Crimson and the Frost:January Author Showcase

Co-authors and cousins John Williams and James Colletti have been collaborating creatively since they were youths. The pair share a long and successful history that includes writing music, playing in rock bands, writing screenplays, producing shows and music videos for broadcast television, and directing an internationally released movie. Now, John and James have joined forces again to write their first novel, ‘The Crimson and the Frost.’ They are currently developing  two more novels in this series which will ultimately become known as "The Polaris Odyssey."

Here is a sample of "The Crimson and the Frost" for your enjoyment.

KING OF WINTER

The Journal of Whaling Ship - Wyvern Song - Entry # 714 – April 28^th 1627

It is approaching a fortnight since last we have seen her. I do not know how long I can give chase as the men are growing weary…

An urgent knock at the door interrupted the captain from his thoughts.  “Enter,” he called, leaning back in his chair.

The door swung open and the ship’s first mate appeared. “Sir, she’s been spotted again!” he exclaimed.

The captain carefully placed the quill in the ink well and smiled.

a

Emerging from below, the captain stepped onto the wet, slippery deck. He squinted against the driving rain, eyeing the storm that was brewing overhead. Charcoal colored clouds twisted and clashed; erupting in a brilliant, white glow with every flash of lighting.

The captain rubbed his chin, perplexed by this sudden turn in the weather. No more than thirty minutes ago, the sky was clear to the horizon and riddled with stars. But it did not matter. Their prey had re-emerged and nothing was going to keep them from their bounty.

The ship cut through the black, churning waves of a wide channel, chasing after a massive humpback whale. The mighty beast charged through the frigid waters as fast as it could move its massive body. The men on board hefted their harpoons, preparing for a killing throw.

The whale thrust its enormous bulk skyward, breaching the surface of the water. It twisted its body in midair then dropped back toward the waves. Its entire length slapped the water sending a wall of salty spray back toward the ship.

The captain watched as the whale disappeared beneath the inky surface, but something else drew his attention…something terrible off the port side. A large twister of wind and ice was bearing down on them. 

The funnel’s tail cut through the waves, kicking up pieces of ice in its wake.  As it approached, the temperature plummeted enough to chill the bone.  The steady rain instantly changed over to a driving snow and the waters of the channel began to transform into a soupy slush.  Jagged chunks of ice bobbed up to the surface and were driven against the ship’s hull by the swells.

The men looked over the railing and marveled at the phenomenon unfolding before their eyes. Nothing they have come to know, from their many years at sea, could explain this rapid freezing of the waters beneath their boat.

The whirlwind suddenly stopped its forward progress and changed direction, circling the boat as if it were toying with it.

“Lower the sail!” shouted the captain and the men quickly went to work. As they tucked the sail away, the man in the crow’s nest shouted, “Iceberg!”

The captain wrenched the ship’s wheel, maneuvering it around the glacial mass, but soon the Wyvern Song ground to a halt as its hull groaned, threatening to splinter apart.  He rushed to the edge of the quarterdeck and stared at the rough-hewn mass of ice that was once the sea.

The crew crowded around the railings and stared in awe at the blanket of white that formed all across the channel. A crew member hoisted his harpoon and took aim at the frozen waters. His muscles tightened as he thrust the weapon with every ounce of his strength, sending it soaring into the night. But even with the power behind the throw, the missile only glanced off the solid ice and bounced harmlessly away. 

The ship’s first mate ran breathlessly to his captain’s side, a mixture of fear and intrigue on his face. “Sir, what is happening?” 

“I’ve not seen the likes of it in all my years,” the captain admitted. 

Everyone onboard was bewitched by the hypnotizing dance of the whirlwind that was circling the boat with increasing speed. Suddenly, the twister stopped and spun furiously in place as if gathering its power. Then, to the crew’s horror, it raced directly at them.

 “Take cover,” and “Hold on for your lives,” they screamed.

Every crew member held on for dear life as the cyclone was almost upon them. Right before impact, it rose up and soared above the masts, gyrating like an airborne serpent. The crew looked to the sky in horror as a sinister cackle, as deep as thunder, echoed out across the channel.

