FLICKR: Great App for Photographers and Bloggers

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Most popular Flickr photo

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With an average of 10 - 20 MB of new images that I shoot per day, over the years my computer space will be not sufficient to carry them all.  What better solution than to store it "in the clouds" via Flickr.
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Flickr, the photo-hosting platform owned by Yahoo, turned 10 years old.  They focused on user photos before most people started carrying around high-quality cameras everywhere they went, and it offered free cloud storage before services were even invented.  Flickr users upload a million photos each day, and over the past year, the service has been busy. 

Last year Flickr started offering users 1 TB of free storage, and was adding more features, including larger storage, filters and photo books.
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App for iPads
Photo-sharing platform Flickr rolled out an update, adding an iPad application that is iOS 8 and iPad Air 2 ready. Now Apple's tablets are becoming more and more photo-friendly , iPad  photographers just received another tool from Flickr.

However, the app isn't just for browsing and storing photos; it's also equipped with an in-app camera that can capture photos and videos on-the-go.  What's more: it includes Flickr's advanced editing tools, so photographers can directly  adjust without leaving the app.

The update comes on the heels of Apple's iPad Air 2 launch.  The company's latest flagship tablet is equipped with its best camera to date, a feature will likely produce more iPad photographers.

Flickr's new iOS 8-only app also takes advantage of the operating system's sharing extension, which makes it easier to share photos between Flickr and third-party apps. It also includes a new unified search and the ability to edit photo details.
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Fall: It's Time for an Apple

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I just found an online article on TIME: Apple Holiday 2014 Lineup, where they showed Apple's latest gadgets.   Mind-blowing how many devices are offered - just in time for Christmas.  It reminded me about a funny post on Google+ after the last Holidays, listing the family gifts:  "My wife got an iPad, my son an iPod and my daughter an iPhone and IPaid ..."

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Comparing Prices Pays ...
Comparing the low prices on Amazon.com for Apple computers and what I paid two months ago in a FutureShop in Canada, I really regret, not to have done my research, even though I order a lot from Amazon usually.   It could have saved more than $200 by ordering online, not to speak of the lousy service and arrogance customers experience at some local retail stores.  Or take the latest Apple iPhone 6 Plus: ordering from Amazon will save you a whopping $950 !!!  Plus free delivery.  See at the end of this article.

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MacBook AIR Laptops 
There are two base models to choose from in the MacBook Air line: an 11-inch and a 13-incher, last updated in April of 2014.  The 11-inch model fits into my handbag, and weighs only 2.4 pounds. However, for $100 extra, the 13-inch model has a higher-resolution screen, three additional hours of battery life, and an SD memory card and DVD slot.
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iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C

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iPhones
You have four iPhone models to choose from, running from FREE with a two-year contract, to $499.
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The iPhone 6 Plus is Apple’s biggest phone with a 5.5-inch screen. Going this big and expensive gets you a higher-resolution screen than the iPhone 6, optical image stabilization, and longer battery life.  On the low end, the iPhone 5C comes in five colors and is available with 8GB storage. A solid choice as a free phone.

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MacBook PRO Laptops
MacBook Pro:  Each model is less than three quarters of an inch thick, the 13-inch MacPro is weighing 3.5 pounds and the 15-inch 4.5 pounds (better processor, double the RAM, double the storage, and higher-resolution screen with a better graphics chip).
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iMac All-in-Ones 
Apple’s all-in-one desktop line were last updated in September of 2013, with the entry-level model added in mid-June of 2014, and the Retina 5K model was added in October 2014.
The Retina iMac, has a fantastic high-resolution screen, a quad-core Intel processor, a faster graphic chip and a faster 1TB hybrid hard drive.
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iPod
Great selection: there is the newest iPod touch with more fun than ever. It has an ultrathin design, a 4-inch Retina display, a 5MP iSight camera, iOS 7, Siri, iMessage, FaceTime and much more.  Then there is the iPod nano and iPod shuffle or an iPod classic. iPods are starting at only $49.  
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Lots of Gift Ideas!

