Is It Just Me ...

... Or is Amazon.com being a dickweed?

I  honestly don't know if this is happening to just me, or if it is a widespread thing.

HOW in the fudge & chocolate does Amazon.com know who "your author friends" are?!

I mean, do they have a team of Special Amazon Forces investigating which author is friends with which?

How in the hell do they deduce that you are in cahoots with some other author?

Do they tap your computer somehow to track who you network with?

Come on, Amazon, what's really going on?!

So last week I posted some reviews on both Goodreads & Amazon that I was behind on posting.  These were books that I'd read some time back but was just behind on getting the reviews out.

All of the sudden, I get an email from Amazon saying that my reviews (PLURAL) could not be posted because "I knew" the authors.

How, in the name of cheesy grits, do YOU know that?

And then these sons' of a motherless goat REMOVE my reviews, not letting me post them again.

Now, this is really pissing me off because I work with The Review Board, a professional review team. Do you mean to tell me that the reviews I post on Amazon on behalf of The Review Board are going to be removed too? If that's the case then I'm in a world on shit because authors whom enlist The Review Board are looking to have their books reviewed and the thoughts posted on Amazon.

But that's besides the point.

The main point I'm trying to make is where in the hell does Amazon get their information from? Does that mean if I buy a pair of shoes on Amazon and want to leave a review, that my review will be removed because "I know the buyer"? Get the fuck outta here!

But, do you know what? Now that I really think about it, I've been on both ends of this fence. The books that I have readily available on Amazon don't have all of the reviews they should because the people whom have read them aren't able to post their thoughts.

I've honestly got more reviews on Goodreads than on Amazon. The problem is that most people look at the Amazon reviews and Goodreads is sometimes left as an afterthought.

Things that make you go "hmm".

I mean, honestly, there has to be another way!

Let's be real, though.

It seems like all of these updated policies that Amazon has been implementing are a sort of rally against Indie Authors.

Why do I say this? Well, because VERY RARELY, if EVER, do you see things like this happen to authors from The Big 5 or more notable Publishing Houses.

Is this Amazon's way of "wanting out" of the Indie Book Market?  I ask this because sooner or later indie authors are gonna choose to go a different route or with a different platform because what good would it be to use a merchant that won't allow people to review your book?

Granted, at the moment Amazon is the #1 Indie Book Marketplace, but hey even King Solomon fell from grace.

What's New with Y. Correa for 2016

Hello! How goes it?

So, you're probably thinking that I have a shit ton of new things going on for the new year. Truth is, I don't. LOL :D

I have a few things happening, but that's about it. Just a few.

What is one of the new things I have going on?

The Earth 8-8-2 Series now has an official website where readers can go to learn more about the series and what's happening with it. It is NOT a Blog, but an actual website with information and fun about the series. Of course, it's brand new so there isn't much in the way of information. However, as the series grows, so will the site.

The best part is that you can feel free to leave a comment or even your review of "Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project", as well as any of the upcoming books right on the page.

Want to visit the page? Then just click the tab above (on the menu) or click ...

So, what else is new?

Other than the diligent work on "Concordant Vibrancy 2: Vitality" I've also been plugging away at "Earth 8-8-2: Genesis' Rebellion" which is the 2nd installment of the Earth 8-8-2 series. I have a feeling that if I don't release that book this Spring, some of my fans will hunt me down. So, far be it from me to let them down. LOL

I also have a couple more things up my sleeve, but I'm taking things one day at a time so as to not overwhelm myself in the process. I do hope to have at least 3 books out by the end of this year, if all goes according to plan. Wish me luck.

Anywho ...

That's about it in regards to an update. Please, visit my new site and leave your feedback. Let me know what you think of it and what you think needs changing. If you've read "Earth 8-8-2" then leave your feedback on the book. I'd be highly appreciated.

Toodles!

