I'm happy to participate in the Blog HopPlease 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 Here is your mystery word:Pilot Visit the participating blogsand collect the 10 hidden words for your chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card 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
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When I imagine people as if they were animalsI'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! The lionThey 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. The boarThey 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. The snakeThey 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. The monkeyThey 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! The hyenaThey 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! The Blue JayThey'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! The peacockThey'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. The lambThey'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. The owlThey 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 doveThe 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. Write Blog Posts and Articles1. 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 I just sent out my March Newsletterand this morning and just got this angry message to my website: He left a fake email and most likely fake nameHe calls himself Justin, so this is my public reply to him: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! What could be the reason of his anger?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? Wolves in sheep's clothingVanity publishers contact me, and I assume they contact as many authors they can find, 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 salespeople, I have to give them that! I had a message and a pleasant female voice stated that she read my book, loved it and would like to offer a publishing contract. Not knowing where she was calling from I called her back. "Which book did you like?" 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 submits their manuscript." They'd say. Yeah, right! They're hounding authors all over the net. "We don't ask authors to pay for publishing but you're required to purchase a certain number of books!" Their profit is coming from the 100 to 500 books sold to the authors. Why would they worry about selling books to readers? 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 few factsA 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 quickly, 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! Either find a traditional publisher that don't charge any fees, or self-publish your book with KDP, Nook, Smashwords, D2D, iBooks, Google etc. A list of known vanity publishersAuthorHouse 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 Need help with self-publishing?Tips from a writer who tried, failed, |
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. Rainbows and dark clouds are part of life, Without darkness there can be no light. Without moments that make us cry, We can’t enjoy moments that make us smile. Without moments that make us laugh, We can’t get through moments that make us sad. ~Erika M Szabo |
"Not only does this tale—perfect for ages six to young teens--entertain, it teaches important lessons on how to work with others to accomplish goals, how to face fear, the importance of safety, and how to make difficult decisions. A cast of endearing (and some not so sweet) characters, non-stop action and plenty of twists and turns engages and delights."
"Erika Szabo and Joe Bonadonna, share a great talent and imagination when it comes to write children's stories. They take kids and young teens on a magical reading journey that will keep them glued to the pages. I recommend this book for young teens. It is the perfect story for Halloween time. It's like Cool Whip on a pie!"
"Szabo and Bonadonna’s story crackles with action and excitement. Their storytelling moves with the speed of lightning, but never lets the reader get lost. The atmosphere is just spooky enough to be fun but never enough to be too scary."
Erika M Szabo http://www.authorerikamszabo.com "Erika became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to her dad who introduced her to many great books. Erika writes alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. Erika also likes to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds. | “Much like Erika, Joe’s dad introduced him to books, as well as movies and music, at a very young age. He was encouraged to write as soon as he could hold a pencil. While Joe writes mostly Heroic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Horror and Science Fiction for an older audience, he decided to reach out to a younger audience and write something entertaining, as well as educational. This is his first collaboration with Erika, and his first children’s book.” |
"Bullies get their due in "the Haunted Bakery of Seven Pines" The authors bring together characters into a most interesting situation combining a haunted mansion with a bully who wants to prove he is not afraid of anything by spending the night in a vacant home that has had many legends told about it for many years. The solution to the aggressive behavior of certain kids is handled in a most unique way that makes for an interesting read that is enhanced by the artwork of artist Sudipta Dasgupta. There are many symbolic renderings for readers to pick up on in "the Haunted Bakery of Seven Pines that increase the enjoyment of this work for all ages to appreciate."
It's not cool to be a bully
June 24, 2018
By Grace Augustine
Albert, the school bully, talked his friend Timmy into being just like him. They were the "cool" boys...always calling other classmates names, and puffing out their chests. That was until one day one of the other students challenged Albert and Timmy to prove they weren't just the words they slung at others. This challenge led them into more trouble than they were already in...an abandoned bakery, an evil witch, and boys who were scared spit-less fill the first half of this epic children's novel. This is a classic tale of the good kids against the bullies, important life lessons are learned in an unconventional way through an unlikely ally. The Haunted Bakery of Seven Pines is a lovely story for elementary and middle schoolers.
History Lesson
June 25, 2018
By Bev
This book melds history and fiction while also weaving a moral into the story. Hauntings from Becky Robbins’s childhood are resurrected, and incorporated into a children’s book that is based on an actual “haunted” bakery in Virginia, but is a vessel to intrigue and instruct readers. Anti-bullying literature must grab the reader’s attention early on, and the Haunted Bakery certainly delivers. The book has a lesson to teach but is also light hearted and fun...and scary!! Love this little book filled with history and histrionics and a lesson to be learned.