Did I mention Apple TV and the fast selection of Apple accessories?  Apple TV is providing access to the iTunes Store and iTunes Match, it also enables you to beam audio, video and games to a TV from any iOS device via AirPlay, or you can pull and live-encode video from a PC or Mac.  Find more gadgets, such as a protective iPhone case, a stylish MacBook bag or a desktop cable organizer for Apple fans on Amazon's website, with pages and pages of Apple products for dedicated fans.

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Interview with Linda Kovic-Skow: FRENCH ILLUSIONS

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A pleasure to meet Linda Kovic-Skow, the author of the highly popular book French Illusions, an amazing true story of a young American au-pair at a Château in the Loire Valley, west of Paris.
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Linda, how would you describe your book to someone who has not yet read it?
In the summer of 1979, when I was twenty-one, I contracted to become an au-pair for a wealthy French family in the Loire Valley. To secure the attractive position, I pretended to speak French, fully aware that my deception would be discovered, once I arrived at my destination.  Based on my diary, French Illusions captures my often challenging, real-life story inside and outside the Château de Montclair.

The over-bearing, Madame Dubois, her accommodating husband Monsieur Dubois, and their two children are highlighted as I struggled to adapt to my new environment. Continually battling the language barrier, I signed up and attended classes at the local university in the nearby town of Tours. When I encountered, Adam, a handsome young student, my life with the Dubois family became more complicated, adding fuel to my internal battle for independence.

Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?
Set in the beautiful Loire Valley, French Illusions, my remarkable true story, recounts my exploits as a young, adventurous woman filled with dreams. It’s not too late to create your own memories. Go out and explore the world. Life’s for living, after all.

What inspired you to start writing? 
About five years ago, after my husband and I dropped our youngest daughter off at college, I went through a sort of mid-life crisis. I missed being a mom and I wondered how I would fill the void. Sure I had my part-time bookkeeping business, but it consumed only a few hours a day and it was not interesting any more. Something was missing, but what?
This prompted me to review what I like to call my “mid-life list.” This is similar to a “bucket list,” with an important twist. The idea was to refocus myself and figure out the things I wanted to do with my life in my fifties – while I could still do them. My list was short.

1. Learn to play the piano
2. Travel to Africa to see the elephants
3. Travel to Tahiti and see the island of Bora Bora
4. Travel back to France (with my family this time)
5. Write a book

At the time, I didn’t own a piano and, with two daughters in college (on the east coast no less!), I couldn’t afford a trip to Africa or Tahiti. I had already traveled back to France in 2001 with my family, so that left me to examine the fifth item on my list more closely. If I did write a book, would it be fiction or non-fiction? What genre would I choose?

The answers to my questions came to me in the shower (which is where many of my ideas seem to materialize, strangely enough). I decided to hunt down my diary from my au pair adventure in France and compose a memoir. It took me three years and countless hours to write French Illusions, but now I can scratch another item off my mid-life list.


Who is your favorite character and why?
One of my favorite characters in my memoir is Madame Dubois. Given her very arrogant, unforgiving attitude, she is the natural antagonist in my story.  As I worked my way through my diary, I recounted many heartbreaking interactions with my patron. Give us an excerpted quote from your favorite review of your book:

“This memoir from new author, Linda Kovic-Skow, is a must-read for all of us that have longed to explore the world, but don’t have the courage of the vivacious, young protagonist. Looking for a new direction in life, Linda yearns for adventure in her hopes of becoming a glamorous flight attendant. But, when she fibs her way into a job as an au-pair in the Loire Valley of France, she soon discovers that her expectations aren’t quite in line with those of her new employer.
The story flows nicely as she paints a picture of the quaint towns and rolling hillsides of her new home, but the highlights for this reader were the vignettes with the children, especially little Antoine. His adorable one-liners and interactions with Linda never ceased to brighten my mood. The relationships with the rest of the family are nicely developed throughout the book, and the dialogue reads well. Don’t be surprised when you see French dialogue on the page, though, because it is a convention that carries throughout. Overall, I thought that Francophiles and casual readers alike could enjoy this story, and I personally can’t wait for a sequel!” – Amazon Reviewer
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What would/could a reader or reviewer say about this book that shows they “get” you as an author?
A few readers have told me that my memoir reads like a novel and, at times, they have to remind themselves that French Illusions is non-fiction. I consider this a great compliment. Successful narrative non-fiction, above all else, must encompass good storytelling techniques such as character development and dialog.

