If you didn't have a chance to visit the 11 previous blogs that participates in this fun blog-hop to collect the secret words, scroll down to find the links in the contest entry form at the end of this post.

If you visited every blog on the list, you have 11 words and you'll find the 12th word hidden in this post between six asterisks. The 12 words make a quote about writing.

Add the 12 words quote to the CONTEST ENTRY form at the end of this post and:

The winners will be notified via email and announced (mentioning only first names) on May 26th on the #OurAuthorGang blog: https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/

I've published quite a few children's books:

But one of my books stands out and readers buy it regularly on different publishing sites.

Sarah, Emma’s mom, promised to bird-sit Pico for two weeks but soon regrets her decision because the noisy parrot keeps screeching and squawking all day, annoying her family and the neighbors.

When Pico makes a mess of Emma’s room, Emma gets very angry, but her friends help her. Charlotte notices that Pico seems sad, and Pedro finds out why Pico is shrieking so loudly all the time. The parrot is frustrated because nobody pays attention to him, and nobody understands what he wants.

The purpose of this English and Spanish bilingual book is to show children the beauty of another language and that learning a new language doesn’t have to be boring, it could be fun. The story also delivers a message that when we don’t take the ***write*** time to listen to each other, we tend to judge others quickly before we get to know them. ​

You might win:
A $30 gift card
or one of the three $5 gift cards

Add the 12 words quote in the form below.

The winners will be notified via email and announced (only mentioning first names) on May 26th on the #OurAuthorGang blog: https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/

​Love, secrets, legends, secret society, time travel, magical powers collide in a compelling fantasy trilogy, hailed “Mystical and Unique.”

When a young doctor, Ilona, starts to develop unusual powers, her life and her beliefs change. Thrown into a world of clan mysteries, traditions and secrets, she begins remembering her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes.

Punished by the ancestors long ago, Mora has waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland. Now, she seeks to gain the power to rule the ancient clan with a strict hierarchy and deadly laws that still exist hidden among us.

Ilona has been chosen by the ancestors to stop Mora and save the future of the clan.
In her quest to protect her family and the future of her clan, Ilona must activate her Chameleon ability and obtain unimaginable powers ***every***. She can use her powers for absolute good or absolute evil; the choice is up to her.

She has been in love with her best friend but is also drawn to the stranger who appears in a peculiar dream. She must sort through her feelings about the men in her life while she travels through time from present day to back when her people were nomads, to the castles of the 14th century, as she struggles to overcome the obstacles placed in her path.
​
Does she have the strength to fight evil?
Will Ilona accept her destiny? Can she find true love? Will she use her unimaginable powers for good or evil?

#1 stop May 12
https://www.authorerikamszabo.com/my-thinking-board
#2 stop May 12
http://www.weigandchris.com/blog
 
#3 stop May 13
https://www.goldenboxbooks.com/blog
#4 stop May 13
https://rtranbooks.net/
 
#5 stop May 14
http://sonnetodelldustypages.blogspot.com
#6 stop May 14
https://www.hrhobbsbooks.com/blog
 
#7 stop May 15
https://www.rmgarino.com/blog
#8 stop May 15
https://cindysvoices.blogspot.com/
 
#9 stop May 16
http://pattymacfarlane.weebly.com/blog
#10 stop May 16
http://paperpenandinkwell.blogspot.com/index.html
 
#11 stop May 17
https://urbanhype101.wordpress.com/
#12 stop May 17
https://www.authorerikamszabo.com/my-thinking-board
​

As she opened her eyes again, Valerie sobbed, and there was nothing she could do to stop her flowing tears. Caleb had died that night, as though her words had been what he needed for him to be able to move on.
​
“We were so happy, Cal!” She sobbed. “We’d spent almost every waking moment together since we were toddlers. I remember Mom telling Grandma how lucky we were to be born a month apart and live next door to each other because Helga, your nanny, was happy to babysit me. Then you got sick and spent a lot of time in the hospital… but when you felt better, we did everything together. I will never forget our first and only romantic kiss… when we were thirteen. It was so beautiful and felt so natural… That’s when we knew we were soulmates. Then you got sick, and a series of infections made you weaker with every passing day. I wish you were still here, healthy and happy.” She couldn’t continue her monologue. The deep, powerful sob overwhelmed her and erupted from her chest.