“By the Gods!” shouted one crew member.

“What magic is this?” cried another.

The whirlwind touched down on the opposite side of the ship and spun away toward the shoreline. Trembling, the captain retrieved a looking glass from his inside coat pocket and peered through it. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing; a shadowy, human-like form began to take shape within the veil of the swirling vortex.

The wind and ice dissipated and what was left was a lean figure with a long white mane, sharp features, and a complexion of pearly, iridescent blue.  Brilliant silver eyes that resembled polished steel, glared back at the captain, sending a rush of icy fear through his soul. The strange being bellowed a wicked laugh at the sight of the ship sitting crooked and helpless in the frozen waters.

“W…who is that?” whispered the nervous first mate.

“'What is that?’ would be a question more befitting,” replied the captain, lowering his spyglass.  Although his voice was even-keeled, he was terrified, fighting back waves of nausea. “I have heard many stories of the King of Winter and not one of them ended well.” Hands shaking, he brought the spyglass back up and watched the unearthly being laughing…mocking them.

Suddenly the laughter ceased, cut off by a gasp.  The King of Winter paused, shuttered and stared up at the sky, caught up in a haunted daydream. He vaporized back into a whirlwind and spun away, moving with unnatural speed.

a

Somewhere in the middle of a vast, moonlit winter landscape, a colossal, glistening tower stood tall against its surroundings like a solitary titan. At the very top of the obelisk was a small, empty chamber.  Standing on the spire’s small platform, a mysterious figure shrouded in a crimson cloak reverently held a large, red jewel before the chamber. With a powerful thrust, the figure inserted the jewel…

…AND THE EARTH SHOOK!

A hum resonated from the jewel as it began to glow from within. The humming grew stronger and the glowing brightened until finally, a streak of light erupted from the top of the tower toward the sky and then spread out in all directions. Drifting to the ground was a dome of rich, warm hues of rosy pink and golden amber that shimmered and flowed like the Aurora Borealis. The thick cloud-cover directly above the tower, suddenly morphed into a soft mist. From it, artistically cut snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground.

Off in the distance, specks of ghostly blue light appeared on the horizon as a wind picked up. Harder and harder it blew, as a whirlwind approached. When it reached the edge of the protective dome, it sputtered and stalled, spitting the King of Winter’s solidified form violently to the ground.

He shook off his disorientation and jumped to his feet in a rage. His steely eyes moved across the terrain looking for the source of the impact. Never before has his power been utterly thwarted, especially in the heart of his realm.  To his disbelief, what he saw in his path was a subtle, shimmering veil of energy. He reached his hand out to touch it but snapped it back when a stabbing pain shot up the length of his arm.  He looked skyward and noticed that this strange force was cascading from the top of a tower. The beauty of it was lost on him. 

His lip curled with an angry sneer as he whispered, “Who dare…”

To purchase your copy of "The Crimson and The Frost", click the link:

To contact the authors: crimsonandfrost@gmail.com

Until next time,

P.S. Want to see your book featured here on this blog, and be read by thousands globally? Click here for all the details.

How To Publish Books That Get Read

How would it feel to publish books that actually get read? You know, as an author, the greatest feeling comes with knowing that readers are actually buying our books. But, we don't want our books to simply be purchased, we want them to actually be opened up and read.

So, how do you manage to publish books that people actually want to crack open and read, page for page?

Well, the first thing you have to do is make sure you have an interesting and catchy title. Sometimes the title alone can be the hook, line, and sinker our books need to make the reader antsy to devour our stories.

Next, make sure that you have a hot cover. I can't stress enough how a boring cover can kill you book. Check out this post to find out how a book cover can either make or break your relationship with your readers.

The storyline has to also be juicy, so much so that it will make your reader get started on the book before they can even make it out of the store. Make your readers feel like your book is required reading.

You want to publish books that will leave a lasting impression on your readers as well; a good one that is. Like it or not, your book is going to be remembered; either for how good it was, or for despicably horrible it was. You get to choose how you want to be viewed.

