OUR LATEST RELEASE

By Susan Ronne

HERE'S A BOOK WE CAN ALL USE...

"Life Simply Put" is a mothers view on 18 Simple words for an Abundant Life.  It is the authors hope that through reading this book you will be inspired to dream big, laugh often and live a life full of adventure and truth. May you always give and get respect and know that you matter! Relieve Stress - Live your best life - Be good to yourself!

This is the kind of book you may read through all at once then during different times in your life you may reread various sections to reflect on decisions and life choices for the pursuit of your happiness and well being.

You are responsible for your own happiness. Make choices that will honor your spirit and bring you joy. Are searching for words of inspiration and encouragement? Look no further than this book. It may lead you to an abundant life.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/LIFE-Simply-Put-Simple-Abundant/dp/1466923237

Interview with Author Paula Lofting

http://helen-myguests.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/welcome-to-paula-wilcox-regia-anglorum.html

Looking for an adventure tale about 18th century pirates? Check this out:

The History of Wallasey Pirates, Smugglers and Lost Treasure. Also, the Introduction to Hector Hornsmith. Now Available on Kindle & Paperback http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tony-Franks-Buckley-Historian-Author/361673787237786

HOW TO AVOID BECOMING THE NEXT PUBLISHING CASUALTY: Ten Pieces of Critical Information To Read Before Publishing Your Book BY Donna J. Erickson

During the past few years, I’ve been speaking out about my mission to help new authors avoid getting scammed by a vanity press. I’ve been posting details of what I’ve learned about the BIG name self-publishing companies on guest blogs, social media sites, forums, and emails. I’ve been interviewed on web TV, cable TV, and national radio with my message to beware of what is lurking behind many of these organizations.

The problem is most authors find out what I am about to tell you after the fact—after they have published their book and spent thousands of dollars, only to be disappointed. By then, it’s too late to recoup lost time and money unless you decide to take legal action, which some authors have done.

If you are a debut author and are now faced with the task of publishing, please read on.

Countless authors have recounted their heartbreaking stories to me about what went wrong with their publishing dream. One is pulling all of her titles from a BIG name vanity press because she got tired of the constant editing mistakes and no longer wanted her name associated with theirs. She has chosen us as her next publisher. Another author waited and waited for a call back from another BIG name publisher after inquiring about specific royalties that were owed to him. He still doesn’t agree with their accounting, criticizes their lack of customer service, and has hired us for his second book. A third author reported that the BIG name publisher that published her children’s book continued to make repeated errors on the bookmarks she ordered. She’s now writing another book and looking to publish elsewhere.

For first-time authors, the scenario is always the same, and it goes like this:

Jane Doe finally finishes writing her manuscript. Not quite sure what to do next, she goes online and does a little searching. She learns that she’s better off self-publishing than trying to break into the traditional scene as an unknown author—nearly an impossible feat to accomplish.

Jane Doe is not sure how to go about self-publishing and googles “self-publishing companies” to find out who is offering the services she needs. All of the well-known BIG names show up, one after another. What Jane doesn’t know is:

1)      Many of them have been sued and brought to court for not delivering on what was promised, including non-payment of royalties owed.

2)      Some have been found liable and have had to pay thousands of dollars in punitive damages.

3)      Seasoned professionals in the industry know these companies as “scammers.”

4)      Most of these companies are in the business of making money and don’t care about the authors and their books.

5)      Many of them outsource customer service, editing, and other low-paying jobs to contractors in foreign countries who provide poor quality (even sloppy work that is not corrected upon request) and are not knowledgeable or accessible.

6)      Those in the industry will not take you seriously as a professional author, if you are associated with one of these companies.

7)      Many of these BIG names rank high on search engine lists making them appear to be a good choice when, in fact, they are not. They have simply become a monopoly in the world of self-publishing and prey on newbies.

8)      A lot of these companies use hard-sell techniques, pressuring authors into special offers and deals, while going as far as calling them on the phone to hound them into a contract (such as a book to movie scheme)—often with no guarantees.

