Spotlight: Elemental Kingdoms by Peter and Lauren Arvo

Once there were many kingdoms of myth and legend, but six stood apart from the rest. They may have lost their origins, but they still possessed their elemental abilities of creation as well as destruction. Their rule was about to be threatened by an unseen group, who have waited patiently to make their move.

A group of powerful royal blooded teenagers are about to experience the time of their lives, but also have their lives turned upside-down. They will have to go beyond what they thought possible, stretching their skills, friendship, courage, love, and powers to the breaking point.

Reviews:

Woodsman's review

Jan 19, 2016

really liked it

Read from January 10 to 18, 2016

This book was a wonderful read, beautifully illustrated, with a lot of twists and even a cliff hanger ending. I am recently retired and decided to get either a science fiction, or fantasy book, that looked interesting to read in the evenings. I decided upon Elemental Kindoms, even though this book was probably more geared toward the younger audience, I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to getting and reading the next installment in the series.

I am also impressed, by the fact, the book was written by a father and daughter team.

4.0 out of 5 starsAction packed adventure

By A Customer on January 13, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This book is a well written action adventure story. The story will be of most interest to pre-teens and teens, as most of the main characters are teenagers. The authors have inserted into the story some interesting trivia information.

Interview with Peter and Lauren:

 

1.  Tell my why you decided to write you book.  Explain the process of father/daughter collaboration.

Peter: Lauren developed many great characters and plot ideas over several years that she kept talking to us about and eventually we convinced her to share these with others in the form of a book. As far as the collaboration goes, she has a laptop next to my computer, and we worked out the remaining details together.

Lauren: I loved roleplaying and coming up with stories to entertain myself and other people and eventually I decided to write a book about those stories.

2.  Is there any autobiographical content in the story?

Peter: I don't believe that there is any autobiographical content, at least for me. I became involved late in the process, so most characters already existed.

Lauren: Some of the characters were based on different people I knew and the character Hope in particular was originally based on me. There isn’t any other content really that is autobiographical.

3.  Do you have any works in progress?  If so, what are they?

Peter: Yes, book two, Elemental Kingdoms: Grand Deception, is nearly completed. The writing and editing is done. All that is left is the illustrations.

Lauren: We are discussing book three and working out the details since book two is mostly complete.

4.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?

Peter: My most important goal is to support Lauren. As for the book, hopefully the book series will entertain people with its great characters and complex plot and super detailed maps. Most people probably don't realize that there are fourteen maps in the back of book one that Lauren and I hand drew (the maps are based on an actual ancient map). Most of the things in the book series have a basis in real legends and lore. Even the names were derived from different languages (some are a bit of a riddle), which we felt contributes to a better fantasy story.

Lauren: I hope to reach as many people with these books as possible and it inspires them, and let them know that even though you may be young you can accomplish great things if you put your mind to it. I also hope these books make people happy and entertain them.

5.  Who are some of your favorite authors and why?

Peter: After childhood I've only read technical, historical, or research books, so my favorite authors would be people like Nicola Tesla's (famous inventor), Enoch, Moses, Paul (contributors to important ancient texts), Linus Pauling (famous researcher who won the Nobel Prize twice, promoter of vitamin C in curing many ailments, and peace activist).

Lauren: There has never been an author that I liked all of their work, so I can’t say that I have a favorite author in particular.

6.  If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

Peter: This is really tough question, since I think most people believe they know what they want most in life, but if/when they get it, they don't want it anymore. With this in mind, I would probably wish that everyone in the world would be able to clearly see the best choices to make in life (that would result in the best positive outcome for themselves and everyone else).

Lauren: There really isn’t anything I want so badly that I would wish for myself, I would probably wish for the world to be at peace and everyone to be happy.

 

Where you can find Elemental Kingdoms:

https://www.amazon.com/Elemental-Kingdoms-Darkness-Lauren-Arvo-ebook/dp/B01A2U20CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#nav-subnav

Where you can find Peter and Lauren:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ElementalKingdomsBooks/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Peter_LaurenEKS

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/elementalkingdoms/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/EK_Series/

Website:  http://www.elementalkingdomsseries.com/

Finding Peace

Deep down in the heart of every person is the desire to be at peace. The beauty of peace is an innate craving. We try and try to find things that will give us peace. True peace can only be found in God.

The world says that we'll be at peace when we achieve this or that or when we win this or that. That type of satisfaction is temporary. No matter how many mountains we climb, how many things we achieve, how many dollars we make, it will not bring us lasting peace.

Peace is an experience devoid of anxiety; an experience of fulfillment without reason. What do we have to do to find true peace? In reality, the only thing we can do is connect with our Source...the one who created us to begin with. We crave a relationship with God. That's why we try to find true love in another fallible human being. The only "true" love that exists is the love of the one who made us. The reason being? None of us is perfect. We all fall short and let each other down sooner or later. So how can peace exist in such an environment?

It can't hinge on our surroundings. Our surroundings are always changing. They're unpredictable, unreliable. Peace can't thrive in such a state. Peace depends on the solidity of faith and a power much greater than reason; hence, a state of being which will supercede our everyday existence. Peace is a quandary for the seeker. It can seem like a state that doesn't really exist. But if you look in the right place, you'll find it.

It's a spiritual undertaking: a quest. And when you finally enter its beautiful state of rest, you'll never be the same. People have found it and learned to treasure it more than their everyday life experiences. The truly beautiful aspect of peace comes when you learn to cultivate your everyday life into its wonderful concept. When you're truly living "peace on earth and goodwill toward men", what could possibly be better?

