Guest post: Time Management by Carmen Botman

I started writing at a very young age and completed my first novella at the age of 17. Of course, back then, I had all the time in the world, didn’t I? But then life sort of happened, as it tends to do, and no matter how much the writing bug kept gnawing at my insides, I managed to convince myself that writing wouldn’t be possible because there was just no time in my busy schedule. I mean, come on! I work 8 to 10 hours out the house. I have no domestic helper. My husband works and studies full-time, plus I have two lively Labradors needing unending attention. Feeling a constant emptiness somewhere deep inside of me, I finally surrendered to it. I had to write. And as soon as I started again, the emptiness was filled.

And now, a mere two years after my first earnest start again, I managed to finish an 82 000 word manuscript last year. I’m currently 22 000 words into the second novel with a number of smaller projects on the side.

How did I manage all of this, you ask? Well, as the heading boldly states, Time Management. Of course we all come from very different scenarios and there is no clear-cut recipe for success, but why not try out a few of the things that have worked for me:

• Set aside an area in your house that’s just for you to write in – preferably a place with only the minimal amount of distractions.
• Make certain that the family knows that when you’re in that space, you’re working, so disruptions should be kept to a minimum.
• Print out monthly calendars (two or three months at a time) and put them up where you can see them easily when you’re working on your laptop or PC. On these calendars you can jot down deadlines of competitions you’re planning on entering, your word count goals, etc.
• Make a clear list of all the projects you’re currently working on with all the due dates, so that you can stay on top of everything and not get flustered. Stick this up somewhere close to your workstation as well.
• Set daily, weekly or monthly word count goals for yourself. This way you’re committing yourself to something. I always work better when there’s a ‘due date’ or in this case a ‘due word count.’
• Don’t be too hard on yourself when you’ve not managed to stick to your schedule. Life happens. Just remember that next time you sit down to write, you have to write just those few extra words to catch up.
• Join up with a local writing group. You’ll never know what a comfort it is to know that other people out there are in the same boat as you. If they can do it, then you can too. And the support you’ll receive is phenomenal!
• If you find yourself in a serious need to catch-up, it may be worthwhile entering the annual Nanowrimo project, which will push you to limits you never dreamed possible.
• Most importantly, you have to know why you’re writing. If you always remember the reason that you’re writing in the first place, your passion will keep you going no matter what life throws at you.

Like Toni Morrison says: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” So what are you waiting for? Get writing!

Linzé's note: Carmen is a YA fantasy author that joined the Pretoria Writers Group this year.  She is taking part in our STORM anthology which will be released in the middle of June 2014. You can follow Carmen on Twitter and Facebook.

Guest Post: The Process by Rob McShane

I am right in the middle of a process (yep, another one! Ain't life great?) This process goes directly to my writing or, more appropriately, how to get my writing out into the public domain so that people can read it....and buy it!

There is so much information available to help with this process that you would think this to be easy. Not so, well at least not for me! I have now read so many blogs and help pages that it all seems one large swirling mass of mist. Where do you start? What is all this branding business? How can I know before I start what will work? What do I want my on-line persona to be, or reflect? What words shall I use to build myself and my brand? What ideas do I use, what do I discard? Which social platforms shall I get involved with? How do I get involved? What message do I want to send? How do I want to send it? How much time do I have in a day? etc. etc. So many questions....and the more I look for answers, the more questions I come up with!

One of the best things I read during this process was along the lines of 'If you want to be a writer, write. If you're talking about what you write, how much, or that you are a writer, you're not!' I'm sorry I can't actually quote it, or tell you who wrote it as it is sitting somewhere in the plethora of docs in the 'First steps research' file!

Point being, it got me thinking hard (again!) about how much we can over think this process. So, I have decided to make it simple. I am going to stick to writing my books and maybe the odd short story (good practice to keep my writing concise!). I'm going to need a platform and, on the advice of Linzé and many others, a blog seems to be the way to go, so I'm going to set up a blog. Then I'll pick one social media platform and start to 'get the word out' there. 

The main idea is to start. As with my writing, I believe the next steps will naturally appear out of the mist. I now have the overall plan and as I move things will pop up, characters will appear, sub-plots will develop and the process (like my books) will almost take on a life of its own. Isn't that also just like real life?

How exciting!


Author Bio:

Following a full life as a classical musician, actor, nurse, midwife, salesman and marketer, Rob now spends his time writing and dealing with the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and life. He has written many articles for various publications and web sites but now concentrates on his books. His first book, The MageStaff, a fantasy novel with a deeper message, is now available and he is busy with both a prequel and a sequel (on the request of his readers). He has plans for further novels once his fantasy series is complete.


Links:
The MageStaff is available at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325170
or on kindle at: : http://www.amazon.com/The-MageStaff-ebook/dp/B00BF09MY4/ref=tmm_kin_title_0
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12903360-the-magestaff

Linzé's note: Rob is a member of the Pretoria Writers Group and the two of us had met at our favourite coffee shop, Cherry Berry Café in Centurion. I was writing, he was playing the piano in the shop and we got talking. And we haven't stopped since!