9)      Once they get your money, their customer service disappears, and you may wait weeks, or even longer, for an answer to your problem.

10)    Pages and pages of complaints against these companies appear on the Internet.

I always advise authors to google the name of the company with the word “complaints,” “scam,” and/or “reviews.” That one step can save you from a lot of unnecessary grief.

Some authors choose to go it alone. They hire an editor, designer, and printer and take care of their own distribution online and elsewhere. This is self-publishing in the true sense of the word. Others prefer to hire someone who has already negotiated all of the contracts and knows what they are doing. The author is publishing through their services. Whoever has purchased the ISBN is listed as the publisher.

Authors who turn to createspace.com (an imprint of Amazon) will find that Barnes and Noble will no longer stock their books because they see amazon.com as a competitor. The tactics used at createspace.com to try and lure them into buying all kinds of extras has discouraged some authors.

I’ve taken on a dedicated fight to rise above these companies by putting my time and energy into running a credible, ethical, high-quality, and hassle-free service for self-publishing authors from all around the world. Here’s what others are saying about us:

Thanks for your honest opinion and truthfulness, which is hard to find at a lot of places nowadays. They did a wonderful job on the video and I think that perhaps you are right in that it might be a little costly of an adventure for me right now. I didn't realize all the hurdles I would have to take as a new author. You really opened my eyes. Before I undertake publishing my book I need to research every avenue of marketing and publishing in order for my book to be a success as well as save up some more money.

I am so sorry for taking up your valuable time. It means a lot to me that you have helped me this much and may God bless you for your kindness in going out of your way to help a small fry like me.

Kind regards, Ricky

You know what, Donna? With all of the people in this industry that don't give a hoot about people, you keep doing you and staying true to yourself...my dear you just might become a publishing maverick.  W. Granville Brown (best-selling author)

Donna's work as a publisher is absolutely amazing! 
She has the insight and understanding that an author needs to publish a book. A Flair for Writing gives the support an author needs to produce a top quality book. After searching for a publisher, I found A Flair for Writing and feel that I hit the jackpot. Donna has strong business ethics and with her honesty and integrity, which is rare in the business world today, she will guide the author to publish a book that is of outstanding quality. A Flair for Writing is the type of publisher any author needs to support them in their creative endeavors.

–        DiDi

Dear Donna,

When I wrote my book A Terrible Beauty I felt that I had a winner. Then after a few neutral friends read my manuscript, and raved about the book, I really felt encouraged.

However my experience in searching for an agent and publisher was very disappointing. Almost all of them rejected my work without reviewing it. It seemed as if there was some kind of “cult” belief that first-time writers didn’t get a chance. I also felt that many agents particularly enjoyed the rejection process.

Then you entered the picture. You took the time to see the message of my book. You also took the special effort to match me with the perfect editor, Lenny Cavallaro. Wow, did Lenny prove to be a hard taskmaster as he made me dig deeper into myself to express more forcefully the emotional messages of the book. As I once told my wife, “Lenny reached into me, grabbed my guts, and pulled.” The result is a finer and better book, and I shall evermore be indebted to Lenny for the interest and dedication that he gave my book.

Your graphic designer, Sue Petersen, did the same. She actually took the time to read the manuscript so that she could understand the message that the book cover needed to convey. Then she designed a magnificent cover. Several people have shed tears when they saw the cover for the first time. It is that powerful.

So I am deeply appreciative of A Flair for Writing and what you have done for my book. Thank you eternally. Michael D. Miller

Oh, and one last comment…Try googling A Flair For Writing – Publishing Services for negative feedback and notice what you come up with—NOTHING. What you will notice when working with us is our personalized attention to detail, value pricing, exceptional customer service, free promotion, and quality services for every phase of your project.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them here or email me at donna@aflairforwriting.com.

Donna J. Erickson is the author of No-Hassle Publishing: An Author’s Guide to Today’s Changing Industry and the owner of aflairforwriting.com, a writing/editing/and publishing service. She has 26 years of experience in the industry, and her company offers a full array of quality services for authors who are self-publishing.

