Writing and Children

I had an interesting conversation with a self published author. I met him outside of Wal-Mart. He was trying to figure out how to get his book sold through the Wal-Mart chain. Sadly it wasn't his ambitions that caught my attention, it was the comment he had made.

He made the comment, "Writing is better for men because they are not weighed down with children. Women just don't have the time to write if they are not single and childless."

I felt the need to update him. First I will point out there are single men as well as married ones who write while taking care of their children. Women have for centuries written while taking care of their families. I put the number of how many children they had after each name.

Jackie Collins (3), Anne Rice (2), Judy Blume (3), J.K Rowling (3), Danielle Steel (9), Stephen and Tabitha King (3). I could keep listing more, these are just a few who not only raised their children but were successful writers in their own right.

Raising children certainly makes life challenging at times especially if you happen to have a child that is very opinionated, curious and hyper except it can be done and many have proven it.

From my own personal experience I know I can't just say I'm going to write for a few hours, my kids have their own thoughts what I'll be doing with my time. I squeeze in writing when I can. My husband and I switch off giving each other personal time to write. Both my husband and I write, we have 3 children, 16, 13 and 16 months. We also own and run two companies we started together. There are many others who have had it more difficult or easier then we personally have.

I could list so many however my main point to make. If you love writing and want to be an author then work hard at it. Getting your not just your dream but what you love to do is not always easy and sometimes you have to be patient.  Find out what you want, what needs to be done to accomplish it and do your best to go after it. Not everyone is going to be on the top 10 list however if you are loving what you are doing, then its worth it. Even if I had never published my books, I loved writing and would still write. Being published owning my company with the best partner I could have ever asked for is simply a perk for me. I also get to take my kids with me, another bonus.

Sadly he told me I had no idea what I was talking about and went into the store. I know how to get books into Wal-Mart but if he felt I didn't know what I was talking about, then it wouldn't matter if I shared my knowledge of what I knew and I was just fine by that ;^)

Florida, Miami-Dade International book expo

Right now I'm getting ready for the international book expo in Florida. We have several authors that are going to be available, signing their books. I'll have three of my books at this one. W will also have Alice Will by Ashley Chappell, Secrets of Shadow Hill: Always and Forever by Susan Cervantes, Captive of the Orcs by Benjamin Epstein, Patience's Love by Ronda Paige, Son of the Avis by Justin Dine and my three Family Secrets: Secrets of the Night, Obscured Darkness and Mortal.

I'm extremely excited and can't wait. I love going to book expos. There are so many different bookstores, libraries and publishing companies there. Here's the link for their site, http://www.miamibookfair.com/

We will be at the Center One books/ Center One Publishing booth so if you are in the area stop by and say hi. I would love to meet anyone who is reading my blogs or a reader of my books. Even if you don't buy a book stop by and say hi :^)

Poetry

Strange thoughts

The feeling hits so intense

Not knowing what is real and what is imagined

Outward crushing pain

Mental anguish fighting back from inside again

Feeling I have lost my mind

Still searching for what is real

Am I really sitting here peacefully?

Or is the world falling in all around me

Using the restroom completely alone

Am I really here or doing the unthinkable with everyone around

At times I swear I see a shadow by

Is this just another trick of my eye?

I hear sounds and swear someone calls my name

Is it just a memory catching up to me?

Do I really hear someone calling out for me?

To see things so beyond what is normal

Hard to believe the simpler things in life

When you know you have someone to back you up

Even then it’s hard to believe

You rationalize why it’s there

Then you try to remain clear of there

So much in life to see

So much no one else would believe

Since I am open to the unusual and unexplained

I still wonder when it is my mind that plays with me

When do I know when it’s no longer real?