After she cried herself out Valerie whispered, “I miss you, more than I can put into words.” Wrapping her arms around herself, she leaned back on the bench, feeling the hardwood pressing against her upper back. “I didn’t want to, but I had to let you go. I couldn’t be selfish. I couldn’t ask you to fight when I knew how much you were hurting. I just… sometimes I wish something could have happened to me too, so we could be together. I don’t know how I’m meant to live this life without you, Cal. I keep on doing what I’m supposed to be doing, but my world is empty and colorless without you.”
​
A sudden gust of wind blew her hair and showered her with pink petals from the nearby magnolia tree. “Cal?” She whispered, but then shook her head. “It can’t be. I wish, but it’s just the wind.”

Thank you, Eva Pasco, author of great contemporary women’s fiction, for editing my book and catching all my pesky errors.
​Visit Eva's blog:
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?AuthorID=65583 

Is it possible that an ancient curse cast by a powerful witch could destroy families in every generation for centuries? Can the curse be broken?

My dear friend Cindy J. Smith at https://cindysvoices.blogspot.com/ has this amazing ability to send me a poem minutes after we talk about something.

She mentioned this story in a conversation and told me how much she enjoyed it, and 5 minutes later she sent me this poem.

​Thank you so much Cindy! 

Present day
“Wow!” Sofia blurted as they entered the secret room. “You were right, there are lots of treasures in here.”

“I looked only in this trunk but look at the shelves.”

Sofia walked to the shelves and touched the carved, wooden and stone statues one by one. “Look,” she said, “the Sacred Turul. This wood carving is a masterpiece!”

“Yes, I estimate it to be at least a thousand years old. Look at this horse.” He pointed at the black onyx statue.

“Magnificent!” Sofia marveled.

“We can look at those later,” Jayden mentioned to Sofia. “Let’s see if we can find more writing in the trunk.”

“Okay…” Sofia hesitantly replied. She was having a hard time averting her eyes from rows after rows of statues, jewelry, headdresses adorned with beads, gold chalices and bowls.
Jayden opened the wooden trunk and started taking out the items that were wrapped in leather. He pulled the coverings open which revealed swords, knives, handmade leather shoes, and carefully-wrapped scrolls.

“Jay, look!” Sofia pointed at the inside of the trunk lid. “There’s an envelope and it doesn’t seem old.”

Jayden grabbed the corner of the white envelope but couldn’t pull it away. “It seems to be glued to the top,” he stated as he carefully lifted the corner with a knife and pried it away from the wood without ripping the paper.

As he turned it he saw writing on the envelope. “For Sofia and Jayden,” he read out loud. “It’s Grandma’s handwriting and it’s for us.” He sat down on a box, opened the envelope and pulled out the folded letter. He started reading it out loud.

Dearest Sofia and Jayden,
You’re reading this letter, which means I’m gone. I swore to your mother that I would never tell you about the family curse, but I cannot take it to my grave. Although your mother always strongly believed that it is merely a stupid legend and refused to listen to me, I must let you know somehow. Jayden, your life in danger…
 
The year 426 in the Carpathian Basin
As they got close to the trees and peeked out, they saw disheveled men sitting on the ground around fires. Their savage laughs, as they were eating and drinking, cut through to their hearts. Elana gasped when she saw the lifeless bodies of her neighbors thrown to the ground. Zala turned to Elana and raised his eyebrow, silently asking if she was ready. Her eyes shone with anger. She nodded and placed an arrow on her bow and pulled the string, aiming at the head of the loudest bandit who seemed to be the horde’s leader.

Zala whispered, “You have lost the most. You have the right to revenge.”

Elana let the arrow fly, and it pierced the bandit’s forehead between his eyes, coming out at the back of his head halfway. His body fell backward, limp and lifeless.

