road to publication – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Control Issues – #IWSG

Published on May 7, 2014May 6, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle8 Comments

The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG will be Mark Koopmans, Joylene Nowell Butler, Elsie, and Lisa Buie-Collard! Make sure to visit them and say hello!

I have control issues. It’s the only way to explain why I freak out when things don’t go according to plan. It’s the reason I have been a pest to the people I’ve entrusted with certain parts of this production/marketing process for my novel. It’s the reason that I have to count to ten and take deep breaths before dealing with things that don’t happen or are cancelled.

I understand now why I am an indie author, because God knew I couldn’t handled turning my stuff over with no say in how it turns out in the end. I don’t care how much of an advance … ok, that’s not exactly true.

Anyway, I just wanted to reveal my control issues to the world, so people will be aware of why I react the way I do when things go wrong. I am working on it, but if anyone has any tips on how to control (haha) my control issues, I would truly appreciate it.

Do you have control issues? How do you deal with them in this unpredictable and out of control world we live in?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Bliss

Published on March 5, 2014March 4, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle21 Comments

The awesome co-hosts for the March 5 posting of the IWSG are Tina Downey, Elsie, Elizabeth Seckman, and Julie Flanders!

Special shout out to my friend and yours, Alex J. Cavanaugh because IWSG wouldn’t not exist without him. Thank you, Captain!

I have been organizing, planning and practically nesting in anticipation of the birth of my debut novel (May 1st in case you want to mark it on your calendar). Every day, I am completing some new task that puts me one step closer and I have been in pre-publication bliss for a few days now, but . . .

I keep waiting for the ball to drop, for the s–t to hit the fan, for the bubble to bust. I want something bad to happen now while I still have time to fix it.

What were your biggest fears as you got closer to your ~~due~~/publication date?

Journey to Publication – Halo of the Nephilim Blog Tour

Published on July 11, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

The journey from idea to publication is never a straight line. Author Dina Rae can certainly relate. Help me in congratulating her on the release of her new book Halo of the Nephilim and read about her publication tale.

My experience in the writing process has been a roller coaster ride. My first novel, The Last Degree, was picked up by an unscrupulous publisher last year. There were so many problems-editing, posting it on distribution sites, formatting, etc. I could go on forever. It was the absence of royalty checks that prompted me to exterminate the contract. I put the book up on Amazon as a self-pub Kindle Select deal. I have no complaints with Amazon. My second novel, Halo of the Damned, and the sequel, Halo of the Nephilim, are traditionally published. To be honest, the experience is really a disappointment. I don’t want to be negative because the publisher does pretty much what most small/medium publishers do-very little in terms of advertising and promotion. What can I say-I’m a rookie who is learning. I have not been in this business long enough to give anyone advice, but I will say this: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.

Author Bio:

Dina Rae is a new author that is here to stay. As a former teacher, she brings an academic element to her work. Her research on the Yezidi religion and love of art inspired her story telling for Halo of the Damned.
Her second novel, The Last Degree, is a fictionalized account of the Freemason’s role in the New World Order. Dina’s grandfather was the Most Worshipful of his lodge. The subject has always held a personal interest.

Her latest novel, Bad Juju, is about an old Haitian bokor who mentors two teens in the dark arts. A unique blend of horror, romance, and literary fiction meant for adults and mature teens.
Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago. She is an avid reader, tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on conspiracy theories. She has appeared in several literary blogs, newspapers, e-zines, and radio shows as a guest

Where to find Dina

Webpage | Twitter | Facebook

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Title: Halo Of The Nephilim

Author: Dina Rae

Genre: Paranormal Fiction/Horror

Series: Follows Halo of the Damned

Number of Pages: 244

Publisher: Eternal Press

Formats available: E-book

Can a fallen angel, his band of broken souls, and nephilim children change the world?

Armaros the Cursed, Satan’s favorite of the Fallen, falls once again after breaking the rules. Fearing an eternity of punishment, he desperately attempts to save himself by sending a bird to his island. The SOS message is received by his beloved congregation. Can these loyal worshipers rescue him from the pit?

Halo of the Nephilim is the sequel to Halo of the Damned. The story begins with Armaros’ arrest. Declared dead, his only known surviving daughter, Joanna Easterhouse, proves her relation and inherits everything. She catapults her career from an entry-level advertising assistant to the head of Armaros’ advertising empire. She should be on top of the world, but knows everything good must come to an end.

Joanna’s sister, Kim Easterhouse, marries Sean Slattery. Joanna generously includes them as key players in her advertising chain. They, too, have much to smile about, but a string of events leads them back to old family secrets.