Guest Post: The Writing Life or Lack Thereof by Vanessa Wright

I woke up this morning to find that my muse had packed up and left the building. She seems to be doing this a lot lately and heaven only knows where she disappears to; only to come sauntering back with a healthy tan, an umbrella drink sporting psychedelic colours and a straw concoction on her head. She is a whimsical, elusive creature.

At times I think she would be happier and more forgiving if I travelled the world, sitting in dark corners, plying my talent. Alas my shoestring budget would be strung to non-existence and the bullion ship I have dreamt of my whole life would sink in the harbour.
Thus my solution remains to apply ample butt to chair and bleed words; at this stage even nonsensical ones would do. The litany of advice runs through my head: write what you know, write what you observe...just start writing damn it! There is nothing as daunting as a blank screen or a blank canvas for that matter.
The best advice I have ever received (thanks Jeff Goins) is to just write something on that empty screen, even if it is just CX&&*()*&%%$$%#5- it’s a start and no these aren’t swear words in ancient Gaelic. Eureka - the screen isn’t blank anymore and you have made a start to a magical story where people speak in symbols and chocolate rivers run through villages. Keep at it even if you never use the story again; it has transported you to that area of your brain where you paint with words...... and you have kicked the elusive muse to the kerb and told her in no uncertain terms to sit still and be quiet.
Happy writing one and all! Remember that arguing with your characters is only the beginning to a mad cap world filled with wonder.

Bio

46 year old visual artist and home body, suddenly decides to pick up her writing again and just couldn’t stop.
Vanessa has been published in two anthologies: My Kort vir Jou Sop and Write for Light.
She is currently in the process of self publishing a short story book called Twisted as well as putting the finishing chapters to a crime thriller called Artifacts.

Connect with Vanessa
Twitter
Blog where you can enjoy various short stories
Facebook 
Pinterest
Story board for Artifacts

Guest Feature: Stand out in the crowd with Book Trailers by Amanda Robins

You have spent hours pouring your energy into writing your master piece aka your book. Even more time and money was spent formatting, editing, proof reading and all those other little bits and pieces that needed to be done to get your book ready for the world to read.
Now you are ready to release your book into the market place but there is one problem. So are 1,000s of other authors on the exact same day as you. That’s right no matter what day you choose to publish your book there will be 1,000s of fellow authors doing the same thing resulting in over 15 million books just THIS YEAR!
Don’t be disheartened. There are ways very clever authors just like you use to stand out above the rest. One of these powerful ways is by creating a book trailer to give readers a sneak peek into your book.
Just take a look at the author and eBook groups on Facebook where people post their books to gain exposure. Each post has the book cover, blurb and a link to Amazon.com. They all look the same. Now imagine how your book can stand out in the crowd with a book trailer.
As people scroll down the page they see your video and within less than a minute they have experienced your book the way you envisioned it.
Let’s not forget about the power of YouTube with 163 million unique visitors each day. Imagine the potential of getting in front of just 1% of all these visitors not to mention Google loves YouTube videos (they do own the site after all) and next thing you know you are at the top of Google search results as well.
A book trailer is also a fantastic tool for your Amazon Author Central page.
It is the little things that you do that will increase your book sales and your author success.
Book Trailers are an amazing tool that even the great Stephen King uses to promote his books.
These are just a handful of ways Book Trailers can be used to increase your book’s success. It is now time for you to become a smart book marketer and use your own book trailer to promote your master piece.
If you are ready to get your very own book trailers simply visit http://www.MesmerizingBookTrailers.com for a very special offer.


Author Bio
Amanda Robins is the author of the International Best Selling Book “How To Turn On A Tired Housewife”. Amanda credits her book trailer to the quick success the book has had. She is now on a mission to help fellow authors create mesmerizing book trailers to boost them to the top of their field. For more information about Amanda and her book please visit http://www.TiredHousewife.com

Guest Photographer Francois Venter: Lesotho - The People

 

Lesotho is a land of contrasts in many forms. On the one side you have the farmlands where a man only wants to provide for his family and on the other side you have this vast wonder of technology. The Katse dam.

Most of the land in rural Lesotho is probably being utilised by sustenance farmers. Having said that you only really realise what that means when you start moving around the countryside. Most people are regarded as doing well when they have gumboots, a balaclava, a blanket, a donkey and a dog. If you have a horse and a few cattle, then you are wealthy. It was very interesting that there were no cats around. It is also clear that the dogs are just as “poor” as their owners. Most of them have shaggy coats, grave signs of inbreeding is visible, and in general they are totally under fed.

The contrasts in Lesotho are evident everywhere. These contrasts are sad, beautiful and inspiring - all at the same time.

Blog Tour: Collateral Damage by Frederick Lee Brooke

About the Book - About the Author - Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Collateral Damage! Here's what you need to do...

