INTERVIEW WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR-CHERYL KAYE TARDIF

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cheryl Kaye Tardif
International bestselling author
http://www.cherylktardif.com
http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com
International bestseller CHILDREN OF THE FOG - a mother's worst nightmare…

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif

ABOUT THE INTERVIEW

Q&A portion:

James: When did you begin to write?

Cheryl : It feels like I’ve always written. I began to create my own stories in school, where my teachers encouraged me to pursue fiction. I was 16 when I wrote my first novel, but it was stolen from my locker. That was way before computers and flash drives, and all I had was a typed manuscript and no copy. I wrote my next novel about 5 years later. It remains unpublished, but I may resurrect it one day.

James: What made you think of publishing a book to share with others?

Cheryl: When teachers told me I had talent in writing, I realized how much I enjoyed creating characters and worlds. But it was a difficult career to pursue in my 20s so I put it on the backburner, though I did try for many years to find a publisher and an agent. In 2001, a story became ingrained in my mind, building quickly and strongly to the point that I could envision the characters. I knew the beginning, middle and end. But I was afraid to write it because I thought it would never be published. I let the idea simmer for 2 years until one day I told a friend the story. She had tears in her eyes when I was done. Then she gave me the best advice I’d ever been given: “Don’t worry if it gets published. Write it for you. Write it because you have to.” So I did. That was Whale Song. I wrote it in 3 months. It was published in the summer of 2003 and is an international bestselling novel with worldwide appeal. And it has literally changed people’s lives.

James: So far what is your worst criticisms/attacks and how did you overcome them?

Cheryl: Constructive criticism is something I’ve always welcomed. Unfortunately some people leave out the “constructive” part and feel it’s their “job” to rip apart books. Some of the toughest criticisms have come from the odd reader who finds it necessary to slam a writer, even if they didn’t finish reading the book. I had a reviewer do this after reading only a couple of chapters of one of my books. When he slammed it afterward, I was amazed to find other readers jumping in to defend me. They had valid points. How can you honestly review a work if you didn’t read it? If he’d only said it was unreadable or that he didn’t like it enough to finish it, that would have been fine, but he went on to discuss elements in the story that he didn’t understand because he didn’t read the book. In this scenario, I realized that the issue wasn’t my book so much, but the reader. I didn’t get involved in the conversation between him and other readers, but I did read all the comments. Reviewers have the right to let other readers know what they think about a work; they don’t have the right to slaughter it or go on about how they know how to write better. I don’t allow myself to get sucked into negativity like this. People have different needs when they read a book. Sometimes my work meets their need; sometimes it doesn’t. We all have preferences too. Overcoming negative reviews isn’t difficult when you remind yourself that a review is one person’s opinion, and only one. Of course, if you get the same comment from the majority readers/reviewers, then you have some work to do.

James: Where do you get the courage to do so?

Cheryl: It’s not really about courage. It’s about being realistic and understanding readers. I’ve read books I’ve loved and ones I’ve been disappointed in. Realistically, some readers will love my books, some will not. I can only hope that they’ll find at least one that they enjoy and I strive to do my best. But, as the saying goes, you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

James: Can you enlighten us a little more about your books?

Cheryl: I write suspense mainly. I am drawn to mystery, so there’s an element of that in every book I’ve written, except maybe my marketing book. My fiction titles: CHILDREN OF THE FOG, WHALE SONG, THE RIVER, DIVINE INTERVENTION, DIVINE JUSTICE, WHALE SONG: SCHOOL EDITION, LANCELOT’S LADY, SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET & OTHER CREEPY STORIES, REMOTE CONTROL. My nonfiction: HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE EBOOKS. Most of my fiction titles are international bestsellers. I’ve explored topics of alcoholism, kidnapping, ghosts, assisted suicide, racism, bullying, native folklore, psychics, serial killers, abortion, conspiracy, time travel, brain stem research, nanotechnology, multiple sclerosis, abuse, murder, greed and more.

James: Is there anything else you would like your readers to pay special attention in regards to your book, which you have not mentioned above?

Cheryl: I like to write stories that have a depth of emotion so I strive to create characters you’ll either love, or love to hate. I want to make you FEEL something when you read my books. The best compliment a reader can give me is that they cried or laughed or fumed at something that happens in one of my books.