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What genre have you not yet written but really want to try?
I would love to write a children’s book someday filled with stories surrounding the pets I acquired growing up. My love for animals, coupled with my parents lassiez-fare (let it be) attitude towards child rearing, resulted in some great tales. It would be fun to put them down on paper.
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What general advice do you have for other writers?
Hire a professional editor. I mean it. You can’t edit your own book. You won’t see the mistakes because you are too close to the writing. It will cost you a few hundred dollars for a line editor, a bit more if you need some in-depth editing, but it’s the best money you will ever spend. I cringe every time I read a negative review where the main complaint is formatting, spelling or punctuation. You want readers to judge you solely on the content of your story.
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Where can readers learn more about your writing?

http://lindakovicskow.com/

Don’t miss Linda’s lovely book trailer: FRENCH ILLUSIONS 

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Creative Marketing: For the Price of a Tweet

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In a former blog post I wrote about a great way to introduce your upcoming book to readers, creating a prequel in form of a short free book, which should include links to your book sales page or your website.  But how to let as many readers as possible know about your freebie – and at the same time about your new upcoming book?  
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Use the Help of Social Media
Let your free book or other written content go viral via Twitter by re-tweeting from your followers to your customers, friends and everyone else.  Nowadays it’s sometimes more valuable to have people talking about your book than the money you would earn for it.
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Sell Your Free Book for the Price of a Tweet
It’s a service that lets visitors access to your content without having to “pay” for it by giving up any personal information on a form — all they have to do is share it with their own networks on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Facebook.
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3 Steps to Get Your Book Noticed!
Step 1: create a button and embed it on your website, e-mail or wherever.
Step 2: user access your content and ‘post’ about it.
Step 3: your users’ shares are re-tweeted and re-posted by their friends and followers.
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Easy to Set-Up and to Use
Not only is the tool super easy for your landing page visitors to use, but it’s also quite easy to set up. Pay With A Tweet allows you to stash content (a song or an e-book) and only allows access to it after a user has tweeted something about it.  In other words, it’s like a paywall in which you pay by tweeting about something.  If it’s true that attention is a scarce resource, drawing attention to something ought to be worth something, right?
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Downloaded 130,000 Times
The “social payment system” was developed by two young Germans, Christian Behrendt and Leif Abraham, who tested it on their own book: Oh My God What Happened and What Should We Do?  Great book content BTW!  Available in both, English and German language.  After eight weeks, their book had been downloaded 113,000 times and they had sold 1,300 copies on Amazon.  It became a Twitter trending topic twice, and the only promotion they did for the book was to tweet a single time.
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Teaser Version for Your Book
Why not give away a teaser version of your ebook in exchange for some promotion? Authors and book sellers can post the exact message they want consumers to send, in exchange for the free book. Retailers can attach a URL to the Twitter message that directs consumers to the web page that has the “Pay with a Tweet” button.
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Good to Know:
If you use a WordPress.org theme for your website you can install their own plug-in.  While consumers can add short personal notes to the author’s message, consumers cannot edit the URL attached to the tweet.  The Basic Version of Pay with a Tweet is FREE.  Read more details in this Hubspot article.

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The Marriage Whisperer

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Not every couple chooses to work and nurture their relationships proactively - before trouble strikes.  The Marriage Whisperer, winner of the gold medal in the IPPY "Living Now," a jargon-free, self-help title is written by an experienced Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and inspired by over 10,000 conversations.  Reviewer “You will be in awe at how many of these relationship stories will ring true!”  

It delivers 70 couple stories with humor and includes practical tips and tools for lasting relationship improvement. Popular themes like communication, habits, chores, arguments, sex, and intimacy are explored in easy-read tales. The Marriage Whisperer was featured in the September 2013 Small Press Bookwatch as a "Reader's Choice" for the marriage shelf and is "recommended" by the US Review of Books.