When something really is wrong with my mind

Christmas

Christmas is such a wonderful time

A time to be affected by such beautiful lights

How can you walk by and not notice

Such a bright glowing Santa waving you by

To see it through the eyes of a child

Excitement and wonder all so brand new

The light of imagination light up inside

So many colorful lights and tinsel

Lights, holly family pictures decorating the wall

Nutmeg in the holiday pie

Friends and family always coming by

Christmas tree almost touching the ceiling

Ribbons and bows and ornaments too

Wrapped around the tree in a monumental glow

An angel or star on top of the tree so grand

As I look up at the angel she is looking smiling down at me

Christmas wreathes on the door warm and inviting

Snow blankets the green yard outside

Feeling of living in a traditional wonderland

Snow globes and sleigh bells

Best of all this year I have you

There are those who are no longer near

Each candle lit for those who are no longer here

Homeless

The winter nights get so cold

Winter roar chills deep to the bone

Wet snow soaking my feet

The cold leaving frost bite on my face

I hurry and run along

Not that I really have anywhere to go

Just to try to get out of the cold

For so many hours spent under the night sky

My old dingy jacket cannot hold out the cold

Leaning against the stone cold wall

Catching my breath hoping the wall will hold me

Stores closed now and not a single light in sight

Being able to see only because of the moonlight

No one else walking around this late at night

Other then these who are frozen like me

A shiver I cannot seem to control

Trying to block some of the wind

Picking up gum off the street

Desperate to eat anything given to me

To keep the water from flooding my shoe

The whole in the heal conveniently released it for me

I used to have a home and so much more

Change of a job, trust in someone else, simple fire or flood

As quick as a blink of an eye you get thrust into the unknown

I truly pray this hopefully does not happen to you

To be lost and alone in the cold with no one or where to turn

So lost and beyond simple care

Not knowing where to go or get help from here

Youtube views and Facebook likes

What I've noticed about views and likes.

I've always been curious about how many people have watched a video that I've watched or that I've posted myself. Not that its the main reason I will watch a video.

One thing I've noticed is that Youtube freezes all videos no matter who made them. This is the same for Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Carly Rae Jepsen or myself. Once they feel that the numbers were not inflated they will allow the numbers to rise again. I have seen videos get stuck anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months. One video has been stuck since it was made. It all depends on if they get back to you and update your video. Personally I don't care for the new system they use. I do understand its to keep bots from faking the numbers because their advertisers are paying to be noticed and not run past by bots.

The same can be done with Facebook. There are some who have bought likes on Facebook. Why do people do this? Either to gain a reputation, get attention, to rise in the numbers so when there is a search. they are more likely to come to the top. I've noticed if you simply have topics others want to read about, it will come up. I'm the type of person who loves to search through the first 20 search pages on Google when I'm looking for something. Since I do that I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one but it does help to have topics people are interested in.

You can pay Youtube to unfreeze your numbers, personally I think freezing the numbers to begin with is to get you to pay in the first place. Personally the extent they say they go to, making sure the numbers are accurate by not over counting one person several times is inaccurate. Very sad since the ads they show to that one person, they still see all 5 ads. So what is the difference if that person views something five times and the ad gets ingrained into the mind versus five individuals who see it once and forget it because they are concentrating on the video they are waiting for?

I've found that unless you're paying to have YouTube remove the number freeze or paying for an ad to be placed on your video, the majority get banned or your Adsense gets dumped. I have not gotten paid for anything from Adsense and I had accumulated quite a bit before they decided to drop my Adsense account. Sadly they are not adult enough to explain the reason they did this other then to direct me to a link that shows the top 10 reasons for being dropped, a link that is general and does not explain why they targeted my account. I have verified myself and my company by providing a link directly with my company website, company phone and address. I have done everything they asked and yet they can't simply explain why they dumped my account. I guess it's cheaper to them to get in the ads and then use a false dumping policy. Personally I find Youtube to be a joke and if your a real advertiser to do your business elsewhere.

I work with Videos quite a bit. I make video book trailers for Center One Publishing. I also play around with my own. The only reason I use Youtube is to store videos, I don't allow ads on any of my videos. If I don't paid then neither do they.

If you are promoting an author page or novel it helps to have an account at
www.goodreads.com
http://yourbookauthors.com/
http://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/

Good reads requires you to rate 50 books before you can upload your personal book and your book authors is free membership unless you go under author then its $5. but it helps keep the spammers to a minimum. People tend to be more serious.

The links below are my own personal links, either to my blogs, author page and the like. Others are other authors who are published through the same company.
Center One Books www.c1books.us

Captive of the Orcs          http://youtu.be/qAmr9ffTwxc

Patience’s Love                       http://youtu.be/sUyJGIf4h18

Son of the Avis                 http://youtu.be/AmGm6Q5O_xI

Mortal                               http://youtu.be/jcbhvMRiaT4

Family Secrets: Secrets of The Night    http://youtu.be/gk6qNne0hGg

Family Secrets, Obscured Darkness    http://youtu.be/Fzh-AhsbVKA

http://www.youtube.com/user/RebekahMcClew
https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew
http://www.facebook.com/Author.RebekahMcClew

Self publishing vs Publishing, what to expect

No matter what choice you make if its either self-publishing or to work with a publisher it helps to know what exactly is expected of you and what you personally need to do or not do.