:)

Earth 8-8-2: Boundless Limits

Dear Reader, Writers and Precious Patrons,

All Authors Publishing House would like to bring you a Double Book Release of earth shattering proportions.

Are there any limits out there which are boundless? Two characters, two different stories of paranormal drama, put that to the ultimate test!

"Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project"

by

Y. Correa

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owwt2sWN30A&w=640&h=360]

Blurb:

Could Science Serve as Salvation? One-fourth Human. One-fourth God. One-fourth Superhuman. One-fourth Vampire. For Dr. Scott, the combined strengths of each life form represent the answer to the onslaught of malice and tyranny plaguing his Earth. When his creation—Genesis—begins developing, the lines between scientist and father become blurred. Soon the time approaches where Genesis is expected to fulfill her purpose. Does she go along willingly, or will her rapid evolution obliterate everyone’s best laid plans?

"Boundless Limits: Transcendent Choice (Book One)"

by

Da'Kharta Rising

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FvB6gqi3DQ&w=640&h=360]

Blurb:

There's Love ... and then there's Love Beyond Limits. Felipe and Therice had a love that knew of no boundaries. When Therice and “Mama” lose their lives in a tragic car accident, Felipe has a gaping hole that just refuses to heal and Therice has a determination to see him again that just refuses to die. Heaven feels anything but, when Therice discovers that spirits are prohibited from visiting loved ones after they have died. Sensing that her angelic guide Amare possesses empathetic traits, Therice develops a plan of appeal in the hopes she will see Felipe near the anniversary of her death.

Get Your eBook Copy Today!

Boundless Limits: Transcendent Choice Book One

Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project

Coming Soon to ...

Author Blindness ... Lets talk about it.

Lets talk about it.

Maybe it's just me. But it seems like today's writing society is suffering from a severe case of Author Blindness.

What is "Author Blindness" you ask?

Well ... let's do the math.

Blindness, definition:

Adjective: blinder, blindest.
Unable to see; lacking the sense of sight; sightless: "a blind man."

Author, definition:

Noun.
A person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.

So, Author Blindness is:

The inability for an Author to see mistakes within his/her own works.



Let's look at it this way ...

Authors of a work can sometimes suffer from a certain type of delusion when it comes to their writing. Not the "You need to be locked up and given some meds." type of delusion, but the authors' eyes playing tricks on them.

You see, when you've written a work, your mind is seeing what you WANT & THINK is written, but your eyes are not catching any mistakes simply because you're being blinded by what your mind is telling you is there—the narrative as per your desire.

Author Blindness inhibits the ability to catch any mistakes.

"So, what's the point?" you ask?

Today, The Review Board featured a piece that I wrote called "The Truth in Reviews". In that post, I talk about what it takes to make your work better. I also make mention of the following:

"In order to produce a good book you MUST take these steps:

1. Write it


2. Read it


3. Edit it


4. Read it


5. Correct it


6. Read it


7. Edit it some more


8. Read it again


9. Have someone else read it


10. Read it AGAIN!

You see, the more you read your work, the more you’ll realize that there could be potential problems with the book. There are so many things that you can discover when you read and re-read your book. Obvious things like typos/grammatical errors, and not so obvious things like plot holes and incoherence."

Some might think me cuckoo crazy for saying what I said above, but as always, there is a method to my madness. The things I say, I say for a reason.

I've been there! I've suffered the searing sting of the venom known as Author Blindness. In my very first publication I did not have the support/help I needed to edit it. Nor did I have the money to pay a professional to do so. So, I had to do it myself. In so doing, I had to suffer the ramifications of Author Blindness. There were SO MANY things that I missed, or simply didn't see. Then when it was read by an outside audience, many of them pointed out my mishaps.

Now, I'm sure you're probably wondering why I am bringing all of this up. I can promise you that there is a reason.

As a reviewer, time and time again, I have to deal with people that get mad that I've given their book a low score, or have made mention of the book's shortcomings.