The Marriage Whisperer
The author, Patt Pickett, Ph.D. explains in an interview:  "My primary message in the book is to keep your life in balance, something that is important to avoid marital neglect.  Not having a balance in your life, such as work, marital life, family, hobbies etc. has long-term consequences for relationships."
“Will spend more time when …” we are in vacation, the kids are in school, the kids are out of the house, we are retired … NEVER works. If you don’t spent enough time together NOW, your interest changes and your attachment weakens. The challenge for couples is to find out how much is enough time to spend together."

Dr. Patt Pickett, can be found on Twitter @DrPattHP and on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/patt-hollinger-pickett-ph-d-the-marriage-whisperer/11/76a/748.

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Successful Marketing Your Book

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Marketing possibilities for your book sometimes seem to be overwhelming.  Use this article's free checklist to schedule and divide it into small pieces. And execute one at a time – make it a habit to work on it every day.
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Let’s assume that you, as a self-publishing author are writing an excellent, high-quality book or e-book and now you are going to publish and market your book.
Or take scenario two: you have written the best book and found the best agent possible and she’s made the best deal she can get with the best publisher who’s interested, then you will be surprised to learn about the reality in traditional publishing: 
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Marketing Dollar Only for Celebrity Authors
Publishers do spend money on advertising, PR and paid placement in bookstores, but they don’t spend the same amount on all books. On average publishers spend less than $2,000 on advertising 90% of their titles—not much to get the word out about your book.

Bookstores will return your unsold books after three months to the publisher, which means almost the end of your book’s “brick & mortar” career.  These are the reasons YOU will have to get the word out about your book, no matter if you author-publish or if you go with a big, traditional publisher.
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You certainly have done your homework well BEFORE you started writing your book:

• You researched your possible competition, how popular the genre is in which you are writing, and how comparable books are presented.
• You have identified your target market and in which time-frame you want to accomplish the introduction for your book.
• You made plans for your writing career, you vision already – and maybe even lined out several books, you know that one book only doesn’t make for a writing career.
• You thought about where you want to be in one, three, or five years from now, and what you want to have accomplished as a writer then.
• You also know that book marketing starts ideally before and while you write your future bestseller.

There are two avenues to market and sell your work, even if you have sold your manuscript to a traditional publisher. Either you:

• will invest lots of money and buy ads / go on book signing tours / attend book fairs – or you
• will invest time into building a platform and an authors brand through the use of social marketing and content marketing, plus you learn some fast and free tricks to spread the word about your book

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And then there is 
1. the promotional, social part and 
2. the “hard-selling” part for your book.

The latter will barely work if you have not laid out the foundation with the first part.  Would you likely buy something from an unknown person, no matter if on- or off-line?  Remember that your competition in published books is fierce and there are millions of books worldwide published every year.  Readers have to be convinced to buy an unfamiliar book from a totally unknown author…
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It will be the same for both, fiction or non-fiction:  The foundation for your books’ success is in building a community, a social environment and a platform to introduce yourself and your work to readers.  How can you accomplish this, even before your book is finished? It takes a year to make yourself known in the book community, so start early in order to have a successful book launch:
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1. What you can do before your book is ready to go to the beta-reader, copy-editor and final editor:

- Have a professional! photographer taken a portrait to use for your avatar
– Get to know and introduce yourself to potential readers, sign up at Google+  (good for SEO),      Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Flickr
– Join several book communities, #1 Goodreads, #2 Wattpad, #3 KindleBoards, BookTalk, Scribd…
– Visit forums in your field, especially if you write non-fiction
– Join HARO (Help a Reporter out) to make yourself a name as an expert in your field
– Start and write regularly (once or twice a week) blog posts
– Create your own (not a free!) author website 
– Send your blog articles to newspapers / magazines and even to e-Zines
– Write guest blogs for other bloggers to get your name out
– Write your “elevator pitch” and practice your “elevator speech” for quick pitch
– Start a spreadsheet or list with email addresses of potential readers
– Create an email signature & use it for every email you send out
– Print business cards / bookmarks
– Get an ISBN number and register your copyright
– Register with Bowker to have your book worldwide listed (free)
– Choose the right genre (category) and keywords for your book
– Gather as many reviews as possible and write a compelling blurb
– Research media contacts and prepare Press Releases
– Invite several thousand! people as followers and friends on your social media sites