From my viewpoint, not much!

Living In Love Doesn't Mean Being A Doormat!

To revere peace and love, we are told to live in love and have a good attitude. That is a wonderful way to live but we also need to know our boundaries in that type of lifestyle.

Too many times we think that living in love means to allow others to walk all over us...to be a doormat. In reality, it means to have a loving attitude and to help out any way we can...with limits.

Once the relationship becomes abusive or we are being used for the benefit of others, there is no shame in walking away.  In fact, walking away is setting a healthy boundary for us to continue to be loving people.  The key is:  walking away with a good attitude.  In order to do this, we must walk away before our anger is ignited because we have allowed others to use us in our process of trying to be loving, caring people.

So....once your good has worn out its welcome in a situation (as it very commonly does)...walk away!  And don't feel bad about doing it!  Because you will soon find yourself facing another situation where your love is needed to be passed along.  And if you allow yourself to be used, you will be too weary to continue on your journey.

Take care and God Bless!

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A video of my poem entitled Don't Give Up!

A while ago I wrote a poem encouraging myself and others not to give up. I posted it on my blog under poems. Then I had the idea to make it into a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfvxZbSaYEw

I posted it on my youtube channel and now I'm creating even more videos.  If you subscribe, you'll see each new video as they come out.  I'm mixing things up a bit and creating numerous types of videos for my subscribers....all inspirational in nature.

I love getting to know my readers and viewers.  Feel free to leave comments and I'll be sure to respond at my earliest convenience.

Thanks for being part of my creative process!  Cheers!

Zen Queen by Kirsty McManus

Enjoy humor?  Then you'll want to take a peek at this book!

Jess Harper’s personal life is a mess.

She hasn’t had a haircut since 2006 and she doesn’t have time to find better friends than the self-centred associates she’s had since University.

And instead of searching for love, she’s settled for ‘friends with benefits’ status with one of her buddies. Yet none of that matters, because professionally she’s living the dream, and has just scored a highly coveted assignment in Japan with the promise of a promotion on her return.

But when she arrives in Japan, instead of the smooth integration she anticipated, Jess finds herself wrongfully fired, abandoned and broke in a country where she doesn’t speak the language.

Now she must rebuild her life and clear her name. But the friendly locals and allure of the ex-pat lifestyle soon have her reconsidering her priorities and challenging her views on climbing the corporate ladder. With a new job as an English teacher and the temptation of her cute (but already attached) roommate, Jess discovers that although life doesn't always turn out as planned, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Introducing Kirsty:

Zen Queen was inspired by a year I spent in Japan in 2004 / 2005. I taught conversational English at a school in Osaka, and it was one of the most fun and crazy jobs I’ve ever had. But because teachers were discouraged from socialising with students outside of class, I didn’t get a chance to learn much Japanese. As a result, I found myself at the international bookstore every weekend, buying a LOT of books. This was around the height of chick-lit’s popularity, so I was reading everything I could find by Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Jill Mansell and Jane Green.

 At some point, it occurred to me that Japan would be the perfect location to set a chick-lit novel. Also, I had been keeping a blog on Yahoo’s Geocities (Wordpress and Facebook hadn’t taken off yet) - and all my friends said they loved reading the entries. I even had friends of friends say they enjoyed following my adventures.

So Zen Queen was born (although it took six years to arrive in a publishable form!). I tried to incorporate all the wacky experiences and places I visited while living in Japan into a fictional story featuring a slightly impulsive protagonist. I really wanted to showcase what life is like as an ex-pat – from going out drinking and singing karaoke on the weekends, to exploring the cultural attractions in every city, to the tight bonds you form with other Westerners, despite their home countries being on the other side of the world.

 The book has recently seen a resurgence in popularity now that I’ve released my latest novel Saved by the Celebutante. The two books are unrelated, but are both in the same zany style and feature a main character who goes on an adventure-filled journey.

 Where you can find Zen Queen:

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Queen-Kirsty-McManus-ebook/dp/B006PNS9KE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469084054&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+queen+kirsty+mcmanus

Where you can find Kirsty:

Kirsty’s Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kirsty-McManus/e/B006QCN6AW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MissKM

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirstymcmanusauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bachelorfanoz (this is for the Bachelor recap blog I also run)

Author website: http://www.kirstymcmanus.com.au

Spotlight & Interview: The Dam Is Coming by Fred A Brede!

“The Dam is Coming” is a fictional history novel about the largest wood-pile dams in the world, built in 1890, located just 12 miles north of Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin on the scenic Saint Croix River. The story is told by Paul C. Wellington a twelve years old growing up a mile from Never’s Dam in what is today Wild River State Park. With his friend Paul, they give a firsthand account of the Nevers Dam construction that finally tamed the wild Saint Croix River and how the lumber was delivered to the saw mills. Join Paul and Peter as they watch this historic Never’s Dam become the most talked about, man made structure ever built on the upper Sent Croix River, and forever will be part of the history of the Saint Croix River Valley.

Interview with Fred:

1.  Tell me about “The Dam is Coming” and why you decided to write it.

Local history on the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway between Minnesota and Wisconsin has always been a passion of mine. Since I love both fiction and youthful adventures I placed Paul, a curious 12 year old boy growing up with his pioneer family watching the loggers in 1889 coming in and building the world’s largest logging dam across an untamable river. “The Dam is Coming” helps me explain to the public one of the most spectacular construction projects ever attempted on the historic Saint Croix River. Most people don’t know it ever existed. Someone had to tell the story and I did so in the form of a fictional history novel.

