Monday, October 28, 2013

Change Is In The Air!

 
It is time to change things up! I will not be doing a blog for the next two months. Starting next year, I will be blogging on a monthly, not a weekly basis. This will give me more time for my writing, and hopefully give me better focus on blog topics.

May November and December find you all in good health, and good spirits!

Blessings,
Bonnie

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Facebook Apps - Part of Your Future?

 
Thanks to Dee Morrison (LAGirl13), the following article from Social Media Examiner crossed my path - 8 Facebook Apps To Enhance Your Facebook Page. Facebook and I have (somewhat) of an adversarial relationship, and I am not a techie in any sense of the work, so I wasn't sure about this. The one thing that I knew is that Dee provides links to articles with value, so whether I acted on the information, it would be advantageous to at least know what was out there, what was being offered.

Supposedly these little gems add "function and flair" to your Facebook pages. Some of the bling that we can add include storefronts, lead generation, and the ability to promote. That last one sparked my interest - as an author, I have books that I would love toget a better handle on promoting.

One of the first things that this article told me was that Facebook apps are also know as Facebook tabs, and that they appear under the cover photo. If the tab is going togo all the way across the cover photo, then it needs to be created within that width, to prevent the appearance of scroll bars on your tab.

It is also recommended that a custom tab cover photo be designed to draw attention tot he tab. The dimensions of the tab cover photo are 111 pixels wide by 74 pixels tall. 

Some tabs will not appear on mobile devices, There is also something called "like-gating", or "fan-gating". To tell you the truth, I don't understand this concept, but what happens is that when placed on a site, your Facebook content is kept hidden until someone clicks on the"like" button. Sneaky, eh! Perhaps not so, as it is used ot good advantage for contests, sweepstakes and the like.

I am not going to go into the eight specific apps - you can click on the link above and see exactly what tghe article has to say. If you are at all interested, it is time well spent! 

Interesting side note: if a page has more than four apps, click on the arrow on the right side of the cover photo's to have them all appear.

I felt that the article offered both pros and cons ...that it was balanced, and realistic. For anyone who uses Facebook for more than superficial chatting, it is worth reading.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without written permission from the author. 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

What Do You Want Your You Tube Video To Do For You?

 

Is doing a You Tube video a one time thing for you ... or do you have a plan? I have had a reason for putting up each of my videos ... but I made  he mistake of not connecting them ,,, of not branding myself on You Tube, if you will. So what can You Tube videos do for us, and how can we make best use of them?

First of all, I want to thank Mary Nale, the person behind 99% of my videos. She has great insight, great vision, and can make an awesome video  from just a few keywords and a general theme. If you are doing your own videos ... pat yourself on the back right now! If you are having someone else do them for you, take a moment out to send them thanks!

To make our You Tube videos work for us, we want them to be seen, we want people to connect to them, and we want people to subscribe, How do we do that? As with the written word, we want to provide valuable content ... content that people want and need. Content that they will share. Word of mouth is a tremendous asset in marketing, and in building up a following.

We want our content to be relevant, to appeal to the people that we want as clients/customers/readers. There are all kinds of videos that can be done, from those that talk about your services, to a tutorial on how something can be done (I love tutorials!), to information on a specific product. For authors, our product is our books. 

Something that I did not realize is that we can feature a video at the top of our You Tube channel when non-subscribers visit. I am going to have to look at that, and see which of my videos is something that I want so show there. Or ... I may do a video that defines me, and my work. I am going to need Mary's expertise with that one!

Doing a video that includes stats lets people know where you stand, and that you are doing your research. Numbers mean a lot to me ... I am sure that they do to others also. You could also share a video that gives feedback on your product. For writers, we could do videos that focus on feedback from our reade s. Or do a tutorial ... for writers that might include tutorials on outlining a book, developing characters, or the dreaded editing phase!

Guess what else we can do with videos! We can embed them in our blogs, or on our sites. A whole new world is opening up here!

Take a look at one of the videos that Mary Nale did for me: "Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti". You can contact Mary about her video work at marynale@attunemagazine.com.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue prohibited without the written permission of the author.







Thursday, October 10, 2013

Kungphoo.com

 
I have been following the blog for kungphoo.com on Google +. Excellent blogs, including the one today entitled "Homey Don't Play That!" It was this blog that made me decide to make this site the topic of my author's blog today. No, this is not a writing site. It is a site where you can market your product by joining different circles (buying, selling, and information are the three headers for the community of circles). They market themselves as a site that brings people together. Through their "circles" concept, you can target your interest,whether you are buying, selling, or gathering information.

With kungphoo.com a user can join a circle, create a circle, and share a circle. It is free to create a circle, and you can speak directly to anyone within the circle. This site can be used by individuals or businesses, to promote and grow whatever they are interested in. This is a free advertising and promotional platform. To become active within the site, you can either register for free, or sign in with Facebook. You can join a circle or leave a circle at any time.

The blogs are quite interesting, and talk about what the site has to offer. I just glanced through the FAQ, and it seems to hit the questions that I might want to ask.  The site is evolving, so I am sure that the FAQ will also. There is also a feature called "stir the pot". When you have a circle, and you are not getting the results that you want or need, Kung Phoo will get involved, and "stir the pot". Very col!

The current Hot Circles include: Free Women In Business Mentoring, Facebook Like Exchange - Free Advertising,Business Pinterest Follower Exchange, Free Friends For Life, Work From Home, Free Advertising Program, and Twitter Follower Exchange.

I was going to sign up through Facebook, but too much information would have been shared: public profile, friend lust, e-mail address and news feed. So, I did the free sign up. Basic information required - name, e-mail addy, user name, and password. I am now a member! I checked out a few keywords for circles, and it is clear that this site is in the beginning stages. This is a good thing! We can grow with it!

I think that I am going to have fun here! You may want to check this out ... you can have fun too! Especially if you want to promote your work!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Twitter Founder Ev Williams On Getting Rich Online


This blog is my personal commentary on Twitter Founder Ev Williams comments at the recent XOXO conference in Portland, OR. (All these conferences ... so little time! ;-) ) If you want to see what Ev had to saw, check out this article on Wired.