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2. Plan of action, once your book is edited, has an appealing cover – that’s what people see first, is professionally converted (e-book), or got a perfect layout (print) and is ready to launch:

- Place your book into the right category / genre and subgenre (important for its success!)
- Create a second, separate BOOK PAGE on Amazon, Goodreads, Google+ and FB
– Submit your book to the Library of Congress (USA only)
– Set up a media press kit on your website with a link to your book trailer
– Plan and create an email campaign to potential readers
– Get customer orders for special (price) pre-launch sale
– Invite more reviewers for your book
– Submit photos of your book cover image to Pinterest, Flickr…
– Create a slideshow  and/or video book trailer
– Send copies to book reviewers in various publications and to book bloggers
– Send review copies to book clubs with large distribution
– Automate submissions to and between all your social networks
– Write a blog post about the upcoming launch
– Spruce up your website and blog for your book launch
– Write a compelling press release
– Ask your friends to list your book under “Listmania” on Amazon
– Participate in “Carnival of the Indies” blog carnival to promote your blog URL
– Comment on other blogs and write lots of guest blogs
– Submit your blogs including an URL link to even more e-Zines
– Consider to participate at KDP Select free days, announce your upcoming book for free
– Offer interviews at Radio /TV stations and newspapers or on other blogs
– Try to set you up to become a desirable guest expert on a talk or morning show
– Befriend influential book bloggers for even more reviews and articles
– Donate your book to local libraries and offer to speak
– Contact local bookstores for book signings
– Gather writing friends for cross-promotions and blog tours
– Add press clippings and articles, already published, to your website
– Get a new business card with an image of your book and sales link
– Place the books’ cover image & description daily on your Google+ stream
– Announce your book launch or book signing on Google+ for FREE
– Get even more friends, followers and people in your circles on social media sites
as you need lots of audience to spread the word about your new book!
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What else can you do to increase your books’ success:
– Become a guest speaker at writers conferences or business seminars
– Sell your book to libraries
– Let your book translate in other languages or sell foreign rights
– Split your (non-fiction) book in pieces and sell single articles to magazines
– Participate in writing contests and book awards
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The possibilities are endless…
Check for more tips at http://savvybookwriters.com/blog.  Make sure you have done every one of these steps to have a great start once your book is published. Write for pleasure – publish for profit!

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Learn More About Marketing and Business Plans:
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Author Interview: Patrick Jones "The Wolf’s Moon”

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Patrick, thank you so much for taking the time today for this author interview. Let’s dive right in:

What inspired you to start writing?
I have written since I was a kid.  I wrote a mystery novel in High School.  My classmates liked the story but it, like everything else, wound up in the circular file cabinet.  Mrs. Ruth Morrisey, an English Lit teacher, encouraged me to write, while my family said I would starve.
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How did you get the idea for the novel?
One day I sat with a pen and paper and just started writing.  Sandy, my wife, was giving a lecture at a seminar so I decided to kill some time.  The more I wrote, the more it took on its own life.  “The Wolf’s Moon” went from a doodling, to a short story and ended as a novel.  I only wrote what I saw in my mind.
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How would you describe your book to someone who has not yet read it?
The story is an action suspense thriller that intertwines love, loyalty and in the end, redemption.  Mark Lansdowne wants to be left alone to grieve the loss of his wife to illness but instead is pulled into uncontrolled circumstances which narrowly cost him his life.   Although he knows he and his lifelong pal, Warren Skruggs, should leave it to the proper authorities, things continue to happen causing Lansdowne to take matters into his own hands.
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Does your book have any underlying theme, message, or moral?
Loyalty and Love: The loyalty between Linden and Skruggs: Trusting each other even if it caused their death, never questioning their motives.  True love that Linden has for his deceased wife:  Linden made a commitment and took a vow.  He loved her completely in life, so her death is only a temporary separation.  Love and friendship do not die.
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Who is your favorite character and why?
Skruggs.  The reason I like Skruggsy is because he would rather see humor than the bad in life.  He always smiles, but when the smile fades he becomes a very controlled, violent individual.  He deeply loves his wife.  He would help anybody at the drop of a hat that needed help.  But he would kill just as fast.