2.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?

    

Nationally I want to be a noted “Romantic Author” and Destiny Whispers Publishing LLC has given me that opportunity with Romantic Western Adventures, “Letters from the Heart” was the first with a sequel out in February, 2016. A Third novel “Flyaway Love” will be scheduled for the summer of 2016.

    

Locally I want to be recognized as an author knowledgeable of Northern Wisconsin with its rich history in logging, the Saint Croix River, the glaciers that formed this region. This was the “Wild West” before the Wild West was the Wild West. Not much has been written nationally to bring Wisconsin onto the national stage. Many of my 15 self-published novels take place in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin is much more than dairy farms, cheese or the Green Bay Packers. The forest of northern Wisconsin built the cities like St. Louis, Minneapolis and Kansas City. All that lumber came through the gates of “Nevers Dam” which was an engineering marvel at the time. No electricity in homes, all manual labor but a lot of family unity. 

 

Thirdly I teach classes on how to self-publish using

CreateSpace and their free options. All my self-published titles cost me nothing but for printing. There are thousands of aspiring authors in this new age of Amazon and Kindle that want to get published but don’t know how. I can save them a lot of time and money and have been very successful in presenting programs that can get anyone self-published.

 

3.  Who/what inspires you to write?

 

I have a need to keep my mind active and working on several projects at the same time. Multiple plots, sub-plots, characters and scenes. It’s a thrill to see the finished product and the creative process at work. I want to keep challenging myself and moving forward, never stopping. There is so much history that can be explained through stories or novels and as long as I am at it, why not though is some passion and romance turning them into love stories.  I have a quote I use to explain my writings.

     “Sometimes love follows you. Through thick and thin, over streams and through time. True love will find a way. Keep faith that somewhere, someone is looking for you, all you have to do is slow down and let them catch up.”

Author Fred A Brede

Sharing my experiences with my family who have inspired me. I pride myself on raising my two boy and one lovely daughter along with my wife. Many of the interactions, adventures and experiences my characters have come from time I spent teaching and allowing them to grow up. They are the best family anyone could have.

 

Wanting to share my experiences with my readers is a driving force. I want to leave my reader with hope a future that is positive in a world that seems to be coming apart. I want them to remember what it was like when they were younger and exploring the world for the first time. My romance novels is just the next step in finding out what the world has to offer and my romance books always end with them living happily ever after.

 

4.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?

 

Besides “Letters from the Heart with Destiny Whispers Publishing and my self-published books, I Just released “Inheritance of Love” A Wisconsin Romance”.

For future release, “Stagecoach of Desire” and “Three signs of love”.

 

I am currently researching for, “Sunrise Landing” about a youth leader with five boys canoeing down the St. Croix River in modern times and discover the modern day ghost town of Sunrise. (A real location) A Story teller relates historical events with local characters that lived at various rime in the history of the area that revealed themselves to the boys who are convinced the ghosts are real.

      

5. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

 

I wish I could have had the luxury to start writing years ago. My employer through physiological testing identified my talents as a story teller but I used it to communicate with prospects and customers. It’s only after retiring that I had the time to start writing. Years ago they didn’t have the technology to help the writer like computers and spell check.  I wish Windows 10 had come out twenty years ago.

 

6.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

I love both history and romance. Some of my stories are contemporary romance, some historical fiction and some a combination of the two. I write only wholesome adventures meant for a general audience. I even have my wife read over my stories before publishing. If it passes her muster it goes to print.

 

My working years after college at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay I worked in banking, insurance, as a stock broker, leasing, student loans, retirement planning and investments. What I enjoyed most was spending time in the outdoors and with my boys hunting and fishing. Now I get to live these adventures all over again in my stories and make some up as I go along.

Where you can find The Dam Is Coming:

https://www.amazon.com/Dam-Coming-Nevers-Project-Glacial-ebook/dp/B01AYKYXNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468831669&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dam+is+coming+fred+brede

Where you can find Fred:

fredabrede@aol.com

Introducing Hair Power by Piers Anthony!

Enjoy this entertaining interview with Piers Anthony!  Guaranteed to lift your spirits!

Terminal cancer patient, Quiti, walks into an abandoned building planning on taking her life. Instead, she encounters a telepathic ball of hair that insists it is an alien seeking to facilitate diplomatic communication on Earth. Quiti assumes it is all a hallucination conjured up by her brain tumor. Because of this assumption, when she saves the alien’s life and it insists on doing Quiti a favor in return, she only asks for her hair back. She soon discovers, however, that the creature’s gift extends much further than her new locks that can change color with a thought. As her powers grow and her deadly illness goes into remission, Quiti quickly realizes that there are those that would want to use her for her abilities and is forced to leave behind everything that she knew. Will this blessing curse her to a life on the run, or does the mysterious hairball have more in store for her? Piers Anthony, critically acclaimed author of the New York Times bestselling Xanth series, brings together humor and adventure in this original story of loyalty, friendship, extraordinary powers, and hair. Dreaming Big Publications

Interview with Piers:

Tell us about your latest book.

Hair Power is a novella about a girl with terminal brain cancer who helps an alien hairball, who rewards her with hair that not only replaces her own lost hair, but cures her cancer and makes her something of a super woman. In time that hair is six feet long and she wears it like a cloak. That’s only the beginning.

Tell us a little about some of the others who contributed to your book, such as cover designer or editor.