So, as authors, why do we need to know about what the Internet can do for us? I am an Indie author, which means that I self-publish. Where I self-publish is on the Internet. (Yes, I could go through a local printer, store books in my garage, etc., but that really seems time consuming to me. I want to write books,not spend my time getting them in the market place and out to my readers.) Ev talks about getting rich online ... I perked up a bit at that!

Ev may have a few points to his credit - remember, he is the creative force behind both Twitter and Blogger. (No kick-backs are involved here. ;-) ) His secret - stay with something tried and true, so not attempt to be the next big change on the Internet, do not attempt to reinvent the wheel. I love that thought - find something that works, use it as a template ... only do it better! Writers have wonderful imaginations ... we can do this!

Ev sees the Internet as a problem solver ... people go to it to solve problems, and to give people what they want. As writers, we are giving our readers information, entertainment, and a way to feel good about themselves. No matter what genre we write in, each book, each story, each story line has a message to convey.

So how does Ev see the Internet as we know it today functioning? Through connections - through the follows, and likes, through multiple layers of people reaching out. Whatever we do on the Internet, and however we do it, it has to be convenient for those that we want to connect to us, and it has to be easy for people to understand and use. To quote Ev: "... the key to making a fortune online is to remove the extra steps from common activities", such as he did with Blogger.

It is up to us as writers to make the connection to our potential readership convenient, easy, and strong. However we connect, whatever social media sites we use,however we choose to publish our work, we can take out the unnecessary steps, streamline what we do, and make a comfortable living.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without the written permission of the author.  

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Common Mistakes When Marketing Your Book

 
Marketing is never an easy task ... at least, not for me. Now I find out there are mistakes that we can make when posting on social media sites. that can shoot us in the foot! Who knew! I feel like I just went down the rabbit hole with posting!

The whole premise of posting on social media sites is to engage people, get them to read your material, and keep them wanting more. Generally this is done in a gentle way. The first thing not to do is to push people to buy your book. For heaven's sake - tell them what it is ab out, tell them why they want to read it, and allow them to make the choice! just a hint here - try and avoid the phrase "Buy my book", in all of its various incarnations! Put a book page on your site where people can get information on your books. I do a separate page for each of my books ... for me, that works out best.

Avoid using phrases like "You will love my book!", or "I hope you'll read my book!" You are weakening your position here, IMHO. Allow the prospective reader to decide whether they want to read your book, and whether they like it or not. 

If you are posting a link to your book, give it an intro. Do you click on links that you have no clue about? I sure don't!

Write your post for the site you are posting it on. Facebook, Google +, and Linkedin can safely take the same text and make sensed of it. With Twitter, you have to be a bit more creative. Another hint ... something that is worded for Twitter is going to look close to irrelevant  on the other social media sites. Saving time is a good thing ... looking bad isn't!

Watch the url's that you are posting.  If your prospective readers are from the UK, list the Amazon UK link. If they are from the US, list the US link. If you have prospective readers from both countries, list both links. This is a courtesy to your readers.

Map out a schedule for your posts, and say something different each time. Your book has more than one thing to say, certainly! Don't bore people, or turn them off.

Think before you post!

(c) 2000- 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without the written permission of the author.



Thursday, September 19, 2013

Is It Time For You To Set Some Boundaries?

 
Autumn is one of my favorite times of year. It is also a time when life seems to start picking up, after the slowness of the summer. As writers, we are looking at fitting Halloween, the football season, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and the other December religious holidays. Shopping, baking, sending out cards. All of which takes up our time, and involves interacting with other people. At this time, setting boundaries sounds like a really good thing!

Suddenly we have a multitude of obligations, totally aside from our obligations to our writing. Right about now is when we need to learn to say now, in a manner that is gracious but firm, and saves  face for everyone. It is time to reinforce old boundaries, and set new ones. If you are saying ye to things, then resenting the time and energy spent, boundaries are something that you need to think about. 

The boundaries that you are about to set may be with friends and family, with publishers, editors, individuals that you are working on projects with, or spouses/partners. A good thing to do is to write out what you expect of yourself, and what the deadlines are. Include both personal and business obligations. List them in order of importance. If your list is overwhelming, and you know already that you won't be able to accomplish everything on it, then look at what you can delegate to others ,,, or simply not do. 

Become self-aware. Acknowledge when you are uncomfortable with something, or someone. Ask yourself why that is. Ask yourself what you need to do about that. Look at the image at the head of this article. Note where you wants/needs are, where the wants/needs of the other person or issue are, and where the boundary needs to be for you to be comfortable.

Find the best way for you to set your boundaries with others. Find support - someone that you can talk to before, during, and after the process of setting a boundary. Do not carry strong emotions into the conversation about setting boundaries. Remain calm. If you find yourself getting angry or upset, take a short time out, or continue the conversation at another time. Phrase things in a direct, concise manner. Be clear, not vague. You are the one setting the boundary - there is no need to defend yourself, or to debate the need for a boundary. This is your decision, it involves your life, and this is what you are doing. Do not allow the other person to side-track you. If someone is is trying to resist you, calmly restate your request. Do this as many times as you need to. Be prepared to do exactly what you said you would do if the other person did not respect your boundary. If you waver, or give in, they will not respect you, or your needs. 

Learn to set boundaries within yourself. Avoiding confrontation is not going to do you or anyone else any good. You may actually end up building resentment within yourself. When you feel uncomfortable in a relationship, look at the following: Where is the truth in the relationship? How much of what is making you uncomfortable actually belongs to the other person/people? What can you do or say to regain a sense of personal power with this person, or these people? 

Be prepared to experience a certain amount of guilt over having to establish boundaries. There is a good chance that other people may not want to be accountable for their words/actions, that they will not see the need for boundaries, or that at first they will not honor the boundaries. Acknowledge that you are making a lifestyle change, and that you will have to be making some tough choices. Allow taking care of yourself to become a priority. Know that you are not alone in this, that as a writer (which tends to be a very solitary occupation) you are one of many that are facing the issue of setting boundaries. 

