Finding friends on the Internet with the
same interests as yourself is rewarding. I met Jan Harper (Louie Jerome) about
four years ago while writing poetry for a website. She came from the UK and
with me being a Brit we found our humour matched. We gained a reputation on the
writing site for being supportive and fair in our critique. Gradually we were
known as the Two Ladies. Every day we made contact and had fun. My husband
found it incredible how we got along so well but had never met. We planned to
meet on my next visit to the UK in 2011. Jan published one of her books and
asked if I would help her promote it. I did so willingly. She read a short
story of mine and said it was the start of a novel and I should write one. I
did so...warily. She mentored me all the way. Cajoling and pushing me to have
faith in myself.
We then joined forces to promote other
authors and that is how New Book Blogger
came about. We never promoted the blog and just added a few books here and
there for friends.
Jan felt ill in May 2010 and by August of
the same year had sadly passed away. She did not know she had a body riddled
with cancer and a brain tumour. She also did not know that I had written The
End on my novel the day she died! I was devastated. Her family contacted me and
told me how much I had meant to Jan. I was humbled. I knew how much she meant
to me, but never realised my value in our friendship.
New
Book Blogger sat there untouched until one day I
decided to pick it up and promote it in her memory. I changed the look and the
way in which I could assist writers to promote their books for free. Slowly the
word got around and one day I woke up to six submissions, then ten and so on.
Now the blog thrives. I have gone from
promoting one a week/fortnight to promote two authors a week (Sunday to
Sunday), and am now ready to accept requests for 2012. It is Tweeted and
Facebooked around the world by the followers it is now collecting, and by
myself.
I made the decision not to review the books
on the site. It is too time consuming and I have my own writing to deal with. I
receive all the information sent to me (side bar on blog explains all
required), and I layout the post. I am in the process of laying out pages for
easy selection for readers. Several authors have emailed me to say they had
noticed a small rise in their sales since I had promoted for them. I do hope
that will be the case for all who share their work.
It delights me to think a small venture
by The
Two Ladies has taken off and I know Jan would have been thrilled.
Please take a look at the blog. There are
many interesting books to choose from. I
would love for you to follow the blog and keep yourselves updated with what is newly
showcased. Free advertising support for authors of all genres is the aim of New Book Blogger.
***
The long hours of nursing finished in 2005
when I left my home shores of England and emigrated to Cyprus, along with my
husband, our dog and a container of belongings.
I spend my days writing in the sun. My articles have been published in magazines in the UK and Cyprus. I have
completed two novels and am hoping to see them published in the near future.
A
Poet’s Word and Glynis Smy –Writer
are my personal blogs.
New Book Blogger is a blog I run
to promote books free of charge for writers.
8 comments:
Thank you for having me as a guest and sharing New Book Blogger with your readers, Natasha.
It was my pleasure! Thank you for doing it!
Awesome post, GLYNIS!
Nova Sparks, thank you so much for reading. :)
Glynis, thanks so much for sharing that touching story of the unique and wonderful friendship you shared. Also, it is a great gift you give other writers!
Pat
Thanks, Pat. I miss Jan and our daily banter. Supporting authors is important to me. I hope to be a published one at some point, and would hope someone would do the same for me.
Well, you have a supporter right here! =)
Thanks, Natasha! :D
Post a Comment