For mystery lovers with a paranormal twist:

The Man With the Green Suitcase by Dee Doanes. Critics call it, "Rod Serling meets Mitch Albom" What does a prostitute, a corrupt businessman, and a disfigured young woman have in common with a mysterious, old homeless man who carries a green suitcase? The old man gives them visions- visions that even he doesn't understand. Book info here: http://www.amazon.com/author/deedoanes

NEED HELP COPING WITH GRIEF? BE SURE TO READ THIS BOOK.

 Every day someone loses a loved one. It is a painful and lonely period. Grief is a roller coaster of emotions that can become so intense that you question your own sanity. And to be honest most of us are unprepared for the impact of loss. 

Now there is help. "From Grief To Peace - Mourning Your Loss" will touch and comfort you. You will learn what grief is, why it is normal to feel so "abnormal" and how you can live through the pain and loss. This book will give you easy to follow ideas on how to lessen the impact of grief.

Get this book today and learn more about the grieving process while discovering the healthy way to survive the death of a loved one.

http://www.amazon.com/Grief-Peace-Mourning-Healthy-ebook/dp/B009CCBGOQ

Coming Soon: watch for our full website and logo makeover!

Did you know we provide lots of FREE PROMOTION for our authors? Send us your submission today and join our growing list of successful authors!

Valuable Info for Any NEW AUTHOR:
http://ping.fm/aPESc

Words from another happy client: I am deeply appreciative of A Flair for Writing and what you have done for my book. Thank you eternally.

http://ping.fm/4CIt6?fbid=370219549676848&set=a.190965164268955.44648.120323517999787&type=1&theater
Our next release!

Author Barbara Barrows just released her second book with us, "Bringing Up the Children...and Surviving."

More online sales everyday for author, Michael D. Miller! Check out his book, A True Beauty, and find out why.

Comments from a Vietnam vet about "A Terrible Beauty: The Story of Task Force Builder" by Michael D. Miller:
http://ping.fm/Pq3yl

Comments on Michael D. Miller's book, "A Terrible Beauty: The Story of Task Force Builder" from a Vietnam vet:
Ah, the book. I had meant to read it over the weekend before I went to San Francisco last week, but I was too busy. So, I began reading on the plane while flying out to the Bay Area. Big Mistake! I began visibly sobbing on the second page of the foreword, and it went downhill from there. Trecia has become accustomed to these occasional outbursts, so she took it in stride, but a few of my fellow passengers obviously thought I was crazy. As I told you, I have let my wife proofread what I've been writing, the majority of which is a complete revelation to her, so from time to time during the flight, I would give her a particular page or paragraph of your book to read. Her reaction was always: "My God! His experiences were different, but he's saying exactly the same things as you; he was affected the same way!"

The book is good, Mike - accurate and from the heart. I remember quite well the young man who lives in those pages. It takes anyone who's been there back again, and it gives those who haven't been there a good sense of what it was like. For me, for a short time, I was one
of those guys in tiger fatigues you met at the Pepsi stand, and it has taken me a long time to crawl back out of that world. For forty
years, I packed it in a trunk, put it in the attic and pretended it was never real."

Our TFB message is powerful. We can be proud of it.

Congrats to author Michael D. Miller, author of A Terrible Beauty, our new top-seller!

Great info from professional ghostwriter, Laura Sherman! http://ping.fm/Va339

Working With A Ghostwriter By Laura Sherman

My line of work often fascinates people. I’m a ghostwriter. I love to introduce myself by saying, “Hi! I’m Laura, the Friendly Ghostwriter!” It usually gets a smile.

You might wonder about the steps involved in working with a ghostwriter. I always say each job is different, and each writing relationship is unique, but having said that, there are common aspects I can share.

You need to settle on a ghostwriter, sign a contract, and pay about 25% of the total fee to start.

Interview ghostwriters until you find the perfect match. It should be someone you can really communicate well with--someone who is excited about the project. Passion is a key ingredient.

Also, finding someone with experience in your genre would be ideal. Now, you don’t need a gardener to write a gardening book, but you do want someone with experience in nonfiction writing. A master gardener would be a plus.