Zala looked at the waiting wolves and motioned them to go forward. The bandits scrambled to their feet in horror as their leader fell, and the wolves attacked them. Zala and Elana started riding around them in circles, aiming and shooting as the men tried to flee. A few slumped to the ground pierced by arrows, others screamed as the wolves chomped at their hands.
Elana spotted the alpha as he clamped his powerful jaw over a man’s wrist and with a jerk of his head, bit the hand off. And then Elana froze when she saw her mirror image looking at her with crazed eyes.

“Tuana!” Elana yelled and urged her horse toward the disheveled young woman.

Tuana turned her horse and kicked its side, urging the horse to a gallop. Within seconds they collided. The horses neighed in terror as the women were thrown off their backs by the impact. Both women jumped to their feet and faced each other. Elana gave out the warriors’ battle cry, raised her sword, and thrust it toward Tuana. Elana’s move was swift, but Tuana was fast as well and leaned out of the way of the deadly blow. As Tuana jumped back, she looked down with terror in her eyes. A gray wolf standing next to her growled and dropped Tuana’s hand on the ground; it was still clutching the sword. The wolf shook the blood from his muzzle, turned, and ran toward the bushes. Tuana stared at her stump as it spurted blood on her legs.

Tuana howled like a wounded animal and then gave out an insane laugh as she held the stump of her arm close to her chest and started backing away. “I curse you and your descendants! Every woman in your bloodline will have a daughter like me who will be thrown away like garbage. The daughters will kill their brothers and leave their sister alive to carry the bloodline. All mothers for eternity will pay for what your mother did to me.” 

When a young doctor, Ilona, starts to develop unusual powers, her life and her beliefs change. Thrown into a world of clan mysteries, traditions and secrets, she begins remembering her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes.

Punished by the ancestors long ago, Mora has waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland. Now, she seeks to gain the power to rule the ancient clan with a strict hierarchy and deadly laws that still exist hidden among us.

Ilona has been chosen by the ancestors to stop Mora and save the future of the clan.
In her quest to protect her family and the future of her clan, Ilona must activate her Chameleon ability and obtain unimaginable powers. She can use her powers for absolute good or absolute evil; the choice is up to her.

She has been in love with her best friend but is also drawn to the stranger who appears in a peculiar dream. She must sort through her feelings about the men in her life while she travels through time from present day to back when her people were nomads, to the castles of the 14th century, as she struggles to overcome the obstacles placed in her path.
​
Does she have the strength to fight evil?
Will Ilona accept her destiny? Can she find true love? Will she use her unimaginable powers for good or evil?

“This is so different from the usual fare churned out by ordinary writers.” -Valerie Byron

"Written with style and grace, Erika M Szabo has stepped into the novel wars with a powerful entry." ~Janet Morris

"The universe created in this book is original, mystical and unique; in fact it's so original I have nothing to compare it with." ~ Miss Devora

“Erika has brought a new kind of fantasy story into the realm of fantasy fiction. The narrative is magnetic and entertaining.” ~seriousreading
​
"This is a great read that levels you on a roller coaster ride with all the twist and turns!" ~Brian Dull

Listen to a few fun stories

Short stories about life’s humorous, happy, and dark moments.
Some of the stories are from my years in nursing, Steve's clumsiness and my cooking disasters might make you spit out your coffee laughing. The stories of my pets will put a warm smile on your face, and the stories about life's darker moments might make you wipe a tear or two.

Request your complimentary audiobook by clicking the contact box below:

Please get yourself comfortable as we take a daily tour through these fabulous blogs. Each blog you visit will entertain you with exclusive articles and excerpts from this fantastic new book. Get an insight into the character’s head with interviews and profile images. Then hunt down the hidden word that will get you one step closer to the $10 Amazon Gift Card.
You are here to celebrate the release of Star Shepard, book one of the space western series, Shepherd of Light, by R.R.Virdi.

Star Shepherd knows a raw deal when he sees one. And he’s got the worst one in the galaxy: to deliver a mysterious package to a rebellion to change the scales of power in favor of the common man. As he meets with an old friend to seek much-needed help, he draws the attention of a genocidal admiral willing to destroy entire worlds if it means catching Star Shepherd.

