I spent my life teaching 6th graders. We have always been involved in church. Now I spend my days in an old stone house, wandering our four acres, and writing.
When I was programming the electronic grade book for elementary teachers, people would ask, “How did you do that?” The answer was simple: “I wrote it wrong until I finally…
Writers always seem to wish for more time to write. This is especially true for those who have a day job, kids, family, parents that need care, and the million…
My mother, author Delores Beckman said, “Writing is like using a wheelbarrow to pick up rocks in a field. Each rock makes the load harder to handle.” I have said,…
When a book is listed on Amazon’s site, keywords are chosen to let prospective readers find books. For Members of the Cast, I chose the following keywords: As an author,…
There is chatter out there (and on this blog) about Kindle Select vs. "Going Wide." Kindle Select gives Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) exclusive eBook rights for 90 days. There…
Writers, During the recent Memorial Day weekend, many hoped for extra writing time, and perhaps some much needed rest, only to have their hopes dashed. The Expansion Effect Everyone knows…
After I “Went Wide,” letting Draft2Digital (D2D) distribute my book, I checked Barnes & Noble (Nook) to see if Members of the Cast was listed. It was in both print…
Joe Garland is providing a series of videos showing how to prepare a manuscript for self-publication. They can be found at Dermody House If you struggle with making your book…
Because Ernie Fink (@ernie_fink on Twitter) found "summersault "when it should be somersault, I decided to update the KDP Kindle, paperback, and hardback formats of Members of the Cast. In…
Nothing like speaking too soon. All appearing in red turned out to be untrue. Sorry. Kindle Unlimited is Amazon’s book borrowing system. For $10 a month, anyone in the US…
Line By Line Time is a weekly Mini-Critique in which writers/authors share a few lines that demonstrate the week’s topic. On June 10, 2000, the #LineByLineTime topic was “First Lines.”…
I used Draft2Digital (D2D) to format Members of the Cast for eBooks. (Self-Publishing 101-2) When the 90 days of Kindle Select were over, I “went wide,” allowing D2D to distribute…
Members of the Cast, a historical novel taking place in 1959, enjoys positive reviews. Of the 15 written reviews on Amazon, two (13%) want me to write more about Maggie. I…
What you are about to read troubles me. I don’t want to sound superior or like a know-it-all, but I firmly believe the writing craft must not be taken lightly.…
Platform is the world you have built around yourself as an author. These are the avenues to let the world know about your book. It is all about "Getting Noticed,"…