Last but not least, be sure that the words between the cover are both interesting and intriguing. No one wants to fall in love with a book's title, cover and storyline, only to discover that the actual book is a piece of crap.

Take it from me, if you publish books that look amateurish, you will be viewed as an amateur, and people won't want to take a chance on any more of your books!

I often share my story of how I got started in publishing in the workshops and classes that I teach. My first experience with self-publishing was an expensive nightmare, and it cost me book sales and future support from past readers. You can read about my experience here.

So, how do you publish books that get read? Simple. Follow these rules:

1. Have a catchy title.
2. Create a hot, eye-catching cover
3. Make sure the storyline is great.
4. Most importantly, be sure your story is engaging.

Well, that's it for now. If you like the tips and advice I give to self-published authors, then you need to consider joining the AUTHORity mailing list that includes tips and strategies to help you succeed at self-publishing. You can sign up here.

I also have a group over on Facebook that you may want to be a part of. Click here to become a member.

Until next time,

Let Pictures Tell Your Story

I think I post quite a bit about book cover design. Often times, we as authors may have a vision for our cover, but don't really know how to get people to understand what our book is about. Stock photography is a gem when it comes to creating compelling book covers that sell books.

The best way to have a great cover is to have great pictures. Generally, a good book cover is made up of eye catching photos. Those photos are actual photographs taken either by amateurs or professional photographers that are sold as stock photography. You can pick from thousands upon thousands of photographs to find the right one that matches what's going on in your book.

There are various sites to find great photos to use in your book cover design endeavors. When choosing photos, you first want to think about the book that you have written. What is going on in your book? What is the story you want to tell with your book cover?

When I design ebook covers for myself and my clients, I like to choose photos of people by themselves. They make blending photos together easier because you don't have a bunch of extra stuff happening in your photo.

You also want to think about your audience.
Who is going to be reading your book? Choose photos that not only reflect the story being told in your book, but also, reflect the age group of the people who will be reading your book.

I would like to invite you to check out Deposit Photos for your stock photography needs.
15% off to buy credits. Promo code DC0051053

Until next time,

How A Book Cover Can Doom A Relationship

Relationships are a lot like books. If you find a great one, you will cherish it forever.
So what would cause a reader to hate a book?
There are quite a few reasons, but there is one in particular that truly stands out.
The cover design was horrible. Did you know that people honestly do judge a book by its cover; and if yours sucks, your book will remain on the shelf, or in some database, wasting away.
Even though the storyline may be great, the cover has to sell the book to the reader.
If the book cover does not make the reader want to to pick the book up and read it, or download it, you may want to consider redoing it.
Now, if you have a traditional publisher, or went with a company to publish your book for you, you may not have this option.
But, if you followed all of the steps to self-publishing, you will have the option to change your book cover.
If you wonder why your book is not selling, you may want to start with re-evaluating the cover.
I peruse the virtual book aisles of Amazon on a daily basis, and I often come across books with nice titles, but crappy covers.
I would not buy a book that has a plain green background and a few words on it.
For one, I can't even get a visual of what the book might be about, and two, it looks like the author didn't even care enough about their work to either invest in a cover or make one themselves.
So, if you at least want to get your potential reader to give your book a wink, make sure the cover entices them. Same for ebooks.
Your cover must call-out to reader, and beg them to download it.
If you are an ebook publisher, and you are looking for a way to make ebook covers that will beg your readers to download your books, click here to see the software that will make readers drool.
See you next time,

Three Ways To Succeed At Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing can be a pain in the butt.

You not only have to write a good book, but now you have to promote it, get people to buy it, ship copies to the readers, etc, etc.

The faint at heart will be ready to give up and throw in the towel at the drop of a hat.

Making the decision to self-publish can be scary.

There is always some level of uncertainty.

You wonder if people will really like your book, or will people like it enough to turn your words into a best seller.

There are three ways that you as an author can succeed at self-publishing, and they are as follows:

Know your audience from the beginning. Who did you write your book for? Knowing the answer to this question will save you a ton of heartache and pain in the end.

Write a good story. You would be surprised at the number of people who will write a boatload of crap and then get upset when they sadly discover that either no one wants to read it, or the story sucked all together.