A bit of self-promotion here. Aside from setting boundaries, take a look at the very real things you can do to survive the holidays: Surviving The Holidays.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without written permission of the author.  

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Does Your To Do List Work For You?

 
I live and die by my "to do" list! I cannot imagine being without one ... mine runs seven days a week. I list the things that I need to do each day, in the order in which they can most easily be accomplished. I keep it in a spiral bound diary that sits right by my computer. I am thinking about keeping my iPhone by my computer too, as I use the apps quite often. If this works out, I could use the notes function, or the reminder function for my list. Or I may see what kind of apps they have out there for this. 

Why is this list so important? Because, like most people, I am doing things in my life that are not related to any other part of my life. I might have a tele-class here, a webinar there, reviews to be done from multiple sources, blogs to get out, and projects to be worked on ... including my personal writing. I take my mother to her appointments, her dog to the groomer ... all of life's little things run on schedules of their own. 

To do lists come in many forms - electronic file, hand written (Day Timer, Calendar, three ring binder), or as part of a calender function (such as the Google calendar). We can color code our list (one for work, one for this project, one for that project, one for home, one for personal ... the list is endless), use post it reminders ... anything and everything that we can think of to remind us on what we need to get done, and when we need to get it done. 

I put my list together by time of day (business calls can only be done during business hours), and the priority for the task. If something doesn't get done (which is rare), I don't necessarily push it into the next day. I look at my entire week to see where it best fits in. I also try to make my list sensible ... in other words, a list that I can actually accomplish. If there are too many "have to get done" things, and they all do "have to get done", I start looking at those that really don't have to get done (at least don't have to get done right away). I try to  make my list realistic. That doesn't always work ... there are days when I feel like I work 25 hours a day, and still things are left undone. I am working on that! ;-)

To be effective, list your to do items as action steps - i.e. "Call to reschedule appointment", as opposed to "call so and so", or "X's office". Deal with one item at a t ime. I love crossing off items, and will sometimes do an item out of sequence, if I know that it won't take me very long. The feeling of crossing it off my list is worth it!

We all have days when our to do lists are out there making to do lists! Take a short time out, relax, then go back to your list with renewed energy. You are in charge of the list, the list is not in charge of you!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue prohibited without written permission of the author.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Confidence Versus Arrogance - Which Will Help You Achieve Your Goals?

 
As writers, we move through a lot of uncharted territory. We need to be confident within ourselves to do that. When does self-confidence morph into arrogance ... and why do we need to be aware of this? A self-confident individual has the courage and determination to take educated risks, but they are also grounded in the present, so that they don't fly off into the ethers to accomplish their goals. They are aware of the people around them, and are willing to help someone else achieve their dream, so they can achieve theirs. 

Self-confidence edges into arrogance when we begin to think that we can do anything that we want, do it our way, and be successful. We tend at this point to have blinders on, to not see what is right in front of us, and to trip over our own feet (or our own mistakes). In dreaming our Big Dream we can mistakenly  see illusion as reality, and build our house of cards on a very shaky foundation.

It is much easier to work with other people (whether they be beta readers, editors, publishers, or other writers) when they can see that we bring reality to the table, and when they feel they will be treated fairly. Arrogant people do not listen to anyone's opinion but their own, which means that they pay no attention to feedback. Someone who is confident, but not overly confident, will pay more attention to the feedback of others, want to improve themselves, and is really motivated to achieve their goals. 

To develop self-confidence as writers, we need to know who we are, what our unique voice is. We need to understand our goals, and have a plan for achieving them. It is also probably a good idea to surround ourselves with confident, successful people. Pay attention to who we are interacting with, and how we are interacting with them. In a word - treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. 

We need to persist in trying to achieve our goals. This takes thought and common sense, and the cooperation of others. Arrogance will get us nowhere ... self-confidence will!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue prohibited without the written consent of the author.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Instagram Marketing


I personally do not use Instagram, for marketing or for anything else. However, I have seen a couple of articles being tossed around about Instagram and marketing, so I decided to look into it. A few of the things that I saw being stressed were that it was mobile, and that it was a way to communicate directly with potential customers. When people get to know us one on one, it helps to build both credibility and trust.

The app is for both iPhones and Androids, and allows you to share both photos and videos with your target market. I am not a photo person, although I do use them with my blogs to break up the text and create interest. I do the same thing with my review work - to show as many pics as I can to generate interest in what I am reviewing. 

Pinterest operates on somewhat the same concept, and is also a site that I have no interest in using. Instagram, because it uses both photos and videos, is better able to take your information and form a story with and from it. Both Instagram and Pinterest give the user the ability to "like" a photo or video. (Note: Pinterest supports You Tube, Vimeo, and TED videos.) People are able to find you, and follow you, on Instagram through the use of hashtags. 

Through the use of images and hashtags, you can develop a visual strategy for attracting prospective clients/customers. You can also place a link to your site along with the hashtag. While I am not using this technique right now, I think that it could be used by people like me - writer's that are publishing their books independently.  

Instagram allows sharing of images through Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Tumblr, or e-mail. You can also interface with Instagram through your desktop, which also allows you to access Statigram, which analyses all of your Instagram data. 

I am still in the consideration phase on this, but I may be able to develop strategy using Instagram that would beat something else that I am considering, which is placing videos on my blogs. It is a brave new world!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without the written permission of the author.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Video Rockstar University


I recently offered a class through Attune Radio (Attune Radio) on reviewing (In The Classroom - How To Write A Review). In the process of discussing writing reviews, the subject of video reviews came up. One of the ladies in the chat room (Chanah Liora Wienberg) recommended a site that teaches how to do videos - Video Rockstar University. Chanah is a teacher herself, and someone that I admire greatly, so I had to check the site out!

It is a fantastic site ... and it offers free training on making videos (based on the "7 Steps To Video Rockstardom")! Yes, I did sign up for the training, and it was well worth the effort! You don't just learn how to make videos here ... you learn how to make a video that will draw in crowds! Here I am thinking past video reviews ... I am thinking videos for my site, for the books that I have out, and for my blogs.