Had I gotten mad at the people that told me my book was a mess, I would've never been able to learn. In listening and accepting what they said, not only did I perfect my craft, but I discovered what Author Blindness is and more importantly how to fix it.

Using the tools I provided above, plus implementing this little jewel that I'm about to share with you, you will have a great change at combating and winning the war against Author Blindness.

Here is the key ...

Put the WIP away for 3 - 4 weeks—don't look at it—then when you pull it back out, print it out (don't read it on the computer) and read it that way. I promise you that you're going to notice things that you hadn't noticed before.

Make sure to have a red pen and highlighter available. These will be your tools to mark up the document.

THE POINT IS ...

DON'T BE A VICTIM TO AUTHOR BLINDNESS!

Unfurl, Cover Reveal by Sarah Michelle Lynch

TITLE: Unfurl

AUTHOR: Sarah Michelle Lynch

SERIES TITLE: Sub Rosa Series

SERIES PLACING: Book Two

GENRE: Romantic suspense

RELEASE DATE: February 26th (paperback and eBook)

 

BLURB:

I’ll stab you in the heart.

I’m coming for you.

No secret dies.

But you will.

When news breaks that enigmatic magazine editor Jennifer Matthews is dead, it irks Chloe that Cai refuses to shed even one tear. What she doesn’t know is that he was expecting it, perhaps even, hoping for it.

In this dark, romantic tale of revenge, Cai explodes the deepest, most destructive aspects of his past as he comes to terms with the tragedy at the heart of Jennifer’s downfall. With Chloe’s love and support, he must brave his demons and dodge death to finally end a bitter feud between two damaged families.

***This is the sequel to Unbind and is not intended to stand alone.***

 

ABOUT THE SUB ROSA SERIES:

Unbind and Unfurl tell the story of Chloe Harmon and Cai Matthews, who meet when Chloe starts work as a showbiz journalist in a place where Cai already freelances as a photographer.

Chloe is left devastated after Cai takes off only a couple of weeks after they meet and she knows his disappearance has something to do with a rare rose that was delivered to her desk – sender unknown.

A web of lies surrounds Cai and his famous aunt, Jennifer Matthews, and in Unbind Chloe gets close to the truth but doesn’t quite unpick the intricacies of Cai’s painful past.

Unfurl launches the couple two years into the future as Chloe digs deeper for something, anything, that might plug the missing pieces of the puzzle. Their love is tested almost beyond its means as secrets are made public and answers are called for.

Unfurl sees Cai try to free himself and Chloe from the traps of Unbind, but with the odds stacked against him, their future happiness remains fragile.

CLICK COVER to purchase Book One, UNBIND:

 

UNBIND on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22610372-unbind

UNFURL on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23454305-unfurl

 

Facebook

http://facebook.com/SarahMLynch

Tumblr

http://sarahmichellelynch.tumblr.com/

Twitter

http://twitter.com/SarahMichelleLy

Blog

http://sarahmichellelynch.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page

http://author.to/sarahmichellelynch

Pinterest

http://pinterest.com/SarahMichelleLy

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6518742.Sarah_Michelle_Lynch

Tsu:

https://www.tsu.co/SarahMichelleLynch

Other books by Sarah Lynch:

"FREE vs NOT FREE" THAT is the question...

Well...

I've been sitting here wondering...

Do authors really WANT to pay for services that they can get for FREE or at discounted pricing?

You're probably wondering why I bring up this question. Let me assure you that it's for a very good reason.

I suppose that I should maybe start with a little bit of back-story.
Yeah... methinks, I shall.