I have to default on that, as I don’t know them.

Who are your favorite authors?

If I lost my memory and had my choice of reading matter, I hope my favorite would be Piers Anthony. I try to write what I would like to read. As for other authors, I have admired many in the Science Fiction and Fantasy fields, from Robert A Heinlein on down. I am also an admirer of the plays of George Bernard Shaw, and not just because he was a vegetarian.

What advice do you have for other writers?

Publishing is changing so much now that much of what I might say would become dated about ten minutes after I wrote it. So I’ll just say read and study the genre you are in, keep writing and improving, and may the world go well with thee.

What's the best thing about being a writer?

For me the best thing is getting to exercise my imagination and being independent. I can’t be fired for someone else’s mistakes.

What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?

It used to be dealing with publishers, who were like insensitive robots interested only in money, regardless what they claimed. But the old order is passing and the new publishers I am dealing with are generally more compatible. Some of them even like good fiction. So now the hardest thing is facing the prospect of my declining ability with advancing age. I’m not capable of simply letting it go and retiring. So when I no longer write well, I hope I am the first, not the last to know it.

Where can people find out more about you and your writing?

My web site is www.hipiers.com where I have a monthly column, commenting on whatever is on my mind, and background information on my titles. I have also written two autobiographical books: Bio of an Ogre and How Precious Was That While.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Three Weeks for this 35,000 word novella. It moved well, and I am an efficient writer.

Did you learn anything from writing your book that was unexpected?

I don’t think so. I had worked it out pretty well before I started writing. I’ve always loved long hair on a woman, so this was easy imagination.

Where can a reader purchase your book?

From wherever the publisher puts it.

What are you doing to market the book?

Precious little. I’m a writer, not a marketer.

Who inspires you?

The world inspires me.

How do you research your books?

There wasn’t any real research for Hair Power. I generally try to stay within the boundaries of what I know. When I do need to research, I buy books on the subject.

Do you have another work in progress? Tell us about it.

I am working on the sequel, Hair Suite, wherein there is competition with Cyborg aliens in very attractive human form. Until the two cultures have to unite against a third.

Have you written other books? Where can readers purchase them?

I have written about 175 other books. Readers can find many of them listed on Amazon. Many readers like my Xanth fantasy series, which now number 42 novels, not all in print yet.

Where you can find Hair Power:

https://www.amazon.com/Hair-Power-Piers-Anthony/dp/1534919147/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468715975&sr=8-1&keywords=hair+power+piers+anthony

Who's Tired? I'm Not Tired!

For those of you who are familiar with me, you know I'm a night owl. I'd rather stay up late than get up early. It's how I've always been. I think I was wired for the night life.

The dark cloak of night is a comfort and the sounds of the night are relaxing to me. I love to look at the sky and watch the moon and stars. I find them particularly beautiful on cool summer evenings.

To celebrate my erratic hours, I created a GIF entitled "Who's Tired?  I'm Not Tired?" for people like me who tend to burn the candle at both ends.  Not only do I have a day job and a family, but I'm also a writer and an artist.  So there have been many (too many to remember) days when I felt like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMRcWpftIq4

If you can relate, feel free to pass this GIF along.  It's a fun way to say,  "Cut me some slack!  I was up much too late....again!"

Pain Is An Activist

Are you someone who has felt a great amount of pain during your life? Are you in pain right now? I'm talking about every type of pain that exists: mental, physical, spiritual and every other type of pain that you can name.

As a species in general, we try to shy away from pain. I do it as much as the next guy. Let's face it. Pain sucks. No matter what you're experiencing, it's tough to see any good in it at all. But the truth is there IS good in pain. It just takes a lot of guts to acknowledge it.

I just recently saw a post stating that "we are continually faced with great opportunities disguised as insolvable problems" (AmpLIFEied.com).  What a way to look at it!  Our insolvable problems...the ones we can't seem to figure out that keep us on a hamster's treadmill are our great opportunities...WOW!  If you tell the wrong person about this philosophy, you could end up with a harsh slap to the face!  But is it true?  I believe it is.

As someone who has been faced with thousands of seemingly unsolvable problems, I'm a first hand witness to the emotional throwback of such a statement.  When we've been through a million and one things, the last thought on our mind is, "Oh, great!  Another wonderful opportunity wrapped up in anguish!  Yay!"  When in reality, it is a great opportunity...to GROW into a better person.

Is it really worth the pain?  In the end, yes.  But during the daily fight of turmoil and angst it can almost drive you to insanity.  You have to keep holding onto the hope that some time it will bring blessings beyond comprehension.  But in the meantime, check that temper!  Continually let go of that anxiety!  Growth is never easy but it always brings us to more peaceful understandings of our lives and situations.  Isn't that what life is about?  To learn as you move through your experiences?

As you examine your current condition, whether it be mental, physical, spiritual or some other type of angst, look at what seems unsolvable.  The truth is, there is always a solution but sometimes we fail to see it or we don't want to see it.  What ending will the solution bring?  Does it add to your life or take away from it?  Many times the process of taking away adds bigger things down the line.  Do you have the guts to walk through the fire?  To deal with the cards that you've been dealt?  Bad things happen to good people.  It's true.  You have no choice in the matter.  But you do have a choice as to how you will respond to tragedy.

Keep the faith.  Hold onto hope.  You'll make it through and some day you'll be a better person for your pain.  I know it's tough, but don't ever give up the fight!  Even if it's debilitating, it will cause you to grow in ways you've never imagined.

