Visit the Geek Cave

Happy Sunday everyone! I just wanted to do a blog post on the fly to let everyone know about the Geek Cave. You can find it by clicking here---> Geek Queen Cave

It's a celebration of all things geek, from stabbing books to scissors to aliens and must have android apps. Plus, if you're also a geek, there is a chance to Guest Blog.

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend!

Free Promotional Source: Spec-Fic Book News

Free Promotional Source: Spec-Fic Book News

I often receive requests to help promote a new book, contest, giveaway, etc. While I certainly don't mind authors asking for help, time is limited. So, I created a subdomain of my blog which allows you—author, blogger, contest host—to share your information as you wish.

The process is simple. Simply register an account and fill out your author bio. You will automatically be setup as a contributor, which opens a submit post option. Type away whatever it is you want to share, embed your book cover, trailer, and any other media, choose a category and tags, and submit. The post goes into a queue which is approved in order received.

So what's the benefit of using this website?

Google association. One part of Google's clever algorithm is noticing how often words are used together. For example, your name and your book title. Or, your book title and keywords from the synopsis. Since the website has been indexed by Google, submitting posts here helps build such association for you.

Browsing users. When a user visits to share their own information or read another post, they are exposed to both the latest postings on the site and articles related to the one they are reading. And since the site is geared toward speculative fiction, it is likely those who visit are going to be interested in your post too. Not to mention the newsletter which sends out a daily report of new submissions.

RainyoftheDark linked. Spec-Fic Book News is linked to RainyoftheDark.com in a variety of places, which increases the chance of my personal blog visitors checking out Spec-Fic. That means as RainyoftheDark.com grows, so will exposure to your posts.

More features. The website is new, but as time goes on, other features will be added which will draw in more authors and readers. The longer your post is up, the more likely people will find it.

Spec-Fic Promotions. While the website is a side project meant to provide a much quicker response to the promotional requests, it will also be promoted independently. This guest post is one such example. Again, that effort carries over into your own efforts—as long as you've posted your information on the website.

Here are some other points:

It's simple and easy to use.

Since you are in control, you can use it on blog tours.

Promote more than just your book: share links to blogs, giveaways, reviews, and interviews.

Add an excerpt to your book release news to further entice readers.

Include an author photo via Gravatar.

It's spam free.

It doesn't cost anything.

If you'd like to stay up-to-date on new submissions to the website, sign up for the Spec-Fic Book News newsletter. And if you'd like to follow discussions and new implementations for it, stalk my personal blog as all news filters from there.

Spec-Fic Book News: http://spec-fic.rainyofthedark.com

RainyoftheDark: http://www.rainyofthedark.com

Have you submitted to Spec-Fic Book News yet?

When Rainy Kaye isn’t plotting world domination, she enjoys coaching others about it on her blog http://www.rainyofthedark.com. She also likes fluffy kittens.

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - Spending your eTime wisely

After posting a humorous guest blog by author Robert J. Wetherall at Penumbra Publishing's blog, about the over-proliferation of technology in our lives (click here in case you want to read it), I figured it might be a good idea to revisit why many of us seem so tied to the internet and social media.

If you're reading this, chances are you spend at least some amount of your time blogging or posting or texting or liking or tweeting or poking and so on. If you're an author or somehow involved in publishing (or any commodity sales for that matter), then you probably spend a whole lot of time (perhaps more than you'd like?) on various social networking forums such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook ... and does anyone even do Myspace anymore? Regardless, you get the idea.

The question is, why do we do it? Why do we text while sitting at a stop light? Why would two young, attractive twenty-somethings sitting outside a restaurant, obviously waiting on a table for their dinner date, both be busy texting others on their phones instead of talking to each other? Why do we compulsively check our email every five minutes while at work? Why do we constantly compose 140-word bytes and send them off into cyberspace, perhaps never to be heard from again? What do we gain from this kind of behavior? Has electronic socializing taken the place of meeting up for coffee and conversation face-to-face? Has it taken the place of personal interaction? Is texting more personally rewarding than actually spending time with someone face to face?