James: When do you plan to publish your next book?

Cheryl: I’m hoping my next standalone thriller will be out in 2013, followed by book 3 in the Divine series.

James : How many volume of books for the above series, if applicable?

Cheryl: The Divine series will have 5 books total, all of which have been plotted.

James: Tell us your guided principle that governs your life? How you cultivate these values?

Cheryl: Since early 2003, my motto has been “Dare to Dream...and Dream BIG!” Having a dream is essential, I believe. Without one, we get bogged down by working to live instead of really living. Having a dream is what got me where I am today. And I’m not done yet. I have more dreams, bigger ones. I’ve positioned myself to see these dreams come into reality. I remind myself that anything worth having is worth pursuing. And I remind myself that all great accomplishments started with one thing: a dream. Now I’m dreaming about a Divine TV series—maybe it’ll be called PSI Divine. And Whale Song, the movie. One day...

James: Any other advice which you’d like to share with our readers?

Cheryl: If you’re a lover of books and a reader, I hope that you find something good in every book you read. If you’re a writer, don’t worry if your book gets published. Write for yourself. Write because you have to. And above all, never give up on your dreams. If you don’t accomplish your dreams today, there is always tomorrow. Dare to Dream...and Dream BIG.

You can learn more about me and my books at http://www.cherylktardif.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif

Check out my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

Check out my publishing company Imajin Books: http://www.imajinbooks.com

Thanks again ...........for joining us today. Let us wish her a Great Success.

James Oh

http://my.linkedin.com/pub/oh-james/12/a11/29b

http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Oh/706849667

http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Oh/706849667#!/pages/Lift-You-Up-Always-there-for-You/176685462397920

Skype me at james.oh18


Alternatively you may read this interview from the author's link below:

http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com/2012/05/lift-you-up-blog-always-there-for-you.html

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR, DELPHINE PONTVIEUX

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR, DELPHINE PONTVIEUX

Hi Everyone,

I have some good news for you especially those who have read Delphine Pontvieux's first novel. To refresh yourself, you may click the link below:-

http://profileofauthor.blogspot.com/2011/06/delphine-pontvieux-author-of-niea-award.html

While she is working hard for her second novel, she just also penned a short story titled “Vertical Horizons.”.

Below please find a brief write up of her short story, which I have extracted from her website for your reading pleasure. If it is your cup of tea, please give her your support.

Thank you and look forward to hearing from you, 

MISS NYET PRESENTS “VERTICAL HORIZONS” A NEW STORY BY D. PONTVIEUX

• April 4, 2012 – 12:18 pm
• Posted in author, NEW HORIZONS PRESS
• Tagged amazon, author, bir-hakeim, book release, chicago, Chicago author, costi, Delphine Pontvieux, Ebook, eiffel tower, fear of heights, France, friendship, greece, high altitude workers, paint, painter, paris, pigalle, resilience,romance, romania, short story, vertical horizons

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While she is hard at work on her second novel, Delphine Pontvieux also penned a short story titled “Vertical Horizons.”

“It takes a long time to write a book, especially when the writer’s me,” says Pontvieux. “As a reader myself, I also understand how frustrating it can be to wait for a favorite author’s next book to come out. This is, in part, the reason why I decided to release a few original short stories over the course of the year to help shorten the wait until my second novel is published, and to thank my readers for their patience and dedication.”

“Vertical Horizons” tells the story of Costi, a young Romanian, who comes to Paris to find the job that will pay for the bills back home. He had to overcome his fear of heights to get the coveted position. 

From his vantage point, the city of Paris is sprawled at his feet. Yet, Costi refuses to see its true beauty. He left his heart behind in Transylvania, but is it where it really belongs?

“Vertical Horizons” is a tale of heartbreak, but also of resilience and hope, which shows beyond doubt that for everyone, there is a better tomorrow.

“Vertical Horizons” is available here in digital format on Amazon.

DID YOU KNOW?

FUN FACTS AND TRIVIA ABOUT THE EIFFEL TOWER

Why is the Eiffel Tower called the Eiffel Tower?
It was named after one the most influential people in its construction, a contractor,enginner,architect and showman by the name of Gustave Eiffel.

When was the Eiffel Tower built and completed? 
The Eiffel tower was finished March 31,1889. It took around two years and two months to build.