The site owner/trainer is Share Ross - what a dynamic lady! Check out her introductory video, and see what she has to offer. In her training, some of the areas that she addresses are where to position the camera, video lighting (one tip - don't have light coming from behind you, because your face will be in shadows), and hair and make-up.. There are bonus videos and more! Once you sign up for the free video training, you have access to other resources on her site (ShareRoss.com). The articles up currently address Facebook Video Help and iMovie Tips.

Ross has several different programs that she uses to help individuals work with videos. You can do the free training and call it good, or you can decide to take another step or two. See what you think!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of hte author.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Google + & Search Engine Optimization


What exactly is search engine optimization (SEO)? And where does Google + come into this? We know that we want to be found on the Internet. If our readers can find us, and get to know us, they might even buy our books! Bottom line - SEO is a process that enables search engines to find us, index our website, and rank it on the search engine result pages. 

When we are setting up our sites, and site pages, we have to pay attention to things like page titles, subtitles, and keywords. One of the benchmarks that Google uses to rank a page is the number of links from other sites.  To do us any good, these links have to be quality links. Google + is a new player here ... and an important one.

Google collects user data from Google + the same as other sites, such as Facebook, collect from  their users. I think we are all fairly conversant with this concept ... although we don't always appreciate it. Google + gets information from user profiles, comments on posts, user sharing, and +1'ing. We may not like this, but it does give the Google search engine greater accuracy. Sites are ranked as to how they fit in with the information that Google + gathers.  

Google + can help us as authors to brand ourselves, including Google + authorship. (This is something that I did as soon as I found out about it/ You can find out more about Google + authorship here - Google + Authorship.)

Links that are in Google + profiles are added with something termed "do follow", which means that they are treated as web pages, which allows for increased visibility and page ranking. 

I may not understand SEO or Google + as well as I should, but I was there close to the beginning, an have been able to grow my understanding as Google + grew. This is something that we all need to pay attention to.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without the written permission of the author,  


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Video Blogging

 
No, I am not going to start video blogging any time soon! I thought it might be fun to look into, though. The first thing that I saw when I was searching for an image to use for this blog was that there has been a Video Blog Week as far back as 2009! Where the heck have I been!  

When a non-techie like me thinks of video blogging, I am thinking of using the camera on my laptop, or perhaps have someone tape me using my hand held camera (it does both stills and video). It appears I am a bit out of the loop! There is another option, called Google + Hangouts On Air! I have been to a couple of Google Hangouts (but never hosted one), so I know the basics - you can host up to ten people, and do all kinds of neat things. Until today, I had never heard of Google + Hangouts On Air. What exactly is this new little person?

Google + Hangouts On Air are live broadcasts, with Google handling all of the tricky technical stuff. (Or so they say!) How do you access them? Sign on to Google +, and click on Hangouts On Air (on the left hand side of the screen). A new screen will open. If you have not already downloaded the Hangout Plugin, you will need to do that. (It is free.) 

The next step is to connect Hangouts On Air to your You Tube account. If you don't already have a You Tube account, it only takes second to create one. To connect the Google + Hangout On Air with your You Tube account, there are two steps, The first step is to verify the account by phone (you have to give them your phone number). You will be sent a verification code from Goggle. The second step is to input your code and click verify.

The next step is to name your Hangout On Air. Since this is a video blog, the name should be catchy, the same as for a written blog post. Leave the space where you can invite people blank. Next you click "Start Hangout On Air" (which does NOT actually start the recording. ;-) )

Read the Terms of Service, agree to them, and you can start recording! Note: Before you start recording, make sue that the lighting is good. Back lighting will leave your face in shadow, so you don't want  to do this. Turn around and look at the area behind you, This is what your viewers will see. Make sure that it is appropriate - not cluttered, and not too "busy". A little thought here will go a long way!

I am going to think on this ... you may see a vlog (video blog) in the future ... the distant future! In the meantime  ... have fun with this!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in allvenues without the written permission of the author.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Good Book Reviewers - A Scarce Commodity!


As a self-published author, getting your book up in print is only part of the game. There is also promoting the book, so that you actually get some sales. The part of promoting your book that I am going to address today is one part of the process, and that is getting people to review your books. It is not as easy as it looks.

The first thing that you want to do is check the Internet and see who is reviewing in your genre, and who seems to be doing a reasonable job of it. I don’t care if all of my reviews are lovely and positive … I want a breadth of reviews that are honest and show differing viewpoints. This gives my target audience something to help them make an informed decision on whether they want to buy my book or not. Some places to find potential reviewers are:


You can also query for potential reviewers on the social media sites – Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. You can also check out the Good Reads site - http://www.goodreads.com/. Things to look for are the reviewers name, their contact information, and where they post their reviews.

You also want to think about whether you want to start getting reviews before your book is out, or whether you want to wait until after it is out. If you do both, you have a chance to put short blurbs either in your book, or on the back cover. Query potential reviews about whether they are willing to do pre-publication reviews, and whether they will do a digital review (which is cheaper than sending them a print book). If you are submitting to a site, read their review guidelines. Also, ask potential reviewers their timeline on getting reviews up.

One tactic that I have tried, with minimal success, is putting a Kindle book up free for a set number of days, indicating that you would like them to review the book if the choose to download it.  

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in any venue without the written permissionof theauthor.


Friday, July 26, 2013

Review - Self Publishing Books 101

 


Self Publishing Books 101
Helping You Get Published And Noticed!

Author: Shelley Hitz
Self-published
ISBN #978-1-47510459-2

Shelly Hitz is a self-published author, and founder of www.Self-Publishing-Coach.com. She writes and teaches from her own personal experience. While one might say that a small book like this (48 pages) is simply a come-on to go visit her site, that is not a bad thing. This book is filled with usable information, and Shelley’s site is filled with free resources to help individuals (1) get published, and (2) get noticed! These resources take the form of book templates, articles, a newsletter, tele-classes, special reports, e-books, webinars, podcasts, videos and more.