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Are your plots based on your real-life experiences?
For a writer to convince the reader that a character is real, he must believe each and every one of them is real.  While one is writing the story he or she lives with each character as though they actually exist.  Maybe they are fictional but life experiences, what the writer sees, feels and hears must be the same for them.  I think this is true regardless of genre if the writer expects their readers to identify with the characters.  Each reader should think of someone they know or have met.
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If Oprah invited you onto her show to talk about your book, what would the theme of the show be?
I would think that I could get on stage and Oprah would say, “How in the world did you write a book and have it made into a movie at this time in your life?” Adele would then sing the song she made for the movie!!
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What would/could a reader or reviewer say about this book that shows they “get” you as an author?
The Kirkus Review has captured the essence of the book by the following description of their interpretation:  “Jones’ novel confidently lays the groundwork for future books, with romantic and thriller subplots tightly interwoven in the service of a propulsive narrative. No time is wasted in introducing the characters or the creature, yet nothing feels rushed. Fans of romance may feel shortchanged by the surprisingly chaste nature of Lansdowne’s interactions with the nurse. However, thriller fans will rejoice at the well-paced vignettes and spiking tension. Jones doles out information with care, providing enough history to make things clear without overwhelming exposition. This same care is evident in the novel’s resolution, which ties up loose ends without shutting the door on further developments.”

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Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
Years ago, before Indie Publishing, it was hard, if not impossible, to get a book on the market.  Now if a person is willing to pay people (that a publisher pays) it’s not as hard.  What I have really learned is writing the book is easier than selling the story.  When I received my first proof copy, I was satisfied that I completed what I had set out to do.  I have learned literary agents are tough people who have to say, “no,” a lot.  They cannot take too many chances.  Books are their bread and butter and they have to maintain a good rapport with publishers.  If a publisher, after spending time and money promoting a book and it doesn’t sell, he or she is on the street.
I don’t think of a rejection letter as a bad thing.  It just tells me I need to sharpen my skills.  It is like getting a bad review.  I smile knowing I did something they probably did not – I wrote a book.
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Considering a book from the first word you write to the moment you see it on a bookstore shelf, what’s your favorite part of the process? What’s your least favorite?
Since my book has not been in a bookstore yet, I suppose my favorite part really is working with my wife.  It is fun.  We work well together.  I have not found anything I don’t like, except trying to find new ways to sell my book.
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If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your book?
No, I like it the way it is.  The editor said the first chapter sounded like a travel log.  Maybe, but people who have read the book tell me it helps to understand the Ozark Region. Stephen King wouldn’t have liked Chapter One but I don’t think he has read “The Wolf’s Moon”.  I haven’t heard from him…YET.
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The Wolf's Moon is available in print for $15.03 and in digital format for $4.44 and received already 133 great reviews. .
If your book would be made into a movie, who should play the main character?
The guy who played the part of the scientist in the TV program SG1, Michael Shanks.  He looks much like I imagined Linden to look and I think he could pull it off.
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How did you get published? Please share your own personal journey.
We self-published.  Sandy and I shopped around to find someone and decided on Create Space.  We were actually able to speak with a person that advised us.  The rest sent emails.  Yes, most everything had a price tag.  They were not the cheapest nor were they the priciest.  The people at Create Space were easy to talk with.  When we ordered books, they usually arrived before the scheduled delivery date.  They mentored us through all of the steps we needed to go through to get the book published.  We learned that the process does not end there.  There are a multitude of other steps that are necessary to traverse through the self-publishing adventure.  We have met wonderful people along the way who have mentored us throughout the entire process.  Sometimes it is frustrating, but with each baby step we move ahead in the journey.
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Don’t miss the book trailer for The Wolf’s Moon on YouTube and give it a thumbs up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18LUT5eyAjE

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What general advice do you have for other writers?
If there was any advice I would give to an aspiring writer, it is to write.  Read other people, not for story content, but to see how they put the story together.  Don’t read just the King’s or the Patterson’s but also the Twain’s, Spillane’s and Fleming’s out there.  Then develop your own style.  Anyone can copy a style but to be unique to you, it must be your own style.