How old is the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower is 123 years old in 2012.

What are the uses of the Eiffel Tower?
It is used as a radio broadcasting tower and observation tower.

What is the Eiffel Tower made of?
It is made of 2.5 million rivets, 15,000 pieces of iron and 40 tons of paint. The main component of the Eiffel tower is iron.

What color is the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower is coated with different shades of brown paint.

How tall/high is the eiffel tower?
The Eiffel tower height is approximately 984-990 feet tall/high (depending on temperature) or 324 meters tall/high

How many stairs steps are in the Eiffel Tower?
There are 1665 stairs steps in the Eiffel Tower.

How many visitors visit the Eiffel Tower every year?
Approximately 6.8 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year. It is estimated that over a quarter of a billion people have view the Eiffel Tower in its long history.

How much does the Eiffel Tower weigh? How heavy is the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel tower weighs approximately 10,000 tons, 7.3 thousand of them being the metal.

Does the Eiffel Tower have paint? How many times is it applied?
The Eiffel Tower does have paint. It is is repainted every 7 years by a team of high-altitude painters, who only use brushes, never spray paint or guns. So far, it’s been painted 19 times. Watch these extraordinary men and women at work by clicking on  this youtube video.

James Oh

http://my.linkedin.com/pub/oh-james/12/a11/29b

http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Oh/706849667

http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Oh/706849667#!/pages/Lift-You-Up-Always-there-for-You/176685462397920

Skype me at james.oh18

GERRY ROBERT - THE MILLIONAIRE MINDSET AUTHOR

GERRY ROBERT IN MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE, OCT 10 -16, 2011

We warmly welcome you to this Author profile Blog.

Today, with great pleasure I present you a renowned Millionaire Mindset Author, Mr. Gerry Robert, whom I believe, no introduction is required. Below please find some of the photos taken with this awesome Author cum Trainer for your viewing pleasure. He really gives me the extra energy for me to get my Ebook published soon. Thank you very much, Mr. Gerry.

However, for the sake of those do not know him yet, please relax and continue to read as there will be a brief introduction of him hereafter.

Without further delay, I like to append a short introduction of this Author. I would say that the most appealing section of his Millionaire mindset is on the Captain and crew. This is metaphor of our brain. I wish I can disclose more of it here and at the same time I do not wish to kill your curiosity. As such, I decided not to disclose too much information to you and hope you will get his book. You are rest assured to enjoy reading his book. For your convenience, we suggest that you use the google search engine installed at the side bar to get his book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gerry Robert is a bestselling author, columnist, speaker, mentor, self-help guru and consultant operating throughout North America and Asia.

His story is very compelling and it impacts audiences everywhere he shares. He went from poverty to earning over a $1 Million a year. He learned how to do this while still in his twenties. Everyone relates to Gerry because, if he did it, anyone can also do it

His style is very humorous but professional. He knows how to get an audience to their feet, believe more in themselves and their ability to win in life.

Gerry has spoken to over 300,000 people from around the world. People from IBM, Shell, Air Canada, MacDonalds, The Royal Bank of Canada, GM, John Deere, CIBC, Prudential, ReMax, Great Eastern Insurance, Malaysia Airlines, Investor's Group, Bank of Montreal, Trimark, Hewlett Packard, Boeing, AIA Insurance, Microsoft, Texas Instruments have attended Gerry's power-packed seminars.

He has written several best selling books including "Conquering Life's Obstacles", "The Magic of Real Estate", "The Millionaire Mindset" and "A Tale of Two Websites".

His books are endorsed by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (The Power of Positive Thinking), Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager), Zig Ziglar (See You At The Top), Robert Schuller (Possibility Thinking), Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup For The Soul) and many others.

He is a regular columnist and popular contributor to many national newspapers and prestigious business magazines. He regularly appears on TV and radio the world over, including CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, CTV.

His ideas are not conventional. He is provocative and innovative. He gives practical ideas and strategies to build almost any business, from home-based to multi-nationals.

Here, I must thank my Sifu, Mr. KC See, who is so generous to give me a chance to participate in his talk last night. I must say that I truly enjoyed his talk very much and his metaphor of captain and crew is one of the most descriptive functions of our brains.