Never pay a ghostwriter the entire fee upfront.

That would be a recipe for disaster. The writer will have no motivation to complete the book.

However, your ghostwriter will need to be paid ahead of the final writing. The first segment is always the most time consuming, because it includes the outlining and research phase. This is why that payment is the largest.

You need to get all the research information to the ghostwriter.

From the moment you realize you will be working with a ghostwriter, begin gathering together all your research information and notes. Think about what your writer will need, in order to tell your story or prepare your nonfiction manual.

“But why should I do this work? Aren’t I hiring the ghostwriter to do this for me?”

Sure, you can pay the writer to do all the research, but remember, you are the best source for information on your book! Also, the cost for your ghostwriter will increase substantially if the writer needs to research from scratch. In the long run, you will save both time and money if you can do the bulk of the research on your own.

You need to review all the material in a timely manner.

Your ghostwriter will email you segments of the book on a regular basis. Make sure to read the pieces and provide the writer with detailed feedback. If it’s good, tell your ghostwriter why it works. If it isn’t, let your writer know why. Try to be kind, but be honest!

I always allow one revision per segment. You don’t want to get involved in a ton of back-and-forth emails at this phase, but you do want to guide your ghostwriter. The outline should be hammered out first, so by this time you’re just settling on the details and voice of the book.

Waiting until the entire rough draft is written to tell your writer what you think of the book is always a bad idea. By then it may be difficult and time-consuming to change things.

By the time you get through this process, chances are you’ll have a manuscript that is very near completion. Personally, I will work and rework the first draft, making minor changes (mostly for flow and consistency) and then request one more set of revisions, once I’m satisfied. Many times I get a thumbs-up without any change requests.

Again, no two writing relationships are the same. Each client has different needs and each story is unique, but there are commonalities you can expect when working with a ghostwriter.

Do you have any questions about the ghostwriting process? Please feel free to ask me here in the comment section, and I’ll answer you. You can also email me anytime at laurasherman@earthlink.net.
***

Laura Sherman, a.k.a. “Laura the Friendly Ghostwriter,” is a professional ghostwriter and author.

She recently authored “Chess Is Child’s Play.” As a parent of three, and one of the top 50 women chess players in the nation, Laura wrote this book to help parents teach children how to play chess.

She also ghostwrote “Joshua’s Missing Peace – A Mother’s True Story.” This book tells how a six-year old boy was misdiagnosed and placed on heavy psychiatric medication. Through dedicated research, his mother discovered the true cause of the illness and the cure, ultimately saving her son’s life.

Laura lives with her family in Florida, where she spends her spare time at the beach and writing haiku, the Japanese art of short poetry. Feel free to contact her through her website at www.laurasherman.com.

I'm happy to donate my services, once again, to Brenda Novak's online auction for diabetes research:
www.brendanovakforthecure.org.

My guest blog for www.10daybookclub.com:

http://ping.fm/01IuL

http://ping.fm/LHnja

Proof that it's never too late to write that book.

Review for our latest release, A Terrible Beauty by Michael D. Miller

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing adventure; there still are heroes out there., February 17, 2012
By Larry Rideout - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Terrible Beauty (Paperback)
I was blown away by the sincerity and honest-ness of the writer. It was as if I was sharing his soul with him as he plunged into the dangers and suffering of their slice of the Vietnam War.

This story also gave me new perspectives on the Vietnam War and war in general. I did not know that the US Army actually built schools for poor rural villages. Quite a contrast with our usual images of death and destruction. Also, his excellent knowledge of history allowed him to draw interesting parallels between what he and his men saw in the Mekong Delta, and other recent examples of history (such as MacArthur's island-hopping campaign of WWII).

I found the book a spell-binder, and it was hard to put it down after I began reading. I liked that he honored the Viet Cong as noble adversaries who meant well, just as he and his men meant well. If my son ever has to go to war, I hope that someone like Capt. Miller leads him!

Latest Release: A Terrible Beauty by Michael D. Miller is now available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Published by A Flair For Writing - Publishing Services. Unlike any other Vietnam memoir!