Generally when you are self-published you will do everything yourself. That means you set up your book printing either from scratch yourself or you hire a company to do this for you. There are many types out there. I’ll discuss that at the end of this.

After you get your physical books in your hand there is the selling, lots of advertising and speaking with people. Some self-published authors have found timing their book sales around special events. If it happens to deal with a certain subject such as Halloween or special creatures have it come out at that time. If it’s a family book market it around Christmas. Either way advertising and setting yourself up is essential. You can either rent a room at your local library, advertise in your local paper that you will be there with your title on a certain date and where and when. I’ve seen some self-published authors set up a booth at their local mall selling their books just before Christmas which actually isn’t a bad idea, after all many singers have been noticed this way, why not authors?

By now we get the point that if you self-publish you have a lot of work. Anything that is done is up to you to keep up with. To promote your book and make sure it’s done right. Now to discuss the actions of a publishing house/ book publisher.

Always read your contract, I cannot stress that enough; it will be in print exactly what they expect of you or at least what you are not allowed to do while you have signed on with them. Each contract will be different depending on the agency, publishing company and book in question.

In general a publisher will set up your book signings; they will try to work with your schedule and the schedule of the place they are booking for the event. Some might have you hold onto a supply of books to bring with you or they will ship them directly to the place. At times they might have a representative deliver the books, drop and pick them up themselves. This is always explained before they happen. 

The publisher handles the production process of the book, finding the right cover for your book. Some give you choices while others will do test studies to find what the general public relates to better for your book. They also find the proper print style that fits the book, copy editor, formatting. Any advertising, publicity and book placement in stores.

Any time money exchanges hands, either the publisher handles it, the book store or supplier handles it. It is very rare that an author will ever physically handle cash or credit cards when working for a publisher. I personally handle cash sales but then I also work for the company that I am now published through. My situation is different from most authors. I worked as an editor for a year, and then switched to acquisition editor for a few years before I had applied to handle advertising and public relations. I’ve worked with many aspects of the publishing industry.

If you happen to work with a publisher and you find a store or group who would like to sponsor your book. Then who ever happens to be your contact, representative or agent happens to be. Contact them and they schedule everything for you. If you’re self-publishing then you will handle all of it.

Most want to know what your policies are, cost of the book, not retail but discounted price for the retailer. Retailers will never buy the books at full price. Most book stores require 50% off the retail price and reserve the right to return any books that do not sell either with or without the cover attached. Removing the cover makes the book unsellable and some publishers prefer this but not all. Most of these books that are bought back by the publisher or self-publisher get marked down or sale priced. So far I’ve found all book stores require the seller to take back any books that they don’t sell. Most books are on a consignment basis.

Going with a publisher is easier because they have several people for the job one person does yourself.

Back to the printers available. Always read and decide what they offer before you make a final decision. Your book is very important and the cover means everything, it is the first part a person sees before they ever read the back. There are many options when it comes to printers and they lay it out what exactly they do. Some just print your book and you give them your picture and have the formatting done. Some will format the book and pick out your picture for you. 

Then you get into vanity presses. This is a printer-publisher who will charge you for doing certain services. Printing books, book cover and some but not all will make them available on e-books.

A pod is a publisher on demand. Which means as each book is needed they will then print up the books as they are ordered, this is what makes them different from a traditional publisher where they have the books already printed and ready before they are ever ordered.

Always read the fine print in contracts and if you ever have questions make sure you ask them before you sign. I’ve seen several think they understood what they were getting and then didn’t get it after spending a lot of money. I’ve seen vanity presses go anywhere from $500, to $8k. It’s your hard earned money so make sure you get what you are paying for.

I do have some experience with various publishers, printers and a couple vanity presses. However I usually only endorse the ones I feel comfortable directing people to.

A good book printer who will give you a few more choices then just printing is www.brenistaprinting.com

Publishing company, Center One Publishing handles Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, and Science Fiction, Romance or a mix of these. They all contain Young Adult content; if it contains mature or questionable content then it is deleted or thrown out. www.centeronepublishing.com

Purchase published books at www.c1books.us

Either way if you are self-publishing or with a publisher, it always helps to promote your own books, discuss them or simply encourage others to read your books. I wish you the best with whatever choice you make!