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November 2008 Blog Posts (191)

I need YOUR advice for the new hardcover image...

Hey everyone. I am excited to announce the (very soon to release) new formats for my novel: Proud Souls. I waited a while to release the eBook because I didn't want to go the Amazon route, where you simply upload your original .PDF and let the Kindle world have at it. The US ISBN agency states [that] every format MUST have its own accompanying ISBN number… Continue

Added by Bobby Ozuna on November 5, 2008 at 9:16am — 2 Comments

Sam's Quest for the Crimson Crystal -- The Mirrored Pool

The narrow dirt path made a turn at the bottom of the hill and continued through a patch of large ferns. Sam hesitated. The woods would be dark soon, but she’d come so far and she really wanted to see where the path led. She parted the delicate ferns and stepped through. “So beautiful!”

The path ended at a small pool that reflected everything around it like a giant mirror. An ancient underground stream above seeped through invisible cracks in layered stones, gathered and tumbled… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:40am — No Comments

Sam's Quest for the Crimson Crystal -- The Beginning

“Samantha Mae Costas! Come on, or we’re going to miss the plane!”

Sam knew that when her father used her complete name he meant business. She grabbed her well-worn Yankees ball cap off the bedpost and pulled it down tightly over her long red braids.

It was a dreary, gray day. During the night a blast of cold air rushed down from Canada and brought with it dark clouds and a drenching rain. The mist fogged Sam’s glasses, and after a couple of tries to wipe them off, she… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:39am — No Comments

The National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC)

In the aftermath of 9/11 the world heard the scathing indictment of the U.S. intelligence agencies charged with preventing terrorist attacks. The dots weren’t connected! Why? Because intelligence agencies that had bits and pieces of the attack information hadn’t provided it to their counterparts. There was a myriad of reasons for this, including protecting one’s turf, fear of critical information leaks to the press and the like, but the “stove pipe” analogy was the most troubling. “Stovepiping”… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:38am — No Comments

An Interview with Master Telegu --Young Adult

An interview with Master Telegu, the red dragon, a character from Sam's Quest: The Royal Trident, Book 2. Written by Ben Furman.

“I have just a few more questions, Master Telegu,” the young dragonette reporter for the Dragonian Times said.

“Oh, very well, but be quick about it. I am busy, busy, busy guarding all this treasure,” Master Telegu replied and ruffled his red scales to display his magnificence and signal his impatience.

“You are the most intelligent of… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:37am — No Comments

The Devil's Darning Needle -- Adult Thriller

La Aguja del Caballito del Diablo

A counterterrorism thriller by Ben R. Furman.

Western folklore said the dragonfly was in league with the Devil, and in the dead of night while everyone slept, it would enter bedrooms and sew up the eyes and mouths of misbehaving children, scolding women, and lying men. The dragonfly became known as the Devil’s Darning Needle. I use the term to describe the robotic dragonflies that are the attack vehicles in the story. If the government’s cutting… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:36am — No Comments

Terrorism Defined

This is the first in a series of posts that will deal with terrorism.

If you want to enter a never-ending fracas, just come up with your own definition of terrorism and jump in. Even though terrorism has been used since the beginning of recorded history, it’s still a bear to define.

So where does the term terrorist come from anyway? The Latin word terrere means “to frighten.” The French word terrorisme brought the usage forward in time. The word is associated with the… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:35am — No Comments

Thoughts About Writing

Is there room in the box to add one more tip or one more thought about writing? Not much, but I’ll try to wedge mine in somehow. Writing rules and regs change with the times, and what’s in fashion now will disappear over the horizon only to orbit back and become “it” again. This recycling bit is the reason, or in my case, the rationalization I give my wife for not tossing my old ties. I know someday the string bow tie will make a come back.

Have fun writing. I don’t mean dancing… Continue

Added by Ben Furman on November 5, 2008 at 7:33am — No Comments

Book Marketing Tips You Want To Know

Whether you are an author who signed with a POD publisher or major publishing house. You have to remember regardless of their marketing budget they don't have the time to give your book the attention it deserves, due to the thousand of books under their house. So it always smart to come up with your own marketing campaign. Here are some basic ways to market your book.