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Collateral Damage tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

About the book: When Annie Ogden’s ex-boyfriend Michael Garcia reappears, she has to confront a lie dating back to her time in Iraq. Will she go back to hot, passionate Michael, who has developed a disturbing interest in meth, or stick with her pudgy PI partner and fiancé, Salvatore? The calculus changes when Michael is arrested for murder. When Salvatore refuses to help investigate, Annie is forced to try to find the killer herself. Meanwhile her sister’s creepy husband, Todd, is making more of an ass of himself than usual. Annie's problems with three obsessive men suddenly pale in significance when she realizes the killer has set his sights on her. Having changed his mind about helping her, Salvatore finds himself in a desperate race against time, the only man capable of finding the killer before it’s too late. Get Collateral Damage through Amazon.


About the author: Frederick Lee Brooke is the author of the widely-acclaimed Annie Ogden mystery series - Doing Max Vinyl, Zombie Candy, and Collateral Damage. The books do not have to be read in order.
Having lived in Switzerland for the past two decades, Brooke has taught English, run a business and learned French, German and Italian. You can find him online at www.FrederickLeeBrooke.com. Sign up for his newsletter and read all about his travels, recipes, and upcoming works! Connect with Fred on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or GoodReads.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: A Writer's Heart by author CJ Peterson

I found the definition of author to be: ‘the maker of anything; creator; originator’. When an author writes a book, they write from the heart. They write what is inside of them. They write from what they know, or what they imagine. They put their heart and soul into every word they pen to paper.

I became a writer almost as form of therapy or escape from the reality that was my life at the time. There are many aspects of my own life within the pages of my books. The abuse, the violence, even the neglect and internal struggles were a daily fight between me and God. God walked with me through it all and loved me even when I fought with Him. At one point I even gave up writing. I had fought for so long, I was ready to give up the fight. Since then, however, God brought a man into my life that drastically changed the downward spiral I was headed in. My husband showed me the love I never had known before then. He treats me like a princess and never ceases to amaze me with his tender heart. He showed me what love is and what a healthy love looks like.

Growing up in a military family, my life was beyond structured. We moved so many times that I had no idea what it was like to have a ‘best friend’. People shifted in and out of my life with each move. After a while, I wouldn’t bother to even memorize our address or phone number. ‘Nomadic’ became a way of life.

Additionally, I have had a variety of vocations over the years. One of these included a catastrophe adjuster, which seemed almost made for me. In that job, I would bounce from state to state following the storms. I would also have a chance to help people in need. Someone once asked me how I could do that job. They said it would break their heart. While it did break my heart, I knew I was on the front-line helping people get back on their feet from the disaster that encompassed their lives. In another job, I was a on a volunteer fire department as an EMT. Once again, I was able to help people who needed it the most at their most vulnerable time of their life. There are still visions today that I cannot get out of my head. Another field I was in was a counselor. Being able to help people who were under extreme duress walk through the complications that plagued their lives was tremendously rewarding, but it was also draining.

When I met my husband and read some of the books to him, he encouraged me to print them. He said with everything I have gone through, and everything God walked with me through it would be a shame to keep them to myself. As I read them to him, I even saw them make a change in him. With him being a 24 ½ year Navy Veteran, there was so much he saw that it still plagues him even today. With three tours in Iraq as a Medic with the Marines, it left him with scars that he still struggles with.

I prayed about it and decided if the words in my books can even help one person, printing them will be worth it. When my first book STRENGTH FROM WITHIN released in NOV2012, I had such positive feedback that it has encouraged me to continue. The next book, which was just released in 01AUG2013, is the first of a trilogy, and this set is very close to my heart. When I wrote this trilogy, I was going through one of the toughest struggles in my life to date. The words in those books gave me hope and strength to continue on and to keep fighting. It is my prayer they will help others. THE CALL TO DUTY is now in paperback and in ebook form. A portion of the proceeds to this trilogy are going to a non-profit organization I have been personally involved with, that sends packages overseas to our soldiers, making sure they know they are not forgotten. You can find out more about Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas online at: http://www.airborneangelcadets.com/

Connect with CJ Peterson:

Facebook  Twitter   Pinterest
Goodreads

Web Page

I look forward to hearing from those who read my books, and I pray they will find encouragement and strength from the words within their pages.

Courageous. Brave. Fearless. Valiant. These synonyms are often used to describe firefighters/paramedics, police officers, and military personnel. They face danger and lay their lives on the line when they leave for work. What are their struggles? Could that hinder their job proficiency? Who is taking care of those who are taking care of the citizens of this country?
Casey Carter is a 'newbie' to the firefighting family of Engine Company 15. Not only does she have to prove herself as a probationary firefighter, but she also has to battle misconceptions of females within her newly chosen profession. As situations begin to arise, can she count on the firefighter brotherhood to have her back? Will she be able to pass the tests placed before her, or are there aspects that she was not even aware existed?

Often in life there are two realms in play. There is the physical realm - what is right before you; the other is the spiritual realm - what is unseen. Each can directly affect you, whether you believe they exist or not. Can Casey keep them in balance when she is not exactly sure what she is fighting? Can a group of men help her see what cannot be readily seen, hear what cannot be readily heard, and be able to overcome what she never knew existed? Will they be able to show Casey her true Call To Duty?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EBIEIE6