Mainstream Publisher Acknowledges Self Publishing

Self publishing is no longer frowned upon.  Readers do not mind who the publisher is.  All they care about is having a good read.  The most successful way to promote books is by word of mouth starting with the authors themselves and spreading via their friends and family to a wider public.

Advertising is expensive particularly in this austere age.  A large publishing company will always plump for a book written by a celebrity rather than a newcomer because they know it will sell.  However, the quality of writing is often poor and the reading public are being let down.

Writers become good writers because they have been plugging away for years honing their art without success because mainstream publishers are unwilling to take a risk on an unknown talent.  There are legions of stories of authors who receive rejection after rejection before getting that big break through.  There must be many great novels out there which never see the light of day.

Self publishing means that there is now no need for this to happen.  It is marvellous that a big publisher has at last realised this.  Simon and Schuster are leading the way.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-27/entertainment/sns-rt-us-books-simonschuster-selfpublishingbre8aq17e-20121127_1_simon-schuster-carolyn-reidy-author-solutions

Wonders of the world – Part 1

Since becoming a full time writer in 2008, I have travelled the world and present some of the wonders visited during that time in no particular order.

The Earth

 This is the most beautiful and wondrous of all the planets in the vastness of space.  If there is another out there capable of supporting life it will never be as wonderful as our very own world.

 The Woking Martian

 This magnificent sculpture can be seen in the centre of my home town.  It fires the imagination about what may exist out in space and also is representative of an outstanding piece of literature.  The author, H. G. Wells, lived in Woking and his nocturnal trips to the nearby common inspired this great story and created a new literary genre.  It shows that you do not have to venture far from home or the imagination to find a wonder.

Great Wall of China

 Contrary to modern mythology this structure can not be seen from space.  But it is a gigantic achievement and is testament to the lengths that humans will go to to protect their land.

 The Taj Mahal

 The most beautiful building I have seen.  It shimmers to the view and touch, and is a powerful symbol of beauty and love.  There may be a more graceful piece of architecture somewhere in the world but I have yet to see it.  I will let you know if I do.

Other inspirational travel stories can be found at http://www.bucketlistpublications.com

Film/Book Themes

Once a Peatmore Press book has been written one of the next steps is to decide, were it to be made into a film, is what theme tune should accompany the opening credits.  This tune is often played in the background during the editing.  In the case of Cogrill’s Mill it was Heaven written by Brian Adams but it was the DJ Sammy version sung by Yanou that came to mind, With Gifford’s Games it was “This is the Life” by Amy MacDonald and with Victim of Compromise it was The Jam’s “Eton Rifles”.  Although the lyrics do not entirely fit the stories, the themes compare well.

However when the time came to fit the tunes to the book trailers different music had to be found because of possible copyright infringements.  In the end the editor decided on a comic interview for Cogrill’s Mill with no accompanying music, and for Victim of Compromise and Gifford’s Games royalty free soundtracks from http://www.akmmusic.co.uk were used.  The editor was happy with the result but whether this works or not is really up to the listener and can only be measured by the resulting book sales.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/EdukM7wVhWE

http://www.youtube.com/embed/2h-GFtFAt18

Book Review – Woman of Honor by Nicole Zoltact

This is a well crafted fantasy novel set in a world of chivalry and romance.  The character of the feisty heroine Aislinn and the fictitious land of Arnhem are well drawn.  Her quest to become a noble knight is skilfully explained and tells of the trials which can beset a woman who is determined to succeed in a very masculine profession.

The magic and mystery is believable and fits in well with a historical perspective.  There is plenty of conflict and the rivalry between high born Aislinn and the lowly Adamina is sympathetically written and a nice twist.  There are many villains and epic battles which make this a story to savour.  This is the first book in a trilogy but it also stands well on its own.

Woman of Honor by Nicole Zoltact is published as an ebook by Desert Breeze Publishing.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-58/%3Ci%3EKingdom-of-Arnhem-Book/Detail.bok

Public Libraries

I remember the first book I ever read which did not contain pictures.  It was “The Dog Caruso And His Master” by R M Ballantyne and I got it from my primary school library.  I do not remember taking it home but read it in breaks from class.  Then I visited public libraries and I read avidly.

For a young boy with little pocket money growing up in the austere 1950s the public library was a godsend.  I visited regularly at first with my parents and then on my own.  I remember cycling to Downend Library near my home village of Mangotsfield near Bristol in the sixties.  I spent many a happy hour there.  There is nothing like searching the shelves for hidden treasures.

Public libraries have been hit badly by the current long recession.  Some have been forced to close through lack of funding so when I visited my Mother, who now lives in Downend, I called into the library to relive old times.  I was relieved to see that it was as busy as ever and I happily donated a copy of the first Peatmore Press book, “Cogrill’s Mill,” so it could sit happily on those cherished shelves.

Peatmore Press has also donated copies of its books to Woking Library, as it is based just outside the town, and for the time being all author public lending rights have been waved.  In these tough times is important that writers and publishers support these valuable institutions which for centuries were crucial for the preservation of the written word.

Book Review– Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

This is a got to be read classic.  Thackeray creates a dog eat dog world peopled by characters whose main ambition in life is to reach the top of the social pile and stay there.  All the characters are flawed but the author shows some sympathy for them even for the most despicable.

In Becky Sharp he creates a strong minded woman determined to succeed in this class ridden sexist society.  She hails from lowly origins and schemes her way through this world to acceptance by the elite.  The means she uses are devious and often amoral yet her actions are totally understandable given the environment in which she exists.  Her eventual fall from grace means that she receives her just deserts but she accepts it with humility.

We follow her fortunes and those of the other main characters, Amelia Sedley, her cad of a husband George Osborn, William Dobbin who is deeply in love with Amelia but is too timid to show it, and their families through this nineteenth century epic set just before, during and after the battle of Waterloo.  The battle is scarcely described so it is events which surround it which take up the bulk of the story.  The text is cumbersome compared to that of the modern novel but if readers persevere they are in for a treat.

Vanity Fair is out of copyright so the text can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/599

Book Giveaways

A free gift is a good way to drive potential customers to your website but what to give?  For the publisher a book is the obvious answer.  Something to showcase the work on offer so that potential customers get a taste of what is in store for them should they make a purchase.  Readers can download the first chapter free for each Peatmore Press novel.

http://peatmore.com/Giffords Games 1 chapter free.pdf

However, a more complete and lasting offer is also a sound proposition especially when launching a new product or service.  Thus for a limited period Peatmore Press is offering an ebook of 12 short stories to showcase its revamped website.

In the case of the Peatmore Press Crime and Passion short story collection it will expire at the end of November.  To obtain the gift prospective customers will need to supply their email addresses which the publisher will add to its database so it can keep them updated with new offers and products.  However, it is important to tell customers that they can send an email opting out of this at any time and their name will be removed.

http://peatmore.com/customer service.htm

Special occasions provide a great opportunity to promote a free offer.  December will herald the start of the Christmas period.  Thus when the current Peatmore Press offer ends a new one will begin.  In this way the publisher will build up a core of returning customers who can be confident that the products and services provided are sound.