Whether writing or speaking, Shelley has a style that is clear, concise, and that one can easily relate to. She writes and speaks with a purpose, from her own experience. She doesn’t wander aimlessly around. How do I know this? Because I am self-published also … I have taken the same journey that Shelley took into researching self-publishing. In the end, we made the same choices: Create Space for POD books, and Kindle for e-books.    

In a few short pages, Shelley cover a myriad of publication details: what self publishing is all about, prospective costs (and the questions we need to ask ourselves), cover design, software options, self-publishing companies and what they offer, Create Space and what it offers, background on obtaining and ISBN # (and what an ISBN # really is and does for a book), and obtaining a copyright (this is an option, not a necessity).

The information is clear, and offers the reader options. At the end of the book there is a listing of other resources available through Shelley and her site. My advice – this book is a great starter, then head on over to her site! There is no excuse for not getting your material out there!

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in any venue without the written permission of the author.



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Woodstreamwriters.com

 
As writers, we look for very specialized help. I recently met an individual that offers many of these services. I met her in her capacity as a writer, but her chops as a mentor to writers are astounding! Her name is Jamie Morris, and her site is Woodstreamwriters.com. What does she offer? 

In a word - support. Support for writers. She offers support to writers of all levels of experience,  through writing workshops, intermediate/advanced critique groups, weekend writing intensives, and specialized presentations on the craft and process of writing. Jamie offers creative inspiration for writers that is grounded in the principles of the craft.

She offers individualized support, through coaching, editing, and literary critique services. Her aim is to help you move your project forward, and to help provide direction and insight. On her site you will find a listing of AWA (Amherst Writers and Artists) workshops, book writer's workshops (great for those with a WIP), book writer's critique group, and more.

Jamie also offers a newsletter that you can sign up  for on her site, along with a multitude of testimonials, and a clear vision of her credentials and coaching style.

 If you are looking for help in any of the above areas, check Jamie out. She is easy to talk to, highly creative, and wants to see those around her succeed!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any cenue prohibited without written permission of the author.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Patricia Kelly Designs

 
This week I am going to be talking about quite an interesting lady that I met on Facebook. Her name is Patricia Kelly, and she is a graphic designer. This is a good lady for any author to know! As we all find out sooner or later, we are the ones who have to promote our own work (especially those of us that are Indies). Aside from editors, proof readers, and beta readers, we need people in out network that can help us with the visuals for promoting our work. (I am most definitely NOT artistic in any way, shape, or form!

Patricia is based in Palm Beach, Florida. She is a graphic artist, production assistant, and does photo retouching.  She has experience in ad layout and design, and has strong skills in Adobe Photoshop. She also works with press releases ... that could very well come in handy for an author! Patricia works with both Mac and PC. 

There is quite an interesting portfolio of her work up on her site. Wherever you are in your WIP, at some point you have to think about promotion. It might be a good idea to keep this lady in mind!

More information can be found on Patricia Kelly's site. Those who know me will understand why her landing page brings a smile to my face!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue is prohibited without written permission from the author.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Outline For A Mystery Novel


I tend to work from outlines, even with my fiction writing. It flows, but I need to have some kind of foundation to get a grip on what I am writing, In the first chapter I look at introducing the main character, and setting the tone for the story – I am working on a mystery, so I set the plot for the mystery itself, and what needs to be solved. The time and place of the mystery itself needs to be clearly set. This can get tricky, because often a mystery that occurs in the present is based on actions in the past.

In the second chapter, I start setting out clues … some of which may be real, some of which may be false. There needs to be a few twists and turns in this story, after all! Secondary characters may also start appearing as soon as the second chapter. A little “back story” on my characters – I do a complete identity sketch on each of my characters: their name, where they are from, what their physical characteristics are, what they do for a living, where they live, what they wear, what their beliefs are, what their goals are. This helps me to keep things straight, and to keep each character and their relationship with the other characters authentic.

In the third chapter I want my characters to start following leads. To start trying to solve the mystery. Odd facts start popping up, some leads end up nowhere, other leads bring out information that sheds new light on people and events. This is the chapter that I introduce a sub-plot … something for the reader to follow that has nothing to do with the mystery being solved. The sub-plot for me has to be two things: interesting and relevant.

In the fourth chapter the plot thickens! Clues start coming together, and suspects start revealing themselves. Clues may disappear, or people may disappear. Suddenly there is more of a sense of urgency to get this mystery solved, before something else happens, or someone else gets hurt.

In the fifth chapter evidence that is coming out of the investigation starts to point at a specific suspect, or group of suspects. A solution begins to reveal itself … although this may not be the right solution, or at least not the complete solution.

In the sixth chapter the sub-plot takes precedence. This generally has to do with the main character, and addresses what makes them tick, what drives them, that little something in their own background that has them taking the actions that they have taken.

In the seventh chapter  things start to get a nit sticky. Hidden motives, and hidden relationships start to reveal themselves.

In the eighth chapter the main character in some way reveals the results of their investigation. I try to put things together in a way that makes sense, but that does not reveal the solution to the mystery.

In the ninth chapter my main character is going over their actions, the clues that they have revealed, and the information they have gathered. Basically, they are looking to see what they may have missed. At this point, I will bring out critical evidence that has somehow been missed up until now.

In the tenth chapter I bring things together, and the mystery is solved. I love dramatic resolution, and I love justice for all!

This is my basic outline for mystery writing. Things can be adjusted, more chapters can be added, but the basic ingredients need to be there: there needs to be a crime, the crime needs to be investigated,  there has to be tension and drama, and my primary character needs to be deeply involved.

Here’s to a good mystery!

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited in any venue without the written permission of the author.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Holiday Promotions


Barely into July, and I am already thinking about promoting my work for the holidays! Not really all that unusual ... I have to decide how I am going to promote, where I am going to promote, and then find out how much it is going to cost. And I want the promotion to start soon after the beginning of November, so that people have the time to order my books, get them, then send them out as presents. 

I am going to be doing half-page ads in  the October edition of Attune Magazine, a quarterly devoted to personal growth, poetry, and metaphysical themes. I am also going to be doing videos for my site pages and to pout up on You Tube. Okay ... I am not going to do them myself, I am going to have them done by Mary Nale, the founder/editor for Attune Magazine.

