? Jurassic Park is a great movie based on a book. I have read the book and even though it is entirely different from the movie, both were equally appealing.
What is your favorite book genre at the moment? I am really into paranormal romance right now.
What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why? Word of mouth is a great marketing tool. Someone recommended Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series to me recently. And I had to add another series because I kept seeing tweets about it on Twitter. I added Ally Shield’s Guardian Witch series to the list. I have also made a lot of author friends on Facebook and through my writer’s blog Writing in the Modern Age. So, I added Linda Lee Williiam’s Elsewhere and C.J. Heck’s Anatomy of a Poet to my wish list on Amazon.
What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format? Truthfully, it is silly but I am reading Upon Your Return for the first time in paperback. It was sitting around so I thought…what the heck?
If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why? Ooh…can I invite Gerard Butler? God, I love that man’s accent! Oh, and Jimmy Thomas, the man who blessed my cover with his beautiful…um, face! I would also like to bring Catherine Coulter to the table simply because she was the woman who woke me up to the historical romance genre. And J.R. Ward…simply because I can’t get enough of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. The brothers rule!
What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing? Never give up. Never, ever, ever give up no matter what. Perseverance is the key to making it in this industry. If you don’t have that, you can’t weather the storm to get noticed.
Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing? Shopping! Is that related? Well, I guess it is somewhat related because I can’t ever buy enough books! But, I love shopping of any kind. I really need someone to take my credit cards away. My fiancé knows what a problem I have with that, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Where can your readers follow you?

Blog: http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/ and http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marielavender1
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92992474&locale=en_US&trk=tyah
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Other: http://marielavender.webs.com/

I want to thank Marie Lavendar for taking the time to participate in this interview and for allowing us a glimpse into her wonderful world of writing.

As a writer myself I always learn something new from every writer I meet and I hope that all of my readers are able to enjoy and learn from Marie’s experiences.

Author Interview – Arlene Lagos

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Nina Soden

Author Arlene Arlene Lagos Author of Beyond Earth

What is your name and where do you call home? My name is Arlene Lagos and I live in Medway, MA
Do you have a pen name? I don’t have a pen name
What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say? “Beyond Earth” just launched two weeks ago. It’s a young adult science-fiction fantasy novella
Is the above book part of a series? Yes, it is Book I in the Beyond Earth Series. Book II “Beyond Planets” will be launching in August.
What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing? I’ve been writing my whole life, mostly poems, plays and short stories. When I moved to Charleston I began writing a tv pilot and a few short films. I didn’t write my first novel until two years ago and it was “Beyond Earth”.
How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)? I was looking for a model for my cover and a friend of mine suggested her friend’s daughter. The minute I saw a picture of her (Rayn) I knew she was the one to play the character. My good friend Angela Cannistraro took the photos of both the cover and of my headshot. Then my boss Almont Green designed the cover for me!
Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)? There’s always Aerosmith playing in the background. In fact, you’ll find a lot of Aerosmith references throughout the book as they are my favorite band still.
How did you come up with the title for your book(s)? I went through so many different titles. Then finally I asked some teenagers I used to teach theatre too and they said, “keep it simple, how about just calling it Beyond Earth?”
Do you have a book trailer? If so where can we watch it? Yes, I have a book trailer, the URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2IyOtVOyug

Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books? I like the convenience of an eBook, but nothing beats holding a book in your hands and that new book smell of course!!!!
Are you a self-published/Indie author? Yes!
If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route? The industry is so crazy right now. I didn’t want to spend the next year of my life begging people to read a query when I could spend that time begging readers to read my book! I think people don’t realize how much they really can do on their own. It’s a lot of hard work and you need to be committed; but if you are, you’ll see the fruits of your labour.
Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it? “The Alchemist” and “Tipping Point”. I’ve read them both several times. “The Alchemist” moves me and the “Tipping Point” really makes me think.
What is your opinion of novellas? I think every new author should consider starting with a novella. All the great writers of the past started that way. In my opinion, readers are more likely to take a chance on you if it’s a quick and easy read with low prices and little investment time. Then if they like you, they’ll come back for more.
Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? Absolutely. Covers are very important in this highly visual world! That’s why I put so much time and energy into my cover. I think that aspect is often overlooked and that’s another reason I self-published. I wanted more creative control.
What is your favorite film based on a book? That’s a tough one. My first instinct is to say “Hunger Games”, it was really done well.
What is your favorite book genre at the moment? I love to write Sci-Fi but I love to read Historical Fiction.
What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why? “30 Pieces of Silver” was recommended to me by my brother-in-law and we both always enjoy the same books so if he is loving it then I know I will. I also want to read “Creatura” by Nely Cab and “Inferno” by Dan Brown.
What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format? I actually just finished “Wanted: Wife” by Gwen Jones on my nook and plan on starting “Creatura” next.
If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why? Johnny Depp because he’s a creative genius, Steven Tyler because he’s a musical genius, Joss Whedon because he’s a creative genius and because he believes in writing strong female characters and I want him to direct “Beyond Earth” as a feature film, and finally Alice Paul who of course is no longer with us but she was a strong voice in the Women’s Suffrage Movement and a key player in us winning our right to vote. I wish I could’ve met her.
What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing? Keep writing.
Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing? I am a karaoke junkie (I love to sing) and I also love to dance although I don’t move quite as well as I used too.
Where can your readers follow you? See below!

Blog: http://www.beyondearthseries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeyondEarthSeries

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5819544.Arlene_Lagos

Twitter: BeyondEarth_

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=32317937&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Arlene-Lagos/e/B00DH829PQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4198095

YouTube Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2IyOtVOyug

So, where do I write? EVERYWHERE I CAN!

Where it all begins…

Where words meet paper…

So, if you’re a writer, where do you write? If you’re a reader, where do you read?

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Monthly Goals:

What I will post in my Monthly Updates:

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Have you written a book? Did you publish it? Are you confused as to what you should do next?

Well, you are not alone.

Nicholas C. Rossis attacks those very issues in his post I Just Published my Book. Now What? Check it out and let me know what you think.

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I AM SO EXCITED!!!

SECTOR C ~ The Chosen

IS NOW AVAILABLE

Release date: March 31, 2015

Suspenseful, intense, passionate, and awash in paranormal delights, SECTOR C ~ THE CHOSEN captures the enchantment and mysteries of the supernatural world and the power of friendship.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

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OK, this post is short – but very VERY important, and I do hope that you re-post it and share it with all of your friends.

LINKS

BOOKS

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I am very excited to welcome Jonas Lee, Author of A Time to Reap, to my blog. I have to say I fell in love with this book from the moment I opened it. The story sucks you in and has you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Before I give away to much, let me introduce Jonas…

1. What is your name and where do you call home?

2. Do you have a pen name?

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?

4. Is the above book part of a series?

5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?

6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)?

7. Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)?

8. How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?

9. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books?

10. Are you a self-published/Indie author?

11. If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route?

12. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?

13. What is your opinion of novellas?

14. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?

15. What is your favorite film based on a book?

16. What is your favorite book genre at the moment?

17. What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why?

18. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?

19. If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?

20. What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?

21. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?

Where can your readers follow you?

Author Bio:

A Time to Reap:

A Time to Live:

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Hi, my name is Nina Soden and I’m an author.

Wow, it feels really funny to say that. I mean, I am an author. I have four published books, 3 novels (the Blood Angel Series) and 1 poetry book, but calling myself an author still feels strange.

Where to “follow”, “like”, “subscribe”, and buy the Blood Angel Series:

What Is Next?

Want to know when my new releases are available for pre-order before they hit the shelves?

Your message has been sent

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Are typos in a book a big deal?

Let me say that again – NO!

You might be asking yourself, ‘how do I, as a self-published author without the backing of a traditional publishing house, afford to make sure that my manuscript is ready for publication?’

What can you do to ensure minimal typos and errors in your final manuscript?

Below is a list of tools (free and/or low cost) that all self-published authors should be using:

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