There are obvious reasons why electronic communication can sometimes be preferred ... texting someone when you're in a boring situation, or texting someone when you're with someone else whose company is less desirable. Or texting or otherwise contacting a group of people to inform or even mobilize them. Electronic communication provides the power to connect across great distance, and with the proper setup, it can provide communication access to a lot of like-minded individuals, even strangers. It can give the illusion of being in two places at once. But as with any powerful tool, it should be used responsibly. Because, really, it only provides access. How and when you use that access is still important and requires prudence as well as thoughtful restraint.

One of the most common pitfalls of a new technology that seems to make life easier is addiction and abuse. It's easy to get sucked into the belief that a netherworld of wonder and power awaits at your fingertips. You may be led astray by this new lover, tempted to forsake friends and family for the lure of a whole new eworld out their. But after the newness wears off, don't forget that your computer's not going to laugh at your stupid jokes or give you a hug when you feel down. Your phone is just a tool, a gadget that gets you access to the people you care about. Remember that your loved ones are loved ones because you love them - so don't neglect them in the glow of your iPad screen, seeking out the next new internet surprise, whether it's some silly video or a new game app. If you're separated by distance from your loved ones, electronic communication may provide you a way to stay in touch - but it's no substitute for a hug and a kiss goodnight.

So when you're in that boring strategy meeting and you're not going to be called upon to participate actively, then, yes, maybe it's okay to text your wife and tell her you'll be home later than you thought. Or if you're stuck in traffic - traffic that's not moving! - maybe it's okay to call your kid and tell him you'll be a little late to pick him up from band practice. Just remember, that text joke isn't more important than you responsibly and safely operating a 2500-pound vehicle capable of mowing down innocent pedestrians. That phone call isn't more important than you looking appropriately busy to keep your boss happy so you can keep your job. And blog surfing to find something - anything - interesting to read isn't more important than making sure your kids' lunches are fixed for school the next day. Take care of priorities first, when they need to be taken care of, and leave electronic playtime for when you really do have downtime and aren't being called upon to be a good father, mother, daughter, son, sister, or brother.

Remember that electronic communication, like anything else, is a convenience, a tool, but it is not a lifestyle. Don't define who you are and what your life is about by how many Twitter followers you have. There really is more to life than Facebook. Make sure you get your nose out of your phone screen once in a while to smell the roses along the way. You'll be a much happier and more well-rounded person if you do. And you can tweet me on that!

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

Welcome Guest Blogger: Author Wren Emerson

First off, I’d like to thank Natasha for having me on her blog today. It feels like such an honor to wreak havoc on someone else’s blog.
 
I’ve been asked about where I came up with the characters in my debut novel, I Wish… That seems like a fun topic so that’s what I’m going to write about.
 
For those who haven’t read I Wish… it’s about a 17 year old girl named Thistle Nettlebottom who grew up traveling the country in an RV with her mother and crazy overbearing grandmother who is a best selling novelist. She’s been trained in all sorts of interesting skills over the years by people her grandmother hires for research for her books.
 
One day they get a call to return back home to a town named Desire. A town that Thistle has never heard anyone mention. She soon finds out that there’s a lot about herself and her family she never knew, the most shocking is that they and everyone else in the town of Desire, are witches and that Thistle has a magic ability that allows her to wish things into existence (or out of it). As she comes to terms with this revelation she also has to figure out who is trying to kill her in a town full of people who’d all love to see her dead.
 
Desire has a woman dominated society because only the women have magical powers. In a reversal of the typical “trophy wife” scenario, it’s the men in Desire who are chosen to be married based on how powerful their Family bloodlines are.
 
The idea isn’t a new one. I first started playing around with it a couple of years ago. I imagined a town where all the women had a magic talent that was almost like a superpower. In fact, one of my favorite characters, Olivia, was based on my interest in Rogue from the XMen comics. I’ve always thought Rogue has one of the most tragic stories I’ve ever read. Imagine never being able to touch someone you love. So I took pity on Olivia and gave her a grandmother who she could touch without killing. And so I created Elizabeth Fletcher and her super regeneration.
 