This book was a fun read and had a wonderful lesson for 5-12 year-olds
June 25, 2018
By Christina Weigand
This book was a fun read and had a wonderful lesson for 5-12 year-olds. When the school bullies are challenged to visit a haunted house they are surprised at what they find. They will learn a valuable lesson about bullies.
Five to twelve year-olds will learn valuable lessons about bullying. This can be a good tool for teachers and parents to be used in teaching children about bullying without being preachy or having it look like they are being taught a lesson.
Children will enjoy this fun tale of mystery and intrigue as the bullies take up the challenge and learn a lesson.
Toinette
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a fun story that teaches an important lesson.June 30, 2018
This is an important book. The fact that it's a fun story with lovely illustrations is just a bonus. It's obvious that the central theme of this story is bullying but there's more to it than that. While the main characters of the story are, Albert and Timmy, two school bullies, there are other characters in the story who could also be considered bullies as well. Plus, there's also a witch worth mentioning.
At the beginning of the story, we see Albert and Timmy bullying the other kids, but it's pretty clear that this isn't a behavior that they do simply out of spite. Both boys have experienced some form of bullying themselves in the past and therefore they’re simply ‘beating the other kids at their own game.’ I think this is a wonderful dynamic to explore in children's fiction. I think it's a good idea to explore in any type of fiction. I think too often people feel that a bully is just a bully, but often there's more to the story. And then there's the evil witch. Perhaps there's more to her story as well.
While the action of the story begins with a dare that sends Albert and Timmy on their adventure into the haunted bakery, there are underlying tones to the story that you might miss if you don't pay really close attention. To young readers, the fun, mystery, and adventure of the story will pull them in, along with the colorful images, but adults will appreciate the other significances of the story, hopefully prompting them to discuss them with the young readers.
Aside from the central theme of bullying, the story also touches on aspects of: asking and seeking help from others, accepting help from others, accepting others as they are and for their differences, and even acknowledging the changes in times. Considering the social climate of modern times, being able to look back at the past and see how things have changed and or improved is important. I feel more people should take time to look at the past for improvements while continuing to strive for even better in the future.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, which has in no way affected my opinion or overall rating.
I think this is a fun story that teaches an important lesson. I highly recommend it to elementary classroom teachers, parents, and anyone else seeking a way to help deal with bullying.
Teresa Fudala
5.0 out of 5 starsBully Buster
July 2, 2018
The Haunted Bakery is a great book! It deals with bullying and I have two small children and their attention span is very limited. I read the book to them and they sat through the whole book and it was like they were mesmerized by the illustrations. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
Sandra Watts
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book to read to your small children.
July 2, 2018
A wonderful book to read to your small children. I work in a Pediatric dental office and I have this book in our office. A well written book and wonderful illustrations. A great price for a great book!!!!
Magical realism, historical fantasy Message: Don't be afraid to try new things. Let your imagination take you to the fantasy world. Be proud of your heritage. Let every experience make you grow as a person and fine tune your personality. Or just find out that you enjoy reading a genre you haven't tried before. |
Storybook for children 4-12 Message to kids: Be kind to others. Disabled people are just people who happens to have disabilities. Don't judge a person by the wheelchair, judge them by their personality. People who doesn't speak your language are not dumb. You just don't understand what they're saying and they don't understand you. |
Storybook for children 4-12 Message to kids: Help the helpless and be kind to animals. Don't let bullies dictate what you do, don't be afraid, speak up. Stand up for what you think is right. Friendship is a beautiful thing and a dog can be your best friend. |
Heroic fantasy for children 8-14 with coauthor Joe Bonadonna Our message to kids: Let your imagination fly and enter fantasy worlds where anything is possible. Learn the difference between fantasy and reality. Stand up and fight for what's right. Help others without expecting a prize. |
Storybook for children 5-12 with coauthor Becky Robbins Our message to kids: Accepting a foolish dare can get you in big trouble. Some bullies have their reason to be bullies, but they can change when they realize that what they're doing is wrong. Not every boy's dream is to become a doctor, firefighter or policeman. Some boys want to become pastry chefs. |
Picture book for children 2-6 Message to kids: Your sister or brother might be annoying, but when you're in trouble, they're the ones you can count on. |
This article says, " Readers would be able to connect to the character and imagine themselves playing the role." Okay, I'm game, let's see how it would work with my fantasy book. So, if I try to replace every gender specific word with word that doesn't refer to gender, what is this short excerpt would be like? |
According to the article, "Most of the time, children's books feature characters that are genderless." Hm... let's see how it would work with a story that I wrote with my coauthor, Joe Bonadonna for kids 8-17, the Creepy Hollow Adventures. |
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