Will Star survive the chase and bring hope to the rebellion, or deliver a gift into the hands of a worse power, tipping the galaxy into further chaos?
https://amzn.to/2CpdbEA

Send your completed word list to kkantasauthorassist@gmail.com
​
Tuesday 19th –  https://rrvirdi.com
Wednesday 20th –http://indiescififantasy.com
Thursday 21st – https://readcommendations.com
Friday 22nd - https://mmcquillen44.wixsite.com/themadhouse
Saturday 23rd - https://www.authorerikamszabo.com/my-thinking-board
Sunday 24th - https://rainne15.wordpress.com
Monday 25th -  https://www.maryrwoldering.com 
Tuesday 26th - https://karensbookbuzz.wordpress.com
Wednesday 27th - https://katerauner.wordpress.com/
Thursday 28th - https://celthric.com
 
Blog Hop Tour organized by Author Assist

I've been a social site since the beginning, and I come across a lot of different people. Mostly because I'm a writer and I promote my books on social sites, but I'm a social person as well, and I like to meet new people.
Unintentionally, I started comparing people to animals and imagined how they would fit the popular (not necessarily true) behavior of certain animals.
This is a fun post and I don't mean to offend people or animals.
​Enjoy! 

They pounce on every post they come across and leave angry, dismissive comments. They ridicule people and try to bully them into accepting their views but usually don't explain their own views clearly. They want attention and want people to follow them but don't really know how to lead. They keep adding nasty comments and get into a verbal fight with everyone which leads to vulgar language and even threats.
They think: I know I'm right, but they're too dumb to understand.

They share mostly political posts that fit their beliefs. They viciously attack everyone with different political views but refuse to get into discussions with others.
They think: I'm not gonna waste my time with stupid idiots.

They visit the secret and closed group they belong to every day and scan the posts. They stay in the background and never like or comment on any post, but they carry the information they find to other groups and present them as their own ideas.
They think: Keep posting, my lovelies, so I can reap what you sow.

They read everyone's comments and then state their opinion which is usually the summary of the most liked and replied comments.
They think: They like me! OMG, they really like me, and they think I'm smart!

They have antisocial, and even psychopathic personalities. They don't read happy posts and get angry and jealous when people post about their success. They like to read posts about tragedies, pain, and suffering. They might leave a sad face emoji yet they don't feel sympathy or empathy toward anyone.
They think: They think I like them or feel sorry for them. Morons!

They're the first to report tragedies and bad news. They warn everyone about food recalls, internet scams, fake news, and any negative news they can find.
They think: I must warn everyone. Oh, my God! I have to post this right now!

They're narcissistic people who work hard to succeed but hate everyone who's prettier and more successful than they are. They gossip behind everyone's back and enjoy the chaos they cause. They put everyone down but they never confront anyone face to face.
They think: Hehe! Now they’re not so chummy anymore.

They're always happy - on the surface. Their page is filled with smiles, cute animal videos, and beautiful pictures. They're fierce defenders of their religion but try to disagree with their beliefs, they turn into a roaring lion.
They think: Don’t show your pain. Be nice to everyone.

They don't post much but when they do, it's always worth reading. Their posts are well thought out and they have realistic views on just about anything.
They think: This post is not correct, let me look into it and let them know what I think. 

The most empathetic people on social sites. They truly feel sympathy tenfold for every sufferer but when they see too much tragedy, they have to mute the person who always posts about pain and disease. They can’t take the heightened emotions. They also feel the joy of others and like to communicate with happy, successful people.
They think: I feel your pain but it’s too much to bear. I can’t take it anymore, I must stay away from you.

I hope you enjoyed this fun post. If I left out any type of social animals, let me know in comments.

Listen to a few stories from my new audio book

Nah, I don't dance Spanish either..
I never learned to speak Spanish and I know only a few words I picked up working as a nurse, but I love a sound and rhythm of this melodious, dynamic language.
And, of course, I love watching the Spanish dance as well.

You might ask how could I publish books in Spanish if I don't speak the language. Well, I met Carmen, an English teacher in Spain, on Facebook, and she mentioned that she needs to refine her English skills. So I asked her if she would translate some of my books. She agreed, and, of course, I paid for the translation because I value the work of others. 

First she translated two of my children's books and later my fantasy series.