When they have what they feel is their style – let a few people read something. They should be people that will tell the truth and give an honest opinion.  If it’s not what you wanted to hear, don’t get discouraged, get determined.  Don’t quit.
Remember:
There are a great many people out in the world wanting to sell their work.  Whether you sell only one copy or make the New York Times Bestseller List, you did something that many want to do and never do – you wrote and completed a book.
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What do you find is the best part of being an author?
That is a hard question.  I think meeting, talking, or emailing people who have said they enjoyed the book and they want to know, “when is the next one coming out?”  It is fun to know they enjoyed the story enough to want another.
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What is ONE thing that you have done that brought you more readers?
Blogging has done a lot but my wife continuously gets me involved with social media.  She says that it is important for people to know that I am no different from them.  I still cut grass, work in my wood shop, go grocery shopping.  I do all the same things that they have to do.  Where they may work in a factory, my job is writing.
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What’s one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you?
My personal world is a simple, comfortable place, as my immediate family makes life wonderful.  Sandy (my wife) and I like flowers, so we have several gardens around the house.  Our house is like one from a fairy tale.  At the end of a day, sitting with her on the deck having that last cup of coffee, watching the sun set and the moon rise give me great satisfaction and contentment.
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Where can people learn more about your writing?
To know more about me they can go to the website:  http://www.thelindenchronicles.com .
There readers can see pictures and my blogs.  I like to blog about everyday things.
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Thank you so much Patrick to get to know you better and to hear about your journey of writing the first book and the first year as an author-publisher.  We heard your next one is soon to be launched.  Looking forward to it!

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Why You Should Not Trust All News

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Flawed Survey, Sloppy Research, No Fact-Checking…
“Print Books Still Outselling e-Books” or “Print Books Outsold Ebooks In First Half Of 2014” are the big headlines these days at newspapers and magazines, from PublishersWeekly to Huffington Post.

"According to a NielsenScan survey, e-books constituted only 23 percent of unit sales for the first six months of the year, while hardcovers made up 25 percent and paperback 42 percent of sales.”

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However, no one at these big media outlets bothered to ask where these "statistics" came from...  NielsenScan covers a maximum of 75% of the American PRINT book market (almost all of them traditional published) and does NOT count e-books at all!   How can they seriously compare print vs e-books?

Even Amazon warns their authors:

“Note about Amazon print sales: Sales reported depends on which retailers selling your book and participate in Nielsen BookScan, and whether your book is registered with one of the companies from which Nielsen derives its list of reported ASINs. If your book is registered with the Ingram Company, for example, you will see sales info. If your book is Print on Demand, your publishing company may not report ISBNs to Ingram and you may not see sales information. If a disproportionate number of your books are sold by stores that do not report to Nielsen, your sales information may underestimate your total sales.”

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Author Earnings Report Shows the Real Numbers

As the majority of books are sold through Amazon - and not through mass markets and book chain stores, Author Earnings brought a much more realistic picture and compared the top 100 bestsellers in print with the top 100 bestsellers in digital.  The top 100 books are 61% digital and 39% print!

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Another Myth are "Bestsellers"

In a former article at SavvyBookWriters we explained how Bestsellers are really made by NielsenScan:

“A Bestseller doesn’t necessarily mean it is a terrific book, worth to read. It rather shows a 2-3 week old sales statistic of books that sold well in chain bookstores and at independent booksellers, who are connected in a certain country (e.g. USA or UK) to Nielsen BookScan which currently covers approximately 75% of retail sales.”

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To offer serious statistics about digital and print books, numbers need to be taken at all book retail outlets and all publishers – small, big, trade or independent.  So, if someone is stating statistics they need to be explained: from which country and which book retailers those “statistics” are rendered and that they not show the real picture – especially when they are taken from retailers who DO NOT sell e-books at all. 

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