Here is a link to an awesome video that Mary did for co-author Brad Tesh and my self for our book  "Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti". If you want to see more of Mary's portfolio, click here.

I will also be promoting through my Twitter, Facebook, and Google + accounts. If I get terribly brave, I might even chance trying to set up a Google + Hangout! That is still in the "iffy" stages! ;-)

And yes, I still have to WIP's ongoing: an e-book on decision making, and another e-book ... the first in what I hope will be a series of mysteries. I am looking at an issue here, though. I want to self-publish, and Create Space wants bucks per page after an author hits the 110 page mark. That will one heck of a short mystery! ;-) Do it in parts, perhaps? ;-)

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Time Traveler

 
As a writer, on any given day I feel like I am traveling through time. Sometimes into the future, sometimes into the past, with brief stays in the present. Why is that? This is what a writer's life looks like:

1. Your day begins. Coffee cup in hand, you check your daily calendar to see what needs to be done. If you are like me, your personal and professional "to do" list goes on the same page.

2. You check your e-mail, and respond to whatever needs a response.

3. You get a few small tasks done.

4. You get out any promotion that you need to get done.

5. You get your blogs out there. I have several blogs ... I schedule one a day to be written, and I keep them short.

6. You start on any research that you need to do. 

7. There is almost always a review to get out, or an "emergency/unexpected project" to be hammered out.

8. Time for more coffee ... and probably lunch.

9. Put some quality time into my WIP.

10. Go do my "day job" (which for me is an evening/night job).   

Somehow, this never gets old. Right now, along with most people, I am looking at options for replacing my RSS feed, as Google Reader is non-existent as of July 1st. I do have it switched to another reader, but I am seriously considering doing e-mail notifications only. G-mail recently gifted me with "categories" (determined by them!), which is probably something that I should have done anyway. So I can put the blogs that I follow into a specific category. 

I also need to put more time into learning Dragon Speak. Once I have that figured out, it will save me some time. i wonder if they have audio for that that I can run while I am sleeping? There are only 24 hours to a day (last time I looked, anyway).

I need to move my reviews to a thumb drive, to make space on my laptop.I also need to move downloads that I haven't had the time to read, some music, and who knows what else. I need to go through my downloads and delete items no longer needed, and through my docs to delete items relating to a business program that I recently decided to leave. 

Then there is the mystery that I am currently reading for relaxation ... I always have one of those going. This is how I am able to leave the day behind and get some sleep.

What can I say ... it's all good!

(c) 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue prohibited without the written permission of the author. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Where Did the Time Go?

 
Where does the time go? As authors, we like to think that we are in charge of our own time. That is seldom true, unless we publish independently. Even then we have deadlines ... self imposed deadlines that help us to stay professional, and not wander into the twilight zone of writing.

There are so many things that can claim the time of a writer. It is up to us to decide what is important, what is not, and where we want our time and focus to go. Social media is a very gray area ... how much  is going to bring us in readers/followers, and how much is overkill (or underkill, if we don't do it right)? How many pages do we need on Facebook? How many Twitter accounts do we need? How often should we tweet, and what should be say? Do we schedule our tweets to go out, or do we just send them out spontaneously? Do we play the #FF game? (I did, at first, and then dropped it.) 

Do we send out newsletters? Do our newsletters actually say anything? Are the newsletters converting into sales? How often do we publish a newsletter? How are we getting e-mail addresses for our newsletter? We need to do this in a manner that we reach people who are interested in our work, and will open the darn newsletter and read it! How often do we publish a book? Do we really need to publish more than one book a year? We are generally writing one book, promoting another book, and outlining a third book anyway. How thin can we stretch ourselves? 

Do we really need to go on blog tours? I mean, really! We write a guest post to fit into someone else's site. We keep track of the post, and respond to any comments made. Our face is put into focus for new readers, but how many are really going to convert into fans? Are we going to sell more books? Is this a good use of our time? For me, I have decided that no, it is not.

We don't need a ton of Twitter, Google + or Facebook followers. What we need are a few good followers that interact with us, like our material, and buy our books. It doesn't matter how many people "like" you  Facebook page. Look at how many of them are commenting on your posts, at how many of them are engaging with you. 

Blogging and blog hopping. I have several blogs on different topics. I send out one blog a week ... unless there is something that I really feel that I need to write about. 

What does this all boil down to? Whatever you do, do it with intent and purpose. If it doesn't look like it is working, and you have tried tweaking it ... let it go!

Take charge of your time!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

First Chapters

 
I have spent a fair amount of time lately thinking about entering a writing contest ... a specific writing contest. In the end, I decided not to. This lead me to thinking about taking my mystery novel out, sharpening my pencils (or learning to work with Dragon Speak!)  and getting a first draft written. For me, the first chapter can be a difficult one. What do I need it to do? Introduce my main character, for one thing. Establish my "voice" for another. My voice for my fiction writing will be a bit different than my voice for other writing that I do. Or perhaps not ... perhaps I am always me.

In my mind, I need to make the main character a strong one ... one that readers will identify with, and that I feel comfortable with. Rather like the person that I would want to be. I want my readers to be drawn into this person's world, to want to walk with her, to want to finish the story! I want to show my character's strengths, and perhaps hint at what her weaknesses might be.

The first chapter is also where I set the tone for the story,where my readers decide if they want to read the rest of the book. Am I going to be uber serious? Am I going to inject a bit (but not too much!) humor? Is there a lot of blood and gore to follow? And by the way ... what is the theme? Perhaps I should sneak that into the first chapter too! Is it romance? Is it theft? Is it family secrets? Is it cyberspace? Is it addictions? Fess up ... let the reader know!

I know exactly where my mystery is going to take place ... in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is important to me as a reader to know what country, and what part of that country, a story that I am reading is taking place in. I will give my readers that same courtesy ... to know where the story is taking place. And the places will change, as I have great hopes on making this a mystery series.

The bad guy (antagonist) will need to show up in my first chapter too ... or at least a hint of who they are, why they are in that position (perhaps a bit of back story), and what the tension is between my main character and the antagonist. Hint ... the antagonist does not need to be all bad (none of us are all good or all bad).

