Life Form
When you read a medical story, it’s good to know that it’s written by a real doctor. Keith Wilson is just such an author. He recently retired and spends part of his time writing novels based on medical conundrums.
March 2021
What We’ll Be Doing Next Week
On Wednesday next week the Independent Book Publishers Association Publishing University 2021 begins and runs until Saturday, April 10th. It’s one of the business and educational highlights of the year for indie publishers like Hallard Press.
Like many industries made up of small companies, indie publishers individually don’t have the resources to learn and grow successfully. That’s why organizations like IBPA are so valuable.
The Challenges of Self-Publishing
I am the author of six books – a series of five juvenile fiction books and one nonfiction book for authors who want to market their books to schools. I had a publisher for my first book, but started my own company in 2007, and have self-published ever since.
There are two reasons why I decided to self-publish — control and money!
Whinny
Lordy, my sister Whinny loved horses. Momma said they’d be the death of her.
When she was little, Whinny’s bedroom was all porcelain horses, paint-by-number mustangs, and magazines about thoroughbreds and cow ponies. She had maps for a trip to Assateague and Chincoteague, where she’d to meet Misty and the wild ponies from the newsreel. She loved the movies Gallant Bess, National Velvet, and a Disney flick called Tonka, which led her to Native American spirituality.
Her name was Winifred, but at nine she started signing her name Whinny with an H. She devoted her life to learning about them and living with them.
The Demise of the Sit-Down Family Dinner
“We’re the only family we know that, like, sits down and has dinner together almost every day,” my children told me continually over the years.
“So, what do other people for meals?” I would ask.
Before You Pick Up Your Pen
Writing your next great novel or self-help book is an exciting, yet daunting, endeavor. Will your readership find it entertaining or informative? Will they be interested enough to purchase your book?
Keyword Research
We all know how important keywords and categories are. They help readers find your book. If a reader can’t find your book, they can’t buy it!
Diary of LST 351
During World War II, military men were not allowed to keep diaries for fear that if they were captured, the enemy might learn valuable information. Somehow Albert had the blessing of the ship’s captain and was able to keep a day-to-day diary.
The diary needed to be transcribed. Albert’s handwriting was a challenge. So, in 2004, Al’s wife, Thelma, started translating it. Thelma would call her daughter, Donna, and read the diary excerpts over the phone. Donna would type them on the computer. It was a 15 year project that ended in 2019.
As a result, we have a view of the war through the “lens of a machinist mate”.
New Author Series in the Villages-News.com
Well, I’m pleased to announce that I’m back again—this is the third or fourth “coming out of retirement,” thanks to an invitation from the indefatigable Meta.
Same idea—profiles on people—but this time with more attention on authors and books that deserve to be supported. Supported because they’re good reads; promoted because they’re by local and regional authors; profiled because the authors themselves have an exceptional story that the readers of Villages-News.com will enjoy.
The ASIN and How It Can Help You Sell Your Book
Amazon assigns a ten letter and/or numbers to every product it sells. They call it the ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). For books the ASIN is now your 10 digit ISBN because, yes, that’s a unique number, too. This number allows Amazon to keep track of your book.
My Adventure into Short Reads
Are you a “Coffee Break” reader?
Amazon realized the potential of this new reader in 2015 and developed a corresponding category called a “short read.”
To qualify as a short read, a document can be read within a range of fifteen minutes to two hours. The page count ranges from one to one hundred pages. The document can be in almost any form: a short story, short novel, essay, article, blog, or even a list.
Amor Fati: Growing up in God’s Hotel
Warm-hearted, straightforward, and unafraid, Amor Fati is the autobiography of Denise Noella Kingsley, who learned to love her fate and through a life well-lived has inspired others to do the same.