Sarah, Emma’s mom, promised to bird-sit Pico for two weeks but soon regrets her decision because the noisy parrot keeps screeching and squawking all day, annoying her family and the neighbors. When Pico makes a mess of Emma’s room, Emma gets very angry, but her friends help her. Charlotte notices that Pico seems sad, and Pedro finds out why Pico is shrieking so loudly all the time. The parrot is frustrated because nobody pays attention to him, and nobody understands what he wants.
The purpose of this English and Spanish bilingual book is to show children the beauty of another language and that learning a new language doesn’t have to be boring, it could be fun. The story also delivers a message that when we don’t take the time to listen to each other, we tend to judge others quickly before we get to know them

1. Articles can provide authors with presence in the jungle of the net.
If you don't already have an established, well-visited website or blog, it may take years for Google to trust your site and rank in search results. The OAG blog, because we add interesting content daily, have a pretty strong presence in search.

2. Practice makes perfect.
The more you write, the better and more unique your writing style will become.  Writing articles is a great way to practice and perfect your craft. Your articles will also help you grow your audience and get them excited about your next book.

3. Articles establish your credibility.
Having good, interesting, and valuable content is going to establish your credibility which is especially critical for nonfiction authors. Readers and buyers have millions of books and authors to choose from, but something about you and your writing needs to stand out. Finding your articles online through Google searches, or seeing them posted on your social media channels and your book selling sites, will show buyers that you are serious about your writing

4. Writing articles enables you to build your audience.
In addition to having a presence on social sites, writing articles also help you build connections. Articles and blogs are another way for people to get to know you and your work. It’s a way for people to hear your voice. A lot of authors write articles for other blogs or website or agree to share and promote another author’s blog with their community. This is a great way to reach new audiences.

5. You get valuable feedback.
Okay, there are a few jerks who criticize anything anonymously just because they're jerks. That's why the OAG blog is set up the way that only those can comment who signed into Google.

Re-blogged from the Our Author Gang blog

Dear Angry Man,
I send out newsletters to my subscribers, because they SUBSCRIBED and are interested.
I don't collect emails through tricky giveaways or through unclear, misleading methods.

The only two ways anyone can subscribe to my newsletters:
1. If they visit my website and click on the clearly written pop-up window to subscribe.
2. They read my newsletter by clicking on the posted link on social sites and and click the subscribe button.

If you subscribed by mistake or no longer interested in receiving my newsletters, please scroll to the bottom of the newsletter and simply click the UNSUBSCRIBE button. 
Using foul language and marking my newsletter as spam is uncalled for when there is a way to behave in a civilized manner.
Thank you!

Is it because anger feels better than feeling sad, miserable, or desperate?
Anger gives us a temporary feeling of false power.

Is it because hiding behind a fake name gives him the freedom to say whatever he wants and hurt anyone who happens to be in his way without consequences?

Is it because he's powerless to control his own life or maybe he feels entitled and angry at the world because the things he wants are not handed to him on a silver platter?

I wonder...
What do you think?

AMAZON
ITUNES
B&N
KOBO
SCRIBD
PLAYSTER
​

Vanity publishers contact me from time to time either on my website or on the phone (which supposedly hidden on social sites, but I guess made accessible to those who pay for the list)

​They hire great sales people, I have to give them that! 

I picked up a call yesterday after the pleasant female voice stated that she read my book, loved it and would like to offer a publishing contract.
"Which book is that?" I asked.
I heard papers shuffling and keyboard clicking and then she said, "The Ancestors' Secrets trilogy."
"What did you like about the series?"
"Uhm… I really like the story and I'd like to publish it for you. It has great potentials and you will make a large profit after we publish and market your book."

It was obvious she knew nothing about my books and was trying to find a naïve and willing pigeon to make a large profit.

Lately, since self-published or first time publishing authors are more aware of the pitfalls of vanity publishers, they often pose as a traditional publisher.

When asked, they vehemently deny that they are vanity publishers.
"We don’t accept everyone who submit their manuscript."
Yeah, right! They're hounding authors all over the net.
"We don't ask authors to pay for printing just to pre-purchase a certain number of books!"

The truth?
Vanity publishers rely on the authors to pay for everything, therefore, they have little interest in selling books to other than the authors.