For your information, Gerry Robert, the best selling author for The Millionaire Mindset, is here in KL and Singapore for this whole week. He will be speaking at the Multiple Sources of Income Summit KL on 15 Oct. To register online, please visit www.msisummit.com. Proceeds will go to the National Kidney Foundation and Tax Exempted. Killing two birds with one stone. My advice is don't miss this golden opportunity.

Thanks and have a blessed day everyday,

James Oh

Skype me at james.oh18

PS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PARTICIPATE IN OUR RECENT CONTEST, YOU ARE REMINDED TO DO SO AT THE LINK BELOW:-

http://liftyouup.blogspot.com/2011/09/miss-bus-stop-contest-with-prizes.html

SOUL SEARCHING

Hi! Folks,

It is a common mistake that we need to spend so much of time focused on building relationships with other people in order to achieve Success. What is the most important relationship of all, which is always more than often neglect is the relationship with our own self.

At this point you might ask yourself, what am I talking about? Though I'm with myself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, I know very little about my own self until I have been transformed by my own soul searching journey couple of years ago.

Prior to this, I must admit that I am just like majority of people who are so worked up in their own lives that they've forgotten who they truly are. When someone asks me to introduce myself, I normally respond by telling him what I do or where I live? These are certainly important aspects of my life, but do not truly reflect me.

I often identify myself with my roles or my career that I often lose track of myself. I do not know whether you have discovered your true self or not? At that time I forgot who I wanted to be, what I truly dreamt of becoming, what I love and value. In effect, I've forgotten my "self." You may be wondering what "self" we're referring to here.

I have buried my authentic self so as to please other people, or to look good AND to be socially acceptable. To me, the effort to maintain this image not only requires too much energy, yet it is both draining and self-defeating. It took me lots of courage and time to step free of the scripted life I've been living and embark on my journey to search for who I am really in the depth of my being. I slowly peel away everything that is not essential and discover my authentic identity. I reclaimed the person the Creator truly wants of me and I find the journey very fulfilling and truly free. With the help from God that I am being transformed and rediscovered my true self. Without believing in God, I would not be able to do it by my own ability.

I remember what's most important in my life - I live for a specific purpose and love to live a meaningful life. Remember my hopes and dreams. Discover or rediscover my deepest yearnings. in order to do this, I embarked on a psychological search-and-rescue mission or soul searching journey to comb back through my life and recover my joy, wisdom, passion, enthusiasm, self-confidence, vitality - the threads of my true self that I had lost along the way.

I took my courage, commitment and perseverance to craft the life I love, most of which I have now. I share this with you with the objective that you too will make the call now to be your authentic self. I am now persistently connecting with my authentic self and reclaiming my true joys and passions that made me able to share with you all these while.

Since then I never regret and am able to do and achieve much more with less. That's something I would never have thought off and contradicted my initial belief. I also realise that I am able to do something what I would never have thought I could do. Amazingly awesome.

Folks, what I share now are something real and deeply inside me that would not be revealed unless the person is being transformed.

God Bless you all.



James Oh

INTERVIEW WITH AWARD WINNER DELPHINE PONTVIEUX

Hi! Readers,



Firstly, I write to express my heartfelt thanks to Delphine Pontvieux, for her kindness to allow me to interview her despite her busy daily schedule. For those of you who want to know her background, please click at the title of this post to access to my preceding article. So, let us put our hands together to welcome this awesome author, Delphine, who is here to share with us her insight of her experience in publishing her award winner novel. Below please find my interview with her for your reading pleasure.




James: Perhaps you may share with us your feeling when you were declared winner for this award.


Delphine : It came as a surprise as I received the email while I was traveling in France to visit my family. I submitted my novel so many months prior, I had sort of forgotten about the contest, so it was even more exciting news because it was unexpected. It is a good thing because people value this kind of recognition, and it definitely helps with sales and getting added exposure for the novel.


James: Can you enlighten us a little more about your books?