Designing Your Own Book Cover by Kari Anders

Designing Your Own Book Cover: How to Select The Right Image

In Elements of a Book Cover that Sells, I talk about creating a cover that speaks directly to your audience by using the idea of a Single Story. In the following post, I expand on this idea by giving helpful tips on finding the base layer for your cover: the image.

Your image should convey the mood of your story. If you’ve written a fun-loving, silly, woman’s novel, your cover might be an illustration of a lady in heels with a pink background. If your book explores the story of a missing woman, it might have a dark background with a woman running away. If it’s a love story, readers will expect a couple holding hands or kissing on the cover. All these components convey the mood of the book and attract your audience.

If the mood is not evident, you will miss potential readers. When readers go searching for a new book, they usually know what type of book they want to read. If nothing else, they know what types of book they have enjoyed in the past. They will be attracted to images that remind them of another book they’ve read. This relationship connects the reader to an emotion they felt while reading that book. For instance, I had recently finished Where’d You Go Bernadette and was looking for a new read. I saw the novel How to Write a Novel, with its blue cover and illustrations and bought it. Why? It reminded me of Bernadette. That’s it. I wasn’t even looking for a book like Bernadette;I just subconscious equated the cover of Bernadette with a book I like.

Often authors spend energy on trying to get their cover image to be unique, and to stand out from the crowd. While really, they should have been doing the opposite.

You may have noticed that in all of the examples at the beginning of this article, I suggest having images of people on the cover (the woman in pink heels, the couple kissing, etc.). As an author, you may be tempted to steer away from covers that give away too much detail that you’d rather let the reader imagine. One of the reasons I believe readers like books over their film adaptations, is because they get to bring the scene to life using their own imagination. The same applies to the characters in a book. Giving too much detail away can take away this experience from the readers. So why do I suggest books with images of people? Simply, they sell better.

You many see that some covers don’t have the full person or even just avoid their faces on the cover.  You might see only a woman's legs or feet, or you might see her face below the nose.  This allows your readers to still create the characters using their own imagination while still creating a book cover that sells.

The other advantage of showing only a part of a character is that it allows you to simplify your cover.  If you are trying to convey too much information to your readers, it will be busy and overwhelming and distract them from absorbing the story's mood.  Remember, you want to sell them a single story.  Don't try to input double meanings or symbols that the reader will only understand once they've read the book.  Symbolism is for your writing.  You aren't trying to sell them on your cleverness with a book cover.

To convey the mood, keep it simple and focus on a single story.  You want to be obvious with your images but not necessarily literal.  You don't want readers to have to guess or search for what your cover is about.  But at the same time, it doesn't need to be a specific scene from your story to convey the mood, and being too literal can destroy the intrigue you want to create.

Here’s a test: Once you have selected an image, forget your story. Can you create a powerful title on the picture alone?  Does that title do your book justice?  If not, keep looking.

The most common place authors and designers find images for book covers is stock images sites.  There are hundreds of thousands of images to choose from, and they are usually between $10 and $25 per image.   With a stock image from Shutterstock.com or iStock.com, you can sell between 250,000 and 500,000 books before you have to worry about purchasing additional licensing.  There are also sites you can find free stock images, but make sure you read and fully understand the terms of copyright before using an image from one of these sites. DO NOT use an unlicensed image from a Google images search, even if you don't think you are going to sell very many books, as this will most certainly earn you a letter from an attorney asking you to remove it at the least and a lawsuit at the worst.

The advantages of using stock images are selection, price, and availability.  To find an image for a previous post, I used the search terms "girl in front of a ship" and found 42 pages of results.  That's a pretty specific request.  Also, stock image sites are also regularly updating their inventory, and they tag images by a number of categories, including model.  So if you find a model that you like, but the image isn't quite right, you can find other photos with the same model.  This is very useful for a book series.

A drawback to using stock imaging is uniqueness. Stock sites will sell an image in finite number of times, meaning that even though your typography and location of the photo might be unique, another author might end up with the same image on their cover.  Professional publishing houses will spend thousands hiring a photographer and models to get unique images for their covers.  However, this isn't a possibility for most self-published authors.  On freeebookcovers.com, I am building a collection of non-stock images from local photographers I've worked with over the years.   Check back soon for the launch of Original Images, and happy writing!

Kari Anders is a book cover designer who works mostly with self-published authors and small publishing houses. She worked in freelance design for six years before attending graduate school, and now teaches design and runs freeebookcovers.com. All of Kari's covers are designed as CreateSpace Wraps for only $75, with the eBook version included for free. Her site specializes in Pre-Made Book Covers, but she also does interior design and custom covers.

4th of July GIF! Pass it on!

Hey everyone! I was in a mood to try something new, so I decided to make my first GIF. After two attempts, I've come up with something I think is cute. This is for the 4th of July.  Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m14LkIHhHUM

If you like it, feel free to pass it on.  Share the love for July 4th!  Stay safe and have a wonderful day and evening!

If you enjoy this post, feel free to visit me on youtube and subscribe at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknIvs7gKMSa4OYL51Dj2CQ

With your subscription, you'll find out about my newest videos and GIF's!  Yes, I do plan on making many, many more!  And I'd love to have you in on the action!  I also love helping people out, so if you know anyone who would enjoy my videos or a subscription, please send them my way!

Take care and as always, God Bless!

Life Is Short. Live It Well!