1) Search engine submissions, including online malls and directories

2) Open an online store (Ebay.com,… Continue

Added by Kevin B Wright on November 5, 2008 at 4:33am — 2 Comments

Project Millennium Acts of Faith: Kevin B Wright and Chely Jusino in partnership with Tony Blair

Coming 2009 - Project Millenium "Acts of Faith" is an incomparable collection of poetry published and versed by Kevin B Wright and Chely Jusino in partnership with Tony Blair. Which includes poetry by some of the most gifted poets from around the globe. Who united as one nation to make a difference by helping eradicate the millions of deaths caused by Malaria.

The purpose of this book is to raise funds to benefit The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which in turn will be used to purchase… Continue

Added by Kevin B Wright on November 5, 2008 at 4:32am — 1 Comment

"Ford and The American Dream"

In this day and time, people frequently talk about doing the "right thing," but rarely are they interested in risking their comfort zone and what others might think to do what they feel needs to be done. Clifton Lambreth is one of those rare people. After working for over twenty years for the Ford Motor Company, he could no longer keep quiet about the problems going on behind corporate doors that were hurting Ford's financial bottom line, and… Continue

Added by Clifton Lambreth on November 4, 2008 at 6:37pm — No Comments

State of Quarries/NaNo

State of Quarries is officially finished (a few minor edits to fix up and resubmit to Vivian) including the teacher's guide. I also have completed State of Wilderness's Teacher's guide as well.

I'm using the word counts from the stories I do this month and the teacher's guides (what I don't copy and paste) towards my 20,000 word count goal for NaNo (November is National Novel Writing Month with an original, preset goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days - since I do short stories and… Continue

Added by Elysabeth Eldering on November 4, 2008 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Bespoke in the East End

New blog post at: http://mitziszereto.wordpress.com

Added by Mitzi Szereto on November 4, 2008 at 11:41am — No Comments

Guest Blogger

This week Eve Summers will be guest blogging at my place. Come on over and learn all about this up and coming romance author.
http://www.mkimsmith.com/blog

Added by Kim Smith on November 4, 2008 at 7:40am — No Comments

Calling all experts... Opportunity

I'm looking for experts to interview for my site Writers and Authors (http://writersandauthors. blogspot. com). If interested please email: writersandauthors@yahoo.it giving some information about yourself and a weblink.

I'm looking for;

-Publishers

-Editors

-Writing Event Organisers

-Marketing Experts

-Book sellers

-Literary Agents

-Networking Experts

-Cover art designers

-Website designers

-Writing Workshop hosts

-Virtual… Continue

Added by Jo Linsdell on November 4, 2008 at 3:46am — No Comments

Barnes and Noble Book Signing

On Saturday, November 8, 2008, I'm having my first ever Barnes and Noble book signing. Strange, but true. This book signing is special to me. You may be wondering how that's possible. I guess it took me three books to catch their attention. LOL!

Anyway, the event will take place at Camp Creek Market Place in East Point, Georgia from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Please come out and show your support.

B&N is one of those stores that uses sales to determine whether or not an author… Continue

Added by Dwan Abrams on November 3, 2008 at 9:19pm — 1 Comment

"What's Wrong"

“What’s wrong?”

I was having a bad day, stemming from a fairly stressful weekend. I was not my usual fun-loving self, and my co-workers noticed. One of them had the misfortune to ask me directly. In no particular order, here’s what’s wrong as I see it:

- The designated hitter rule in baseball.

- The wearing of spandex by anyone over the age of thirty, over the 200 pound mark, or by anyone other than the most elite of athletes. The rest of us don’t want to have to… Continue

Added by Ron Adams on November 3, 2008 at 8:10pm — No Comments

How to Get a Book Deal from Social Networking

"When marketing experts Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett self-published… Continue

Added by Kare Anderson on November 3, 2008 at 5:04pm — No Comments

Piggyback on a Big Nam Brand for your Self-Published Book: a Possible Success Story in the WSJ

Trying to Cook Up a Hit
Could a self-published cookbook be a big holiday seller?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122548668530589059.html

Added by Kare Anderson on November 3, 2008 at 4:59pm — No Comments

Release of my first Christian Children's Storybook

I have just written a child’s book named " Lady Flatterley"

As a nurse, I have been inspired by my grandchildren to write books, especially books on the wonders of nature whether it be fictional or non-fictional. I would like to see children grow up to appreciate God’s creation that is so unmistakably displayed at the dawn of each new day. I feel there are so many distractions out in this world that can lead the child from learning about the important values in life. To her,… Continue

Added by Linda L Wagner on November 3, 2008 at 9:27am — No Comments