Delphine : So far I have only one published novel, ETA-Estimated Time of Arrest. I am working on novel # 2 currently and I have also submitted several short stories for upcoming anthologies about various topics. I invite you all to like my Facebook page in order to find out when they are getting published. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delphine-Pontvieux/138074462922789


Here is some information about my novel:


ETA takes place in the French Pyrenees and the Basque country. It is a fast-paced action thriller combining politics, romance, suspense and police drama. After participating in a pro-separatist march that turned violent in January of 1992, 21-year-old Lorenzo Lartaun Izcoa is wrongly charged with the fatal bombing of a police station in Irun and finds himself on the Spanish Secret Service’s “most wanted” list, branded an active member of the Basque terrorist group ETA. He has no choice but to flee his country until two years later, Lartaun’s childhood friend, Patxi, offers him the chance to return to Europe under a new identity in exchange for a “small favor.” Lartaun seizes the opportunity, yet soon realizes that the favor he owes his friend is not so “small” after all, as Patxi is secretly planning a brutal event that will shake Spanish politics.


James: Is there anything else you would like your readers to pay special attention in regards to your book, which you have not mentioned above?


Delphine : Here is a tidbit that readers may not be aware of: The novel’s title is a “double” play on words. Not only it is a variation of the common abbreviation “Estimated Time of Arrival” (I used ‘Arrest’ instead of ‘Arrival’), but also because ETA is the name of the Basque terrorist group that’s been active for over 50 years in the Basque country and Spain. ETA means “Euskadi Ta Askatasuna,” which means “Basque country and freedom” in Euskara, the language of the Basque people.


Also, while this novel is a work of fiction, the action is intimately set within the current political situation in the Basque country. I strived to keep the story in check within the actual historical context to give it more substance and credibility. For instance, the story alludes to events that really happened, such as the Hotel Mombar shooting, the arrest of ETA leaders in Bidart, France, etc. The 90s were an important turning point because that was when France started to collaborate with Spain to crack down on ETA members living on French soil, after decades of giving them the political refugee status. I tried to illustrate this reversal of situation in the book through the candid conversations between the gendarmes and French DST agents, for example. The construction of the tunnel at the Somport was also going on then. What makes the story seem real is perhaps because what happens to the characters is plausible and could indeed have happened in the real world, even though their adventures are entirely a product of my imagination.


James : Please share a little about your journey to publication. How long have you been writing? How hard was it to find a publisher? What did you learn in the process?


Delphine : I have always loved writing. When I was a teenager I wrote an anthology of short stories. Of course, they were never published! I have always loved writing and reading, but in all honesty I never thought I would ever write a full novel. And yet I started writing ETA in February of 2007 and from that moment on I never looked back. As far as the publishing part of the book: I have worked for 10+ years for two very successful, 100% independently-owned record labels in the past. As a result, the independent model of doing business has always been very much engrained in me, especially when working for an industry largely dominated by ‘major’ companies. I always took it upon myself to get the work done without relying on anyone but my sound judgement and experience. It can be risky at times, but it is also rewarding. Thus, when my novel was nearing completion, I never really thought about shopping my manuscript to agents and so forth. My editor, who used to work for a big publishing company in New York, advised me to try the ‘traditional route’ first, because she thought I had a good chance of finding an agent. So she took it upon herself to query my book to four of her prominent agent friends in LA, which is seldom heard of. I got a reply the very next day from one of them. She liked my writing, but thought the story was far too political for her liking. I did not hear back from the three others. I told myself, ‘OK, so we tried that. Now it’s time to really get to work.’

While I was putting the finishing touches to my novel, I laid the foundations for Miss Nyet Publishing, LLC. I always wanted to create my company one day, just as much as I wanted my book to see the light. I am lucky I could put the experience and expertise I acquired while working in the music industry to the book-publishing business, even though I would not recommend it to anyone without prior experience in the business. Now, will I shop my next novel to an agent or release it again right away on Miss Nyet? I can not answer that question just yet. I have come to realize it takes a tremendous amount of time and energy to wear both the hats of a publisher and writer at the same time.

James: When do you plan to publish your book 2.


Delphine : I am not sure as I am just about starting to seriously get back to it, so there is still much work to go before it is completed. In the meantime, I have a few short stories that should be published in the upcoming months (see answer above). I hope it will keep my readers interested while they wait for the next one to be out!

James : How many volume of books for the above series, if applicable ?


Delphine : My novel ETA-Estimated Time of Arrest was never part of a series, even though everyone is requesting a sequel! So, who knows, it may happen at some point, but so far I am currently working on a completely different story, even though it is still in the same vein, thriller/action-adventure genre.


James: Tell us your guided principle that governs your life? How you cultivate these values?