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw87X_wQWow

Each of us thinks that we have all the time in the world to do what we want to with our lives. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. The clock of time is constantly ticking, urging us forward second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. The days have a way of turning into months and the months have a way of turning into years. Soon we are left wondering about where all our time went...if we're lucky enough to have that much time.

Each of us has a purpose to find and fulfill. Sometimes (many times), that purpose can take years to figure out. So make the most of the time you have. Try not to engage in worry or hatred, fear or torment to the best of your ability. These things only steal more of your time. And if you are forced to deal with these things as most of us are, take wisdom away from the experience so that they can enrich the process of finding your purpose. You only have one life to live. Live it well!

Learning How To Heal

When I was afflicted by the pain and torment of my past, it seemed like I would never be able to heal. For years I wondered if healing was even possible. It seemed like a mountain that I couldn't climb...as if my pain was too great to even fathom the ability to overcome it.

Had I known that healing truly was possible, I would have had more hope.  My faith was low, my hope even lower.  I asked numerous people who knew of my circumstance if I could ever come out victorious from my situation.  The most hopeful response I received was  "maybe."

When you're in the depths of despair for years, surrounded by very few people who are supportive, "maybe" isn't a good answer.  The word "maybe" caused my despair to deepen.  But by the magic of God's healing, I eventually overcame my situation.

This is a video I created about what I learned regarding healing.  It's not as elusive as it seems. In fact, it is possible to heal from the type of trauma I endured.  If you're in a period of suffering, please take a moment to watch my video.  And know that you, too, can achieve happiness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSTodkF-c0o

~Review: Great Grandma's Gifts by Marianne Jones and Karen Reinikka~

Arlene is a little girl who loves to make things. She begins by making presents for her doll, Maggie. As she grows up, she moves on to creating gifts for her own children and grandchildren. This is a lovely story that is designed to help children see a different side of the elders in their lives and understand that they were once children, too.

My Rating:  3 Stars!

This was a simple story.  It spoke of the love between children, parents and grandparents.  It also explained to the children reading the story that everyone starts out young and then ages and carries on family traditions.  It was a quietly told story that would be perfect for "wind down" times with small kids.

The illustrations are cute but I wished to see a bit more color and detail.  The story itself could have used a little more action and imagination in my opinion, but still a nice book overall.

Where you can find Great Grandma's Gifts:

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Grandmas-Gifts-Marianne-Jones/dp/1522758704/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462858383&sr=1-1&keywords=great+grandma%27s+gifts

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/great-grandmas-gifts-marianne-jones/1117359437?ean=9781522758709

Where you can find Marianne:

http://mariannejones.net/

~Review: Just: A sign of the times by Katie Lewington~

A light hearted collection of poems in lessons of love, depression and relationships while also exploring the stories of strangers in words.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This was an interesting, heartfelt collection of poems about life, love and depression.  The author has an interesting voice and perspective...that of a life of hardships and difficult relationships.  These poems are written about things that we can all relate to as hardship is no stranger to all of our life circumstances.

I enjoyed the author's presentation.  It was down to earth and gritty.  It was easy to relate to her work.

If you love poetry, give this book a read.  You won't be sorry you did.

Where you can find Just:  A sign of the times:

https://www.amazon.com/Just-sign-times-katie-lewington-ebook/dp/B00YJ34LBI?ie=UTF8&keywords=just%20a%20sign%20of%20the%20times&qid=1462607400&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Where you can find Katie:

https://katiecreativewriterblog.wordpress.com/

Interview with Katie:

1. What prompted you to write this book?  Why is this story important?

This is a collection of poetry that I wrote 4, 5 years ago and I was clearing out.  I decided the time was right to show these poems to the world. I think it’s important because it captures a particular time in my life that was full of changes and opportunities. Which certainly gave me the inspiration to write many of these poems.

2. What was the most difficult part of the process of publishing your story?

Probably getting the courage to upload the manuscript onto Amazon.

3. Who are you as a writer?  What would you like your readers to know about you?

As a writer I’m passionate about getting fleeting moments down on paper and engaging people in thinking about things. To my readers,  I get it.

4. If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be and why?

Stephen Fry because the conversation would probably be an interesting one.

5. When you aren't writing, what are your favorite hobbies/activities?

Reading, talking somebody’s ear off about poetry or watching trashy TV.

6. If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Look at the bigger picture.

Welcome artist Audrey Keenan! Angel creator extraordinaire!

I ran across Audrey on twitter and was intrigued by her art.  I looked through her photographs on her twitter account and instantly wanted to interview her!  Her art is one of a kind as you can see:

So without further adieu, here is her interview!

1.  Please tell me what led up to you beginning to create your art and why you decided to create it.

I was looking for a purpose after being diagnosed with cfs and fibromyalgia so I began praying. I spend a lot of time bedridden.

Art was something I tried in hopes of finding an interest which would enable me to work at home in my own time.  The feeling of being able to release my emotions onto canvas brought a sense of peace within that I found comforting.  Expressing my love for life and compassion for humanity meant inner freedom although I was physically limited.

2.   Please describe your creative process.

The creative process is taken with a very easy going, intuitive approach.  It's effortless, free and without much thought...I invite my angels, guides, god's loving intention and the rest is pure surrender.  I'm simply a channel as I hold the brush and paints.  It's like I'm in another state of consciousness.

There's no fear of outcomes.  What I feel can be described as divine love and joy flowing through me as the painting comes to life.