A vanity publisher that poses as a traditional publisher.
They don’t mention their fees on their websites or when they contact you, you find out that money is due only after you submitted your manuscript.

They claim to share the cost:
Terms like “co-op”, “joint venture”, “partner”, “subsidy”, or any other phrase that suggests the publisher will be matching your investment with its own. They will not, their profit comes from the fees its authors pay and the books the authors buy.

Glowing referrals from literary agencies or freelance editors.
Reputable literary agents and freelance editors don’t work with vanity publishers. Period. 

A promise (usually implied) of a profit.
They provide a nice sales projections chart supposedly showing that you can make thousands of dollars by selling X number of books.
​
A setup fee or deposit.
"You’re not paying to publish, you just contribute to the cost of preparing your book for printing."

A fee for some aspect of the publication process other than book production.
They ask you to chip in for editing, or for cover art, or for publicity (real publishers provide these things as part of the publication process, at their expense).

Fees for “extra” services over and above the basics of publication.
They offer you the opportunity to pay for expedited editing, or special website placement, or inclusion in book fair catalogs, or enhanced marketing. Because they say these services are optional, they can claim that they're not making authors to pay to publish.

A claim that your fee is only part of the cost, with the publisher fronting the rest.
They're making you feel better about paying a large amount of money. Their profit comes from the fees authors pay and the books the authors buy, rather than from book sales to the public.

Refusal to provide a firm price and detailed information.
The exact amount you are expected to pay should be stated and included in the contract with any extras such as warehousing or marketing. You could be hit with enormous additional fees.

Verbal promises that aren’t included in the contract.
If the publisher is willing to promise something, it should also be willing to include it to the contract.

Enticing.
They might say that they can’t risk a regular contract for someone who hasn’t yet published anything, but would be willing to split the costs and profits of the book. Or they may tell you that they’ve used up their traditional publishing budget for the year, but would be glad to work on a “co-op” basis. Or they may promise to publish your second book without charge if the first book does well.

Beware.
They want to hook you quick, before you change your mind. They might tell you that its offer is “limited time only" or if they feel hesitation on your part, they put you on hold for a few seconds and come back: "I talked to my supervisor and we can offer you a $$$ drop of the fees."

My advice?
Run, and either find a traditional publisher that don't charge any fees, or self-publish your book with KDP, Nook, Smashwords, D2D, iBooks, Google etc.

AuthorHouse is, according to the (BBB) Better Business Bureau just one of the alternative names for Author Solutions, LLC. Other alternative names include:
Xlibris, LLC
Westbow Press
Trafford Publishing, LLC
Responder Media
Partridge Singapore
Partridge India
Abbott Press
Partridge Africa
Palibrio
Author Learning Center
Archway Publishing
Booktango
Balboa Press
Content Distributors, LLC
iUniverse, LLC
Inspiring Voices
LifeRich Publishing

PublishAmerica, also known as: PublishAtlantica
PublishBritannica (not to be confused with the encyclopedia company)
PublishIcelandica
Tate Publishing & Enterprises
Xulon Press

​Make your first impressions count. Nothing will send your readers running faster than a description that is boring, rambling, and especially if it's full of self-praise such as listing fifteen awards.
​I haven't mastered this yet, but my best advice is to read as many book descriptions in your genre to find the common structure and what kind of plot points are highlighted.

A good editor is merciless about inconsistencies, plot holes, poor structure, clichés. Before you hire one, make sure you understand the different types of editing: development/content editing, line editing and copyediting, and proofreading. It’s nearly impossible for one editor to accomplish all levels of editing in one pass, and manuscripts require different types of editing.

Every bookseller has different technical requirements that need to be strictly observed. Check their guidelines to find out which file type they prefer you upload the book. Formatting your manuscript cleanly ensures that readers enjoy a seamless experience, so be mindful of fundamentals like paragraph and page breaks and uniform headings and line spacing. 
if you can learn the details of formatting and do it right, it's great! 
But if you need help, shop around and find a service you're comfortable with. You might want to try Golden Box Books 

​Christmas story released on Christmas Day, gardening advice in November or holiday cooking in April. If your book is specific to a certain time of the year, release your book about a month in advance.