Thistle is based on me if I were about a thousand times cooler. I was careful not to get too carried away and make her perfect. She still makes stupid mistakes and has unrequited crushes on cute boys the way any teenaged girl does, but she maintains inner strength through the story and faces her problems with humor. I really enjoyed writing about such a strange town through her eyes.
 
Ramona is based a lot on my own grandma. Grandma was a huge influence when I was growing up. She always did things that were typically “guy” things like fishing and camping and bowling. She was truly the matriarch of our family. Every holiday revolved around the plans she made for everyone. She was also a little emotionally distant and didn’t often show a lot of physical affection, but I have no doubt that she loves me in her way. She’s a character, but I’m grateful to have had her in my life. She taught me not to blindly accept typical gender roles, something that’s served me well since all my minions are boys.
 
And then there are the two sexy boys that make up the love triangle. I adore love triangles. Until the main character picks the wrong boy, of course, LOL. Evan is the perfect boy for Thistle in her new life, he comes from a powerful Family, he’s sweet, and ridiculously good looking. Then there’s Ben. He’s an outsider and he’s hard to read… sometimes he’s distant and other times he stops fighting his feelings for Thistle and they have amazing chemistry. They represent two entirely different ways of thinking and as the story progresses you see her attraction grow stronger for each of them.
 
The sequel should be out at some point this summer and I’m really looking forward to some of the minor characters getting more screen time. We find out a lot more about Ben’s history and how the Coven works. I’m really excited about it and I hope everyone enjoys what I have planned.
 
I keep a blog that focuses on indie publishing and offers glimpses into my everyday life at http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com. I’m also extremely active on twitter as @wrenem.  Thanks again, Natasha, for inviting me to share with your readers today. 


*Wren Emerson was born on the mean streets of small town Kansas 30*mumble* years ago. She first put pen to paper at the tender age of 12 and wrote an epicly awful story. She then became publisher and editor in chief of a family newspaper which included articles written by indentured servants/siblings. It got rave reviews from all 8 members of her family.

Now in adulthood, Wren still enjoys bossing people around so she became overlord to a small army of minions; her true love, kids, a cat, and a dog. When she's not plotting to form a dictatorship she writes. When she's not writing, she plays video games, reads books, practices her iphoneography skills, and spends way too much time hanging out in #pubwrite on Twitter.

Welcome Guest Blogger Rainy of the Dark: What Reasons Would You Not Read Past The First Chapter?

3 Reasons I Won't Read Past Chapter One

Like most readers, I go into a book expecting—even wanting—to like it. The cover art satisfied my frivolous side. The blurb piqued my interest. So, I make coffee, grab a blanket, and dive into the first chapter. Then the moment is shattered. Why?

Grammar. This has become a prominent debate lately. Does a good story need good grammar? No. But does a good book need good grammar? In my opinion, yes. Knowing the basic use of verb tenses and punctuation isn't too much to ask of a writer. Really, it isn't.

Point-of-View. Few things shatter the moment more than the point-of-view changing a half-dozen times in the first ten pages. First-person and third-person limited are popular for a reason: it helps the reader attach to the main character. I'm not opposed to third-person omniscient, but not every writer pulls it off. This isn't to be confused with multiple first-person or third-person limited point-of-views.

Dialogue. Yes, dialogue should mirror real life conversations, but it should also be moving the story forward. I don't want the “good morning” exchange, and I don't want the characters to describe in dialogue something that just happened in the narrative. In the first chapter, that can be a death sentence.

Once I've made a commitment to a book, I try to keep it. Sometimes, it just doesn't outweigh the to-be-read list. Most of these issues can be fixed with a little effort. If you're a writer, I advise going over your manuscript and seeing if you're guilty of any of these. Then, see if you can improve it.

Your readers will be happy you didn't shatter their moment.

What reasons would you not read past the first chapter?

*Visit Rainy's Blog at Rainy of the Dark