3. What would you like people to know about you as an artist?

I had no previous art experience other than a few lessons.  One day I was in severe pain and read a book entitled God Calling.  I was praying for strength to cope.  Suddenly I felt a strong urge to paint a picture in thanks to God.  Without realizing it, I painted an angel.  I was amazed and delighted.  I proceeded to do more painting on small canvases.  Eventually I looked around and counted 13 angel paintings in a short space of time.

I then heard a soft voice which I believe was God, saying,  "Now do you believe in yourself?" Then a conversation took place.  I fell to my knees overwhelmed with gratitude, love and happiness.  I was also completely drained.  My art was presented to me as a gift in my mind.

4. What do your paintings represent? Is there a universal theme behind them or does each one mean something completely different?

The paintings represent hope.  I feel we as humans want to believe in angels and guidance; comfort that in times of sadness we can sense we're not alone.  There's a universal theme that the angels are there for us.  Emotions of love, sorrow, freedom, peace and joy are transferred onto canvas.

How do you feel that situations in your life contributed to your work? Was it a process of everything in your life leading up to your art being created or individual situations causing your art to be creating as an evolutionary process over time?

Situations in my life have allowed me to feel deep empathy.  I've overcome much adversity.  The loss of 3 babies in one year at the age of 19;  aged 3 months called Tammy and 2 miscarriages brought inner turmoil and higher insight into my spiritual life.  I meditate and focus on eternal life.  Therefore I have come to realize that angels are dedicated to those who suffer.  Loss and grief is something we all inevitably will have to endure.

On reflection, I believe there were many events that led me to this calling.  Some do appear in the pictures unintentionally.  So it's therapeutic.  I cry after many of them as a surge of emotions are released.

A combination of life experiences and working in mental health allowed me to understand human suffering.  Healing is something we all need at some  point.  It can be delivered in many ways.  I have dreams where angels appear and guide me;  also messages from spirit as I paint or connect with other energies.

The art is my way of contributing to help lift hearts and to shine light into others' lives.  People often share stories with me of their own situations which can lead me to subconsciously paint an event that transpired in their past, present and possibly future.  This brings them meaning and gratefulness.

 6.  How has your art affected you?  What do you wish to achieve with your art?

We can have low self esteem for many reasons at different times in our lives.  My esteem has grown as a result of creating my art.

I would love for anyone reading this article to ask yourself to believe that trusting in a higher power can lead to the manifestation of your dreams.  My life has changed as I'm doing what I love and receiving so much support and encouragement.  It gives me the will to continue and develop as an artist.  For this I'm truly grateful.

I'm also paying tribute with my art to my lost angels.  I'm reminding others that some things are unseen and a mystery but can be felt through imagery.  That departed loved ones may be ethereal angel beings living in majestic realms at peace.  Watching over those they hold dear.

It gives me the greatest pleasure to know that my beloved family, friends and art lovers will have something of my soul within these creations.

Where you can find Audrey:

https://twitter.com/AngelHealingArt

My colored pencil piece entitled Eternity

Here is my newest piece of art. It is made with colored pencils on paper and is entitled Eternity:

This piece is available on Fine Art America and Red Bubble (minus my name printed on it--that was done only for security reasons).  I wanted to create a piece of art that speaks about all humans as being part of the circle of life.   Nature, humanity and creation are all one big, beautiful piece of art.  One revolving system of love and light.  Here is my description as seen on Red Bubble and Fine Art America:

Eternity is around us and in us. Each of us makes up a piece of eternity and combined we are eternity alive. We are all filled with the same spirit and life essence plus we are gifted our own unique talents and abilities to share to make the world a better place. When we realize this truth, we will be living in heaven on earth.

This piece can be purchased in many different items including stationery, gift items, home decor and more.  I've included the links below in case you may find yourself interested in taking a peek!

Red Bubble:  http://www.redbubble.com/people/diamantelavenda/works/21711043-eternity-by-diamante-lavendar?p=greeting-card

Fine Art America:  http://fineartamerica.com/featured/eternity-diamante-lavendar.html

~Review: Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami~

Follow Yetunde as she narrates her mother's ode to her grandmother. It is the Yoruba praise poetry for a mother known as Oriki Iya

This is a short story dedicated to past, present and future mothers.

A perfect mother's day present

The book is mostly in English and any Yoruba words are translated, so everyone can enjoy the book fully.

My Review:  4 Stars!

This is a delightful tale told by baby Yetunde as her mother speaks to her about her grandmother. It is a tale in Yoruba praise poetry, a unique perspective of an interesting cultural story.  The tale expounds on the strength of a mother's love for her children, a truth which spans cultures and time.

This is a short book but an interesting read.  If you'd like to give a unique gift for Mother's Day, this would be an excellent one!

Where you can find Yetunde:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019Y93BL2/ref=nosim?tag=segilsalam-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yetunde-segilola-salami/1123187693?ean=2940152794342

Where you can find Segilola:

http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/

~Review: The Red Wraith by Nick Wisseman~

Magic awakens in Early America. The Red Wraith is born. On the eve of the Harvest Ceremony, Naysin, a child of the Lepane nation, manifests powers of a dual deity forever torn in two by light and darkness. Cast into exile by his clan for being a spawn of human and spirit, Naysin is lost in a world of change as pale men from the sea arrive to plunder the riches of the Earth. Guided only by the devious facets of his spirit father, Naysin has no choice but to master his powers to survive the destruction of his people.