Delphine : My motto is “It’s never too late.” I try to do as many things as I can in life, go and visit as many countries as I can, meet people from all horizons and take chances so that I don’t have too many regrets when the end comes.


James: Any other advice which you like to share with our readers?


Dephine : When you enjoy a book, take a few moments to write a review on goodreads.com or Amazon, because it really helps the author getting much needed exposure and besides, we love to receive feedback on our work. Also, don’t be afraid to tell all your friends about the books you truly enjoyed, because they value your input.


James : what are the best and worst aspects of being an author?


Delphine : The best is to receive a compliment from a reader. To hear that someone stayed up the whole night because they simply could not put the book down is a tremendous reward and it makes all the hard work completely worthwhile.


On the other hand, it can be hard when you spend so much time promoting your work and somehow it feels that it is getting lost in the mass of books out there. Thanks and have a fruitful week end,

Thank you so much for the interview, Delphine and I truly love the way you express yourself.

Last but not least, I do hope you too enjoy reading it as I did. That's all and look forward to seeing you again.


James Oh

HOW TO PUBLISH EBOOK

Hi! Everyone,


Some of you may know by now I have intended to publish Ebook with some of my writings. In this connection, I have read the article with so much excitement and hope you will like it too. Who knows, you may have similar interest as mine.


Even if you do not have such an interest currently, it does not mean that you will not have it in the future. Having this in mind, I rather chose to blog it out to excite us as well. I do not have such an experience to comment on it. What I need is perhaps some feedbacks from you especially those willing to share some of their experience here.


Better still, if anyone is willing to collaborate with me to publish an Ebook on any matters which you and I have the common interests. As you know, I always love to hear from you so that we can explore all means to make the proposal feasible and beneficial to both parties.


My experience tells me that through brainstorming and discussion, we can always put the ideas to work. Through constantly shaping and polishing this idea, it will eventually shine so long as we do not give up such a hope. Let our endurance and patience complete the task. We will be able to produce a masterpiece at the end of the day.


I do hope you are by now you feel excited and are willing to give yourself a try, as I do. Please do put forward your comment should you have any other idea, proposal or experience where you like to share here.


Thank you in advance.


James


Have a fruitful day everyday,






How to Publish an Ebook


Posted by Gary on May 2nd, 2011 / 3 Comments


How to Self-Publish Your Ebook


Every day I receive multiple requests from authors around the world who are looking for assistance or more information on how to self-publish an ebook.


And the answer today is very different than when our Publish Your Own Ebooks website started back in 2003.


Then, your best option was to get your ebook into PDF and start selling it from your own web site. While you can and should still do that today, if you want to be taken seriously as an independent author then you must also make your ebooks available at mainstream ebook stores such as Amazon Kindle Store that have emerged in recent years.


I’m very close to releasing a new ebook self-publishing guide but until it is ready I wanted to post a quick overview of the ebook self-publishing process and some of your options.


If you want to publish your own ebook then you need to consider the main online ebook stores where readers are buying and downloading ebooks. The four big stores right now are Amazon Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble Nook Books, Apple iBookstore, and Sony Reader Store. There are a few others to consider, but let’s keep this discussion to these four.


How to Get Your Ebook into these Stores?


Each of the major ebook stores has a portal for publishers to upload and manage their books. Remember as an indie author you are the author and the publisher.


You can choose to go to each store and publish your ebook directly or you can go through a distributor, sometimes called an ‘aggregator’.


An aggregator typically converts your manuscript into multiple formats and distributes your ebook to one or more stores on your behalf.


Some of the ebook aggregators commonly used by authors include Smashwords, BookBaby, and LuLu. They earn their income by a combination of upfront fees and annual fees for each ebook, or a percentage of the sales revenue from your ebook.


The process for publishing directly is different for each store and many authors use a combination, publishing directly to some stores while using an aggregator for the others.


Why Use an Aggregator?


One of the main reasons to use an ebook aggregator is to get assistance with converting your manuscript into the correct format. Amazon sells ebooks in their own proprietary Kindle format, AZW while the other stores use the EPUB format. There are sometimes complications encountered while trying to convert your manuscript from Microsoft Word into the appropriate format.