Be prepared to face rejection. The reality of this business is that if you want to succeed, you have to have a tough skin. There are going to be some people who are going to tell you no. They don't want your book, they don't want to sell it in their stores, and so on and so forth. The reality is that you have to take it with a grain of salt and keep pushing on until you get to a yes.

So, if your dream is to succeed at self-publishing, develop your tough skin, learn to handle rejection and get to know your audience. Doing so will make your dream of becoming a best-selling, self-published author, that much more attainable.

Do you have a book that you would like to self-publish? Consider purchasing 'The Blueprint' , a user friendly guide which breaks down the entire process of self-publishing from start to finish. This manual was put together out of a need to educate people on the right way to get started in the publishing industry and avoid many of the pitfalls I endured when I published my first book.

You can learn more and download your own copy here.

Ladies Love Michael Kors

Luxury Handbag Designer Finds Sweet Spot In Marketing

I cannot lie. I love luxury handbags. And while some can carry a pretty hefty price tag, I think that every one should invest in at least of them for themselves. My all time favorite: Michael Kors.

Upwards of $300, the collection of handbags and the infamous 'MK" symbol can be seen on the arms of celebrities and social elite. So what is so special about these handbags? I did some investigating to find out.

 According to collegefashion.net,the high-end fashion designer thinks of what the average fashion-conscious American woman wants to wear, in order to bring out a hidden sexiness that is both casual and classy.

 Not only is he one of the world's most renowned designers, but he is also a writer. He has contributed to numerous books on fashion.

 I was surprised to learn that most women who purchase a Michael Kors handbag over a Coach bag do so because of the way Kors bags are marketed.

 According to businessinsider.com, a major key to the designer's success has been the fact that he "was the first to hit the market's sweet spot: people with money to spend but are not rich." This market is referred to as HENRYs: High Earners Not Rich Yet.

HENRYs earn between $100,000 to $250,000 per year. Though the price tags of $250 to $450 may seem outlandish to those in lower income brackets, members of the HENRY segment are allowed to experience the luxury of owning a designer handbag or watch without feeling like they have just broken the bank.

Choosing the right audience in any business venture is a smart move. Your ideal customer will be more than willing to purchase from you if you present your product to them in a way that they can relate to.

 So, do you want to sell more books, get more clients and make more money? Take a lesson from Mr. Kors.

 Choose your audience wisely.

 Until next time,

 P.S. Share this post with your friends on social media.

7 Reasons To Self-Publish

Your Book Deserves A Fighting Chance

If you are one the thousands of aspiring authors contemplating self-publishing, here are seven good reasons why you should stop putting it off and put yourself in the running to become 'best-selling author'.

1. Save Time. Most traditional publishers work on an 18 month cycle. By working with Sandra, your book can be completed in as little as 2 months!

2. Control. Self-Publishing gives you the final say on the direction of your book.

3. Bigger Profits. A large publisher may finance the project but may only offer a 5 to 15% royalty. Since all authors must do their own promoting anyway, why not self-publish and earn a 40-400% margin? If your book becomes a hit, publishers will come calling. This will give you the upper hand in negotiations.

4. Sole Owner. As a self-publisher, you own all rights to your book. A traditional publisher owns the rights. If they lose interest in your book, you cannot print additional copies unless you purchase those rights back.

5. Filling a Niche. Traditional Publishers may not take interest in your book, especially if it deals with a very specific topic. They may feel the demand is not great enough to warrant a large press run. Your book may fill a niche that has not been met, and you can test the waters with short run printing. If you are an expert in the field, who better to publish and sell?

6. Local Advantage. Books about local or regional topics are generally produced by local authors in short run quantities. Large publishers will decline publishing these books because of their limited sales potential.

7. Be In Print. Making money is not the only reason to publish. Sharing what you have learned or leaving a legacy to your family are other admirable motives.

If you are considering whether or not self-publishing is for you, I have put together manual to help make the entire process go a lot smoother. It's called 'The Self-Publishing Blueprint: the easy way to publish, promote and sell your own book.' Read more about it and purchase your copy here.

Until next time,