And so the legend of the Red Wraith begins. For Naysin, it is a path of darkness and death that will take him from one end of the land to the other and down into the depths of infamy. The New World will know him as the indigenous monster who kills in the name of vengeance, but that’s not who he wants to be. And when he encounters a group of fellow magic-users, Naysin realizes he may yet have a chance to set everything right.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This book was written about a young Indian man named Naysin who was the offspring of human and spirit.  Having been branded and exiled from his people, Naysin was forced to strike out on his own and contend with the dueling powers inside himself as he searched for the meaning of his existence.  This was the story of Naysin's awakening to a higher calling and predestined life purpose.

The Red Wraith was a fantasy book with some history woven into it.  The writer expounded on the main character's plight and developed the story around his situation.  Therefore, it had huge doses of fiction and fantasy...which is a good thing because I love both!

If you are also a fantasy fanatic, this one's definitely for you!

Where you can find The Red Wraith:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wraith-Nick-Wisseman-ebook/dp/B013O6RQCG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461741168&sr=8-1&keywords=the+red+wraith

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-red-wraith-nick-wisseman/1123535405?ean=2940157718268

Where you can find Nick:

Website:  http://www.nickwisseman.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.wisseman

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/nickwisseman

Interview with Nick:

1.  Please tell me a little about your book and why you decided to write it.

The Red Wraith is a historical fantasy set in Early America. The protagonist is a Native American who becomes the focus for magic’s reentry into the world.

The original inspiration was just an image: several people climbing a steep hill, atop which waited a lone magician. (My first draft had this scene as the prologue, but during the editing process, the encounter was moved to a later point which made more sense in the story.)

When I started outlining, though, I realized I wanted to inject some historical elements—at the time, I was getting my Master’s in U.S. History and wading through a lot of academic texts. Charles Mann’s 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus was one of the most striking (and readable): it explores the true consequences of disease for Native Americans after Europeans arrived in the “New World.” Mann’s not alone in framing that impact in apocalyptic terms, but his account was the first to make me think about what it would have felt like from an indigenous perspective. (Side note: I don’t pretend to speak for Native Americans, past or present. But as an author, unless you only want to “write what you know”—which for me, would be white, Midwestern males, a.k.a. boring—you’ve got to project a bit. And as long as my characters are plausible, in that I can imagine at least one person realistically looking/thinking/acting like them given the conceits of my story, I’m okay with it.)

From there, I did some additional research, picked a real-life location for the steep hill (Monk’s Mound, a giant earthen pyramid near St. Louis and the impetus for some dumb luck I had when I was on an archaeological dig in college), and started writing.

2.  What do you hope to accomplish through the publishing of your story?

Primarily, I hope anyone who reads the book enjoys the time they invested in it. But it’d also be great if some readers found the historical elements interesting enough to investigate on their own.

3.  If you could meet one famous person, who would it be and why?

Oh, man—I bet pretty much everyone starts by answering this with “It’s hard to pick just one.” But let’s keep it topical and go with Jacqueline Carey. Her Kushiel’s Legacy series is a masterpiece of historical fantasy, and one of the main reasons I got into the genre.

4.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

I moonlight (daylight?) as a barn hand. My wife loves horses, so about six years back, we moved to rural Michigan and found a property with 11.5 acres. Now we have four horses and lots of farm chores. They get me away from my desk, though, and completing a manual task gives me a satisfaction I can’t get from typing up a digital document.

So overall, it’s pretty great

5.  What is your favorite food, color, place, activity?

Sushi, blue, Vancouver, and (assuming I’m not allowed to say writing) playing basketball.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Finish what you start. (It doesn’t always apply—sometimes you really do have to cut your losses. But if something’s still worth doing, then do it.)

~Review: Weeds In Nana's Garden by Kathryn Harrison~

A young girl and her Nana hold a special bond that blooms in the surroundings of Nana's magical garden. Then one day, the girl finds many weeds in the garden. She soon discovers that her beloved Nana has Alzheimer's Disease; an illness that affects an adult brain with tangles that get in the way of thoughts, kind of like how weeds get in the way of flowers. As time passes, the weeds grow thicker and her Nana declines, but the girl accepts the difficult changes with love, and learns to take-over as the magical garden's caregiver. Extending from the experience of caring for her mother, artist Kathryn Harrison has created this poignant story with rich illustrations to candidly explore dementia diseases, while demonstrating the power of love. It is a journey that will cultivate understanding and touch your heart.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a sweet, touching story about a young girl who loves her Nana very much.  Sadly, her Nana is affected by Alzheimer's and she slowly becomes sicker over the course of several years. This picture book speaks of how Alzheimer's changes a person and how it is painful for loved ones to watch the disease progress.  

Weeds In Nana's Garden has wonderful illustrations and a heartfelt story line.  The author has dedicated this book to support the Alzheimer Society of Canada.  The last pages are filled with questions about Alzheimer's as asked by children.  Answers are given in understandable terms.

This book is a visual delight as well as a touching story.  I highly recommend it to younger children and their parents as a way to explain the disease known as Alzheimer's.

Where you can find Weeds In Nana's Garden:

http://weedsinnanasgarden.com

http://www.amazon.com/Weeds-Nanas-Garden-Alzheimers-dementias/dp/0994946708/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460123405&sr=1-1&keywords=weeds+in+nana%27s+garden

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weeds-in-nanas-garden-kathryn-harrison/1123572984?ean=9780994946706

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/weeds-in-nanas-garden-a/9780994946706-item.html?ikwid=weeds+in+nana%27s+garden&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

Where you can find Kathryn:

https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.harrison.338

https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.harrison.art/

https://www.pinterest.com/flipturnpublish/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29662910-weeds-in-nana-s-garden