In a land far, far away called Florida, USA there lived a lowly and lonesome Indie Author whom had just published her first book--Inkwell was her name.
Inkwell felt all alone in a the vast internet universe. She felt lost and confused. "How will I ever get the world to notice my book when everything calls for money which I don't have? I wrote a book to make money, not spend it." she said to herself feeling as though the world was against her.
The more she researched, the more she noticed that (1) it seemed as if the Indie world was in a perpetual competition against each other. (2) everything called for money--lots of it. And (3) there was a huge need for a support system for those whom did not have the money or means. There was a big necessity for a place where authors such as herself could go.
Subsequently, Inkwell thought to herself "Well, if it doesn't exist, then I'll just make it." and so she ventured on the adventure of her life. She created that which she so desired. She made a support system for authors who really needed the help.
Yet it seemed that whilst she offered service after service of supportive programs FOR FREE to the writing public, authors with whom she'd connected would totally bypassed what she was offering and opted to go with the paying services. This made no sense to her. She was flabbergasted. "Does FREE equal low quality? Do people equate free with not good?" she thought. "That doesn't make any sense." she said aloud to herself, slapping her forehead with bewilderment.
In the end Inkwell found herself torn between two predicaments. (1) Maybe she should charge for what she's offering. Perhaps then authors will consider her programs. (2) Maybe she should shut it down altogether. If it's not being utilized, then why even offer it.

I am Inkwell.

I cannot, for the life of me, understand why authors opt to go with services for which they have to pay, when said services offer EXACTLY what All Authors does. Only, many times over, All Authors does it better.

Just today, I noticed someone marketing their blog on Facebook. Their post read... Well, actually, maybe I should just share the image that they shared on Facebook so that you can see it for yourself.

Now, I'm not saying that this person is wrong. I mean if she's putting in the work, then so be it. Let her charge. However, All Authors does exactly the same thing--reaches a vast amount of readers and writers, networks with several different Social Media sites and people connected therein, YET WE DO NOT CHARGE!

We could if we really wanted to, but realizing that there is a gap in the market and many authors need support, we don't. Now, should I? Do you all REALLY want me to charge for giving you exactly what this person and others like him/her does? Because, if you want to, then I will. Lord know I can use the money!

Here is another example of a place for author promotional service referrals, called Book Marketing and Book Promotions. There you will find out about all sort of promotional services, however most of them you would have to pay for, and the pricing is ridiculous.

 

Everything costs money...

I found yet another site that also does Author Promotions. Take a look at THESE prices. Once again, things that All Authors does for FREE or at discounted prices.

Here is a great example:

There prices for Book Trailers

60 Seconds $75 Media cost paid by author

90 Seconds $140 Media cost paid by author

2 plus minutes $200 Media cost paid by author

All Authors Prices for Book Trailers

Book Trailer Services start at $60.00/£36.67 for a 1 minute video. Add only $5/£3.06 for every additional 20 seconds.

There prices for Book Covers

Basic Book Covers $100.00 stock footage picked by author separate fee??

Basic Full Spread Jacket with back $150.00 stock footage picked by author separate fee??

Original Book Cover $250 photo provided by LAS

Original Jacket Design $300 photo provided by LAS

Exclusive Book Cover $300 photo provided by LAS then archived for a three year period

Exclusive Book Jacket $350 photo provided by LAS then archived for a three year period.

All Authors priced for Book Covers and the like

Authors will get a 100% original piece. NO stock photos or reused photos will be utilized.

Banners for only $5 /£3.06

Front Covers for only $35/£21.39

Front and back cover combos for only $55/£33.62

These, of course, are just SOME examples.

All Authors also offers Advertisement slots for only $5.00/£3.06 per book, per month on our All Authors Magazine page.

 

Here are some more examples:

Author Spotlight with All Authors, FREE.

Cover Release with All Authors, FREE.

Author Interview with All Authors, FREE.

Blog Blitz with All Authors, FREE.

A slot in future issues of All Authors Magazine, only $5.00/£3.06.

Go ahead and try to get THOSE prices somewhere else.

So, the question remains...

Do authors really WANT to pay for services that they can get for FREE or at discounted pricing?

 I just don't know.

Please authors, readers, tell me your thoughts.