You may also decide to use an aggregator because you can’t meet the requirements to submit directly. Sony encourages indie authors to submit through an aggregator. Some stores require you to have a U.S. Tax ID or U.S. bank account if you want to publish directly. And in Apple’s case you need to submit from a Mac computer. Using an aggregator is a way to work around these obstacles.


Why Publish Directly?


Generally speaking it makes sense to deal directly if you can because you will save on costs and more of the profit from your ebooks will end up in your pocket.


If you are familiar with HTML you can probably handle the necessary formatting to successfully convert your manuscript to the appropriate ebook formats.


Getting Ready to Publish


Whether you publish directly or through an aggregator you will need to gather some important information for the submission process:


• Book Title


• Book Description – you need a professional-looking book description.


• Ebook Cover – when your ebook sells in online stores it needs a cover image.


• Price – decide on the price that you will charge. Sometimes different prices result in different royalty percentages so choose carefully.


• Territories – you need to know which geographical territories you hold the rights for your ebook. If your ebook is an unpublished work then most likely you still hold rights for all territories.


• ISBN number. You need an ISBN number at some ebook stores but not at others.


ISBNs for ebooks, ebook covers and pricing are all important topics which will be covered in detail in other posts.


As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this is only a very brief overview of the self-publishing process and some of your options. I’ll go into more detail in future posts and be sure to watch out for our new ebook self-publishing guide which will be available here soon.


Please, if you found this post helpful, take a moment to share the link to it via Twitter, Facebook or your favorite social media buttons below.






About the Author






Gary McLaren is a self-published author and the publisher of Publish Your Own Ebooks. He is also editor of Worldwide Freelance Writer a weekly email newsletter for freelance writers with around 29,000 subscribers.


James Oh






Skype me at james.oh18

AUTHOR - IVAN KING

Hi ! Folks,


Although Ivan King had a humble beginning, it did not deter this steel man from shining. It is very interesting to note that he has a very strong determination to fan the flames and face the fire. This man is my model and he has chosen the encouraging path to record his childhood memories in his novel, Valley of Steel.


The book recorded events which are heart warming and gut wrenching; forcing the reader to laugh and cry, cannot be more precise than what have been prescribed by reader review. Please get hold of this book and check it out yourself. Don't take our words for granted. Let us know whether you agree to our views of it.


This book may bring you back to your old days which may offer you some light to shape your past events, similar to the way written by the above author, which of course will be of its kind.


Here, I chose not to disclose too much of it and let you do your own discovery. I am sure you too will enjoy reading it.


Append below please find the information of the author.


BIO

I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1977, though my stay in Rio was to be short lived. Adopted from an orphanage, I was raised in Ipatinga’s, Valley of Steel. My favorite author is Hemingway; yet my favorite book, is Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. When not writing or reading, I play chess, the guitar, or else am out and about, perhaps at a Chinese buffet.


When I was eight, I read my first book, Judy Blume’s Superfudge and the rest is history. That is the story behind how my passion for reading began; how it ends…has yet to be written.


Currently, I am working on a couple dozen writing projects and turning some of my novels into screenplays. My first published novel, Valley of Steel, is a memoir of my life growing up in the favelas, or slums, of Brazil.


My favorite quote: “Today we do what nobody wants to do, so that tomorrow we will be able to do what nobody can.”


Title: Valley of Steel


Genre: Memoir


Languages: Portuguese, English


Overview


Sometimes Fate is unkind. Who would dare to look back and risk her wrath?


When you’re a child of the favela, in the Valley of Steel, you know that Fate comes like a whirlwind, lifting some to great heights and slapping others down without reason. Rescued first from an orphanage in the slums of Rio de Janeiro and then from the bleak streets of Ipatinga in Brazil’s Valley of Steel, Ivan, has been favored by Fate. When a phone call from Brazil interrupts his privileged life in America, he learns his best friend has committed suicide back in the rugged Valley of Steel, and only he knows the real reasons why.


This is the story of one man’s journey home after self-inflicted exile. The story of a boy who saw more than any child should and the man he grew into–and how that man came back to the Valley of Steel to avenge his childhood and stare down the demons of his past. It’s a story of survival, redemption, and joy. Of childhood memories that burn in the soul and what happens when one man has enough courage to fan the flames and face the fire.


Happy reading and look forward to receiving your feedback, as usual.


James Oh


Skype me at james.oh18