Lots of stuff that I am finding out needs to be in my first chapter! That's okay - I am ready. I have my outline, and I have my characters sketched out in profiles. Who they are, where they live, what they do for a living, where they went to school, what their preferences and dislikes are. It's all written out! To be honest, I did that for reference for myself, so that I can keep my characters straight!

One least thought,  that doesn't belong in this article, but is too good to keep quiet about! When you take out a phrase, or even a whole section, or chapter (this is called editing), don't throw it away. Keep it ... you may be able to use some of it in later chapters, or even in other books or articles. Waste not, want not!   

(c) 2000-2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited in all  venues without written permission from the author.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My Own Little World


I recently wrote about finding out that Amazon.com had discounted the price on the book that I co-authored with Brad Tesh. Neither of us were happy about that, but we were assured by Create Space that we would be paid royalties according to the price that we had set for the book. That calmed us down a bit. A few days later I saw that a newly released book that I have out from a traditional publishing company (Schiffer Publishing) had been discounted, Deja vu all over again! Prices on any and all products can change from minute to minute ... and this is not just an Amazon quirk. What is this world coming to!

Now I am in a quandary about where I want to publish (and retain maximum control over my work). I am seriously thinking doing print books with a local printer, and selling both the print books and the e-book version from my site. I don't know if an e-book version from my site is possible ... I will have to look into that. n the end, I may stay with Kindle and Create Space. But I don't feel that I have total control over my work, not do I feel that I am adequately compensated. This my world ... I am a writer. There has to be a way to make this work.

Here's a fun link on marketing testing - AB Testing. If you site is an e-commerce site, you might want to read this.

From SmashingMagazine - 50 free resources to help improve your writing - 50 Free Resources.   

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Use of this material in any venue prohibited without the written permission of the author.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Amazon Pricing


Almost every day I am learning how naive I really am when it come to self-publishing. I came across this article on Amazon changing the pricing on self-published e-books, and was astounded. Essentially an author had discounted prices for the holidays, then brought them back up again after the first of the year. One of the venues that they published in was a tad slow in marking the price back up. Amazon, which had put their price back up, saw this, and put the discount price back on their site. The author was never contacted about anything!

My co-author, Brad Tesh (Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti) recently let me know that the print copy of our book (just out in April!) had been discounted. Evidently Amazon can do this at will! We contacted Create Space, and were assured that royalties would be paid at the price we set when publishing the book. Again, no notification from Amazon - they just waved their magic wand!

I am very happy with both Create Space, Kindle, and Amazon for the most part. However, I do think that once an author sets a price that it should stay there, unless they choose to change it. 

There is a few nice pointers in this article on getting the best pricing at Amazon - Ten Secrets To Saving At Amazon.

The New York Times has an excellent article on pricing and gamesmanship.

Interesting thoughts on Amazon price watch trackers.

Something I never knew about - robo pricing!

Two links to dynamic pricing on Amazon - Price Pulsing, Dynamic Pricing.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction in any venue prohibited without the written permission fo the author.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Authors and Contests

 I just got done checking out the rules for a writing contest that I am considering entering. It is being sponsored by a high end fashion house, so to win would be a very nice mention in any writer's resume. But do I really want to enter? I thought the submission date was further away - it turns out it has to be in by the middle of June. And the legalese ... you would not believe it! There is quite a nice compensation for the winner(s), but is it worth it? All rights are signed away, they can use the work in any manner they wish to (including promoting their own line of products), and the author may be called upon to help with the promotions (no further compensation). If I do enter, it will be because they have thrown down what looks like a gauntlet to me. Good thing I do not see this as part of my writing career!

So why, as authors, do we enter writing contests? To me, each author has his or her own reason for entering a contest. As long as we are consciously aware of our reasons for entering a contest, we are still maintaining a presence in the land of reality. Here are a few reasons that an author might consider entering a contest:

1. For the money.
2. To get their name known.
3. To get their work seen.
4. To see how their work compares to that of their fellow authors.
5. The possibility of receiving feedback.
6. The possibility of connecting with an agent.
7. The prestige factor (who is sponsoring the contest).
8. Categories that fit the genre that the author generally writes in. (You will not see me entering a contest for romance writing!)
9. How easy it is to enter (are printed copies required, or can the entries be electronically submitted).
10. Is there a fee to enter? I will enter if the fee is small, but not if it seems out of tone with teh compensation to the winner(s). 
11. Contests can be used to help us "one up" our writing skills, as they are by nature competitions.

With the exception of the contest I am currently considering entering, the only venue that I will consider is mystery. Preferably if cozy mystery is one of the acceptable categories. I plan to do one or more a year, more for the fun of it, than to focus on winning.

How do you look at entering writing contests? Where do they fit into your professional agenda? What are you looking to get out of them?

Happy writing!

(c) 2000-2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.  

Monday, May 13, 2013

Miscellaneous Tidbits On Blogging

 
This post is a total ramble, so beware! I am just going to dredge  up a few thoughts on blogging, why author's should blog, and what might be helpful to new bloggers.

1. Make your blog pertinent to your genre. The purpose of your blog it to establish a platform for your work, and to get your name known. To do this, what you choose to write about should reflect the genre you are writing in, so that you are attracting an audience that will follow your work. If you write in more than one genre, as I do,  you have a bit more leeway.

2. Make your posts timely. If new software has come out that will have an effect on how you do your work, if there is news in the publishing industry that affects authors, then make the effort to blog about this, and share the link to your blog on all of your social networks. I share links on Facebook, Twitter, and Google + ... Linked In is still in the "maybe someday" stage, although I do belong to a couple of groups there.

3. If you allow comments on  your blog, then have the courtesy to respond to them. This provides a nice link between you and the individual who made the comment.  They will feel that they are getting to know you better. If you want to build your blog up, visit like-minded blogs, and leave constructive comments there.

4. Make sure that your header is appropriate to the content of your blog, and that it holds enough interest to make people click on it and read it.