​If no one knows about your book, no one will buy it. Nowadays, when the book market is saturated, even traditional publishers are asking their authors to help with marketing on social media and with advertisement.
I'm no expert in marketing and since the books sales plummeted due to thousands of books flooding the market every day, it's getting harder and harder to find readers.
​
What I do:
I send out a newsletter every 2-3 months when I have at least 30-40 new subscribers. I always get a few sales the days after the newsletter goes out.

I post regularly on the OAG blog with my fellow Author Gang Members. The blog has a lot of viewers and followers, we have posted over 600 articles so far.

I try to keep my website updated and make my books available for purchase in my Bookstore.

I post on my Facebook page, Twitter profile and LinkedIn with less success than I would like.

I don't have the financial freedom to pay for pricey advertisements but I'm researching some options such as Amazon, FB, and Google ads.

Don’t restrict yourself to selling your book through one channel. Get your book out there to as many people as possible. Explore your options and look into publishing with IngramSpark, Amazon, B&N, which give you access to different types of retail outlets. The library market is important as well, which you can reach through eBook distributors like Smashwords and Draft2Digital.

Price your book too high, and no one will buy it. Price it too low and readers may assume that because your book is cheap and it's not selling at regular price, so it must not worth even the 99 cents.
Research what other books in your genre and at your page count are selling for. One thing to remember, while promotional discounts can be a valuable bump in your sales, customers are savvy enough to wait until the price drops on your other books as well.

Don't dismiss the opinion and advice of professionals such as editors, cover artists, book formatters. They know what they're doing and it's part of their jobs to give you their opinion.

A few examples:
The author wanted to publish the novel as romance but as I formatted the book, I read parts of the story here and there. I advised the author to either tone down the sex parts that sounded more like nauseating porn or publish it as an erotica book but rewrite the parts so it would sound a bit less trashy. Advice ignored, the book was published as romance and reported as pornographic and banned from the publishing site as a misleading genre.

Another author wanted the novelette size manuscript to look like a full novel in print and asked me to pump up the book with a large font. wide margins and added empty pages. Let me tell you it looked ridiculous with only 5-6 words per line, but that's what she wanted so I excluded my name as a formatter of the book.

A first-time writer published a children's book for kids 4-8 with language and word use meant for college students. I warned her about it and the editor gave her advice, but the author ignored it and changed the words back as she initially wrote them. Needless to say, the book was reported by readers as highly inappropriate word use for children and taken off the market by the selling site.

About four years ago an aspiring author posted in my writers’ group about his upcoming horror novel and said he quit his job to become a full-time writer. Everyone advised him to keep his job until his book makes money, but he said his book will be a bestseller.
We haven’t heard from him for about a year, and then he posted that his wife left him, so he had to take a part-time job and put his writing on hold.
Two years ago, he announced that he published his book a week before and is calling Amazon because his profile doesn’t show any sales. They told him that it’s because nobody purchased it.
Authors in the group gave him advice how to start promoting his book but he said it takes too much time out of his writing his next book.
Then he posted that he had 17 sales and his book rank rose to the top hundred in the genre. He gave us “advice” how to make it happen. He joined a “buy my book and I’ll buy yours” author group and they’re boosting each other’s book ranks.
Later he started ranting about “stupid readers” who don’t buy his book and when he gave away his book for free to get reviews, the one- and two-star reviews began piling up.  He started using profane language, so I banned him from the group.
​I don’t see his book on selling sites and in search of his name only his FB profile comes up, so I’m guessing he either gave up writing or published under a different name.

Watch where the midnight ball drops around the world in the live video

Image credit: https://www.usa.lighting.philips.com/consumer/times-square-ball

Video credit YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uev9jlCqKE

To my family, friends, and readers around the globe!

www.authorerikamszabo.com

My trilogy, The Ancestors' Secrets, is getting a makeup. It is in the capable hands of my editor, Lorraine Carey, and I've been designing the new covers for the eBooks and prints.