Wickedness looms over the Easterhouse family once more, forcing them into an unlikely showdown filled with page-turning excitement. Like Halo of the Damned, Halo of the Nephilim is filled with conspiracy and angel lore taken directly from scripture and other ancient writings. More mind control themes top off this tale of doom. Dina Rae delivers the darkness in the most entertaining light.

July 8 Turning The Pages Review

July 9 Angels Are Kids & Fur Kids Guest Post

July 10 Over A Cuppa Tea Review/Guest Post

July 11 The Avid Reader Guest Post

July 12 Sydney Aaliyah Guest Post

July 13 Share My Destiny Excerpts

July 15 Wicked Readings by Tawania Guest Post

July 14 Red Reader Author Interview

July 16 A Buckeye Girl Reads Excerpt

July 17 Hanging With Bells Guest Post

July 18 Amys Booket List Guest Post

July 19 A Buckeye Girl Reads Playlist

July 20 Forget The Housework, I’m Reading Review

July 21 Christy’s Book Addiction Excerpt or Interview

July 22 Christine Rains Guest Post

My Road to Publication by Kathy Lynn Harris

Published on December 5, 2012December 5, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle3 Comments

Thank you, Sydney, for hosting me here during my blog tour for my new novel, A Good Kind of Knowing. I thought I’d give readers a quick timeline of my road to publication for the novel, since it’s not exactly a straight path! In fact, the story began a long time ago, and it includes my first novel, Blue Straggler. So here you go!

1999 – 2000 Completed the first full manuscript of A Good Kind of Knowing while living deep in the heart of Texas.

December 2000 – Summer 2001 Moved to Colorado to live in the mountains and write; began revising A Good Kind of Knowing like a crazy person

Fall 2001 Pitched it to NY lit agents; got picked up on my 10^th bite! Thought I was Hot Snot (not really!) Began writing Blue Straggler.

Spring 2002 Got close to a contract for A Good Kind of Knowing, but alas, ultimately rejected by the Powers That Be.

Spring 2003 – 2004 Completed Blue Straggler; decided to leave my NY agent and sign with one on the West Coast who was a better fit for me.

2005 – 2006 Revised Blue Straggler; agent held auction for publishers; got oh-so-close again, but no final takers. Drank lots of vodka. Licked literary wounds.

2006 – Spring 2011 Left novel-writing for a while and published essays and short stories and bad poetry. Adopted a beautiful baby boy.

August 2011 Discussed self-publishing Blue Straggler as an ebook with my agent; she was supportive and I had nothing to lose, so I went for it!

Fall 2011 Blue Straggler as an ebook went viral, and sales exceed expectations. Signed a five-year contract with 30 Day Books of Seattle to publish the novel as a trade paperback.

March 2012 Blue Straggler published in paperback. It becomes a #1 bestseller in two categories on Amazon.

May 2012 30 Day Books passes after reading A Good Kind of Knowing, but encourages me to publish it myself.

October 2012 A Good Kind of Knowing is published as an ebook. Paperback release planned for December 2012. Sales are rockin’ along! Just released a Music-to-Read-By playlist, too.

So there you have it. My steep, winding roads to the publication of two novels.

Good Kind of Knowing is a novel about the power of music and friendship, the relationship two-steps that go on in old Texas dancehalls, and the secret to finding just a little bit of common ground in a world full of distrust.

Sera Taylor’s store is the one place in Lakeville, Texas, where individuals from all walks of life share a universal love for music and a respect for the gypsy-like woman behind the antique glass counter. Readers get a taste of the unorthodox connection between Sera and Mack, a young local cowboy and musician, and Sera’s previously untested devotion to her husband Bill. They learn of her relationship with Ruby D., the vibrant but misguided mother of five; with Louie, the shy high school band director; with Beverly, the religious, upper-class socialite; with Antonio, a local bar owner striving to make a life for himself; with Tommy Lee, a rich and directionless gigolo; and with Wes, the only out-of-the closet gay man for miles. As Sera battles a serious illness, the characters must overcome long-held stereotypes to save Sera’s store, and in the end, large parts of themselves.

Buy Links:

agoodkindofknowingcover

Amazon | Barnes and Nobles

Author Bio:

Kathy Lynn Harris grew up in rural South Texas—and comes from people who work hard, love the land and know how to have a good time on a Saturday night. In 2001, Kathy made the move from Texas to the Colorado Rockies to focus on her writing and soak up All Things Mountain. She lives in a 1920s log cabin with her husband and son, plus two fairly untrainable golden retriever mixes. Kathy has written two novels, three children’s books, a lot of bad poetry, short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, and personal essays. Kathy’s blog, You Can Take the Girl Out of Texas, but, can be found at kathylynnharris.com.