5. Use tags, make sure that the tags are appropriate, and use as many tags as possible. This is how Google finds us!

6. Use links to spice up your blog.

7. Keep some kind of schedule to your blogging, so that people know when to look for fresh content.

8. Make sure that there is accurate content info on your blog. 

9. Is your blog all over the place, or is the "voice" consistent. That voice is part of your brand!

10. Treat your blog as a serious marketing tool.

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Use in any venue without the written permission of the author isprohibited.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Paying Attention To Life

 
So often we do not pay attention to life. This happened to me this past week, when I received a post from a friend who was at the end of her financial rope in continuing to keep open two well used and significant tools within the Tarot community - Attune Magazine (she is founder and editor), and Attune Magazine Radio on Blog Talk Radio. Aside from her time, it takes money to keep these venues going. I was appalled that I had not seen this situation coming, and immediately took what action I could take. I also placed a challenge out to the Tarot community, and this was their response - Thank You! I am very proud of the Tarot community, and its ability to step up. A small plug for Mary here - If you would like to place an article/interview/review/poetry/video/ad in Attune Magazine (this is a quarterly magazine, next issue due out in July), or if you would like to be interviewed on Mary's radio show, click  here -  Attune Magazine.

Speaking of gentle promoting - my friend Jennifer Sieck invited me to an event called the Fishbowl on Facebook. The event will be going on all weekend. All we do is introduce ourselves, and place a post and a link on the event page. Jennifer also suggested making up a free card at Vista Print to add some pizzazz to my posts, so I did that too! I get to read about other practitioners/counselors/artists, like their pages,and they in turn like mine! What a deal! And what a group of very nice people!

There are a couple of links that I would like to share with you. The first one is very close to my heart - Kindle Formatting. I have a couple of books in the world of Kindle, and wish that I had known this before I very haphazardly managed to get them  up! Future books will go up with much greater ease!

I dearly love the lady who wrote this post - although we have never met, and never spoken. She is so clear, and so organized - her work is a pleasure to read! Second Thoughts On Publishing Your Print Book.

What a year! My co-author Brad Tesh and I have been promoting our book, Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti on several Blog Talk radio shows (thank you to Mary Nale, Maggie Lukowski and Jean Maurie Puhlman, Melinda Carver, and Jennifer Sieck!), and even managed to get a page up on Facebook - Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti. Next up for me - promotingmy new Tarot book - Tarot, Rituals, and You.

One last link, for those of us that are self-publishing - Write and Promote Your Indie Book Quickly and Easily .

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet
Republication in any format prohibited without written permission from the author.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Wendy Stokes - A Force To Be Reckoned With!


The Internet is a wonderful way to meet some very incredible people. One of them (that I met through Facebook) is an awesome lady by the name of Wendy Stokes. Wendy lives in London, UK, and is administrator for an very eclectic blog entitled "MBS Circle Network". Her blog includes articles, reviews, interviews, extracts and videos about such diverse things as ecology, ethical business, spirituality and personal responsibility,  and community initiatives.

Some of the most recent entries include a review of the "Angels of Atlantis Oracle Cards", a review of the book "Elen of the Ways", a review of what looks to be a very good book on "Loneliness in Philosophy, Psychology, and Literature", an oracle reading for April, a review of the book "Living Shamanism", a review of the book "Immortal Yearnings", a review of the "Sacred Geometry" cards, a  video on "Adventures In Eco-Therapy" and much, much more! For anyone who loves to read, and loves to find diverse subjects presented in one place, this blog is for you!

As an administrator Wendy does a marvelous job of presenting the material in a professional manner, on a "clean" site, that is easy to move around in. It is like going down the rabbit hole once you click on this site - there is so much that you want to see, read, and experience that you could easily, pleasantly leave a good chunk of time behind you!

Wendy has a separate blog entitled the "Wendy Stokes Blog". I found this one to be just as fascinating, with the focus changed to reflect Wendy's personal work in her capacity as a qualified counsellor, workshop tutor, spiritual healer and channeling medium. Material can be found here on her Egyptian Goddess Workshop, articles on Ancient Egyptian Wisdom, Spiritual Healing, Chakras and more. IMHO, this blog is a learning venue in its own right, and I am delighted to have discovered it!

What I could kick myself soundly for is that it took me this long to discover what Wendy is all about! We need to network with a purpose, and part of that purpose is to get to know the people that we are meeting. Only in this way can we know what we have to offer them, and what they have to offer us.

I hope that you take a few minutes to discover what Wendy has to offer!

(c) 2000 - 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

All material copyright Bonnie Cehovet - written permission is needed to share this work
in any venue - print or electronic.   

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Promoting, Promoting, Promoting

 
The past couple of weeks have been focused on promoting "Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti", the book that I co-authored with Brad Tesh. Our interview with Mary Nale of Attune Magazine Radio can be found here - Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti. We have an upcoming interview with  Jean Maurie Puhlman and Maggie Lukowski on Personal Empowerment For Your Soul, and two more radio interviews scheduled for May (I will place links here at a later date).

We offered our book as a free download on Kindle this past weekend, and had a very good response. We will do this again in a few weeks - it lets people know who we are, as well as have access to our book. While the free download is for the Kindle version only, we do have a print version through Create Space. The books can both be found here - Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti.

A work in progress for me is getting a book page up on Facebook. Then we will have to map out a plan of action to keep people talking about the book. There are many ways that we can do this - including sharing excerpts from the book, or discussing points from our "Toss the Confetti" section at the end of each chapter. This is a section that suggests ways in which people can actively place joy in their life. 

Brad and I are both very excited about this book, and feel that the first step is just to get people talking! We really don't realize the lack of joy in our lives until we start to loo for it ... and find it amongst the missing!

My next book,which will also be an e-book, addresses the subject of decision making. The ability to make decisions is where we empower ourselves. Understanding how to make informed decisions, and take decisive action, is what manifests our dreams into reality! Stay tuned!

(c) 2013 Bonnie Cehovet
 

Long Chapters Or Short Chapters - What Is Your Preference?

Does it make a difference to a reader whether the chapters in a book are long or short? It does to me. I like shorter chapters, as they feed...