​Speculative urban fantasy, alternate reality, romantic historical fiction trilogy.
When a young doctor, Ilona, starts to develop unusual powers, her life and her beliefs change. Thrown into a world of clan mysteries, traditions and secrets, she begins remembering her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes.
Punished by the ancestors long ago, Mora has waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland. Now, she seeks to gain the power to rule the ancient clan with a strict hierarchy and deadly laws that still exist hidden among us. 
Ilona has been chosen by the ancestors to stop Mora and save the future of the clan.
Her birthright as a Healer runs alongside her desires as a woman. She has been in love with her best friend but is also drawn to the stranger who appears in her peculiar dream.
Ilona must save herself and her family from Mora’s evil plans, uncover ancient tribal secrets, and find her Destiny Box… the box that contains the message of the Ancestors. 
Does she have the strength to fight evil?

Click to read excerpts and meet the characters on the page:

Decorating the Christmas tree was a family night when I was young. We listened to Christmas music, I made strings from popcorn, glued shiny, colored paper and cut out small snowflakes from white paper. My dad painted walnuts with gold and silver paint. Mom hung the special candy on the tree branches, that is made only for Christmas in Europe. This candy is a small bon-bon filled with various flavored filling such as chocolate, vanilla, marzipan, chestnut, fruit flavored jelly or caramel.

I wasn't supposed to eat the Christmas candy until we opened the presents Christmas morning, but I was about four or five years old when I noticed my dad sneaking into the dining room on Christmas Eve while mom was taking a bath. I peeked  and saw dad carefully sliding the candy out of the wrapping and smoothed the paper back, so it looked like the candy was still inside it.

After dad settled down to watch TV, I sneaked into the dining room and gorged on the delicious, chocolate covered candy. In my childish mind my actions were justified. If dad can do it, so can I. 

Christmas morning came, and I felt so tired that I didn't even feel the usual excitement of opening the presents. I didn't sleep well, tossed and turned most of the night. Dad was yawning and seemed tired as well.

After we had opened the presents, mom said, “Now we can eat some Christmas candy.” She reached up to take one, but when she touched it, the shiny wrapping paper flattened between her fingers. She touched the candy one by one and only found a few at the back of the tree that still had the bon-bon in it.

Mom looking at our guilty faces burst out laughing. “I guess you two didn't sleep much last nigh having a sugar high and now you can barely keep your eyes open! You learned your lesson I guess, next year leave some candy on the tree for me.”

From then on, it became a tradition to “steal” a few candy off the tree but dad and I never again put ourselves into a sugar coma.

Editorial review:
The Rainbows and Clouds by Erika M Szabo is a collection of fun anecdotes, heartwarming stories, and slice-of-life tales that evoke a wide range of emotions. It's impossible to choose a favorite story because I loved them all, particularly the tales that explored the challenges of having a pet. There are several stories within this collection that explore the best - and the worst - of humanity. We are reminded that not everything, or everyone, is what they appear to be and that the best things in life are often surprises. I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone! It truly is something special.
~Tricia Drammeh

Nurse's Voice
A large man in the ER screamed bloody murder after two nurses tried to insert an IV in his arm and failed. The guy threatened to call his lawyer and sue the hospital. He called the nurses incompetent fools, so, because I was the supervisor on that shift, they called me to deal with the angry man.

I walked into his room, introduced myself and told him, “Sir, I’m going to try to start your IV.”
He yelled, “This hospital is full of ******* idiots! I hope you know what you’re doing!”

I put my nurse’s face on and said in my soothing nurse’s voice to break his foul mood, “Don’t worry, sir, I just watched a video on YouTube and learned how to start IVs.”

The surprised look on his face was priceless and I heard the nurses taking sharp breaths outside the door, ready for another angry eruption.

“What? You’re kidding, right?”

I just smiled at him and started preparing the IV kit.

“Okay, you get one shot!” he replied somewhat calmer, but there was a calculating look on his face as if he was already counting the money he would get from a lawsuit. He watched me like a hawk, and I saw his wife from the corner of my eye holding her phone and recording my every move.
​
After I started his IV and adjusted the IV fluid drip he said calmly, “You did alright.”
I left his room and one of the younger nurses gave me a fist bump and said, “I didn’t believe it when they said you’re a patient whisperer, but now I know.”