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
BETTER THAN THE BEST
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Better Than The Best BY JAMES OH
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Monday, 1 August 2011
Monday, 25 July 2011
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
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
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
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
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
Monday, 20 June 2011
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
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
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
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.
INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINTING
REAL LIFE STORY
LIFE IN
ASPIRING
Monday, 13 June 2011
WE LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU
A very warm welcome to you here.
Lately, I am wondering how I can take my blog further. It struck my mind to revert to you for your honest answers.
As such, I believe that it is appropriate for me to request you to review my blog in these three areas namely its content, quality and frequency. I fully acknowledged and accepted the fact that content is the highlight of the blog. It’s the reason why you visit my blog and why you keep coming back. As such it’s important for me to have consistency in both the quality of my content and the frequency in which I have been posting all this while. In this connection, your honest feedback is solicited on whether some of tips I know and share is attractive enough.
First thing first, please put a rating from 1 to 10 for the following :-
• Did my content create value. Please give the rating 1( very poor) to 10 (excellent)
Perhaps you may just use another fancy way of asking whether my content is amazingly interesting. All of my posts,which have intention to give readers a worthwhile reason for reading. In short, are you getting something back and at the end of day, are you being lifted up as the name suggested. If not, how?
If not, how?
• Frequently posted.
I update my blog on a regular basis to give you reason to come back to my site. The plan is to update my blog at least once or twice a week, having in mind that quality is more important than quantity. This is because I believe that taking a couple of days off between posts can help me write a better post in the long run.
• My content is readable.
I am mindful that writing a blog is much different than writing a book or paper. This is because you, as online readers, have relatively shorter attention spans and more specific needs are preferred. Here, what I am trying to say is that I never pick colors fonts that will strain the visitor’s eyes. If I do, I like to apologise for it.
I also always ensure that my writing is easy to read. I prefer short paragraphs, using lists or bullet points, bolding or underlining important text when it is appropriate for me to do so. Do you agree?
Keeping enough white space in between lines and words is my style. Most of the times, I try to avoid typing up huge walls of text. At times, images and videos are included, where appropriate, to give readers something to look at. Here, I believe prosperity through diversity and always looking at new avenues to improve it further.
At last, but not least, I never felt discouraged when I work hard on a post even though no one pays attention to it. I am aware that growing a blog takes time. No one appreciate it now, does not mean that it will not be appreciated in the future. This is because once I grow, more people will look through my older posts and will see my hard work! Alternatively it will give me a chance to improve it further.
Stay tuned and I will work on my design and with my next post, I will discuss blog networking
James Oh
Skype me at james.oh18
A very warm welcome to you here.
Lately, I am wondering how I can take my blog further. It struck my mind to revert to you for your honest answers.
As such, I believe that it is appropriate for me to request you to review my blog in these three areas namely its content, quality and frequency. I fully acknowledged and accepted the fact that content is the highlight of the blog. It’s the reason why you visit my blog and why you keep coming back. As such it’s important for me to have consistency in both the quality of my content and the frequency in which I have been posting all this while. In this connection, your honest feedback is solicited on whether some of tips I know and share is attractive enough.
First thing first, please put a rating from 1 to 10 for the following :-
• Did my content create value. Please give the rating 1( very poor) to 10 (excellent)
Perhaps you may just use another fancy way of asking whether my content is amazingly interesting. All of my posts,which have intention to give readers a worthwhile reason for reading. In short, are you getting something back and at the end of day, are you being lifted up as the name suggested. If not, how?
If not, how?
• Frequently posted.
I update my blog on a regular basis to give you reason to come back to my site. The plan is to update my blog at least once or twice a week, having in mind that quality is more important than quantity. This is because I believe that taking a couple of days off between posts can help me write a better post in the long run.
• My content is readable.
I am mindful that writing a blog is much different than writing a book or paper. This is because you, as online readers, have relatively shorter attention spans and more specific needs are preferred. Here, what I am trying to say is that I never pick colors fonts that will strain the visitor’s eyes. If I do, I like to apologise for it.
I also always ensure that my writing is easy to read. I prefer short paragraphs, using lists or bullet points, bolding or underlining important text when it is appropriate for me to do so. Do you agree?
Keeping enough white space in between lines and words is my style. Most of the times, I try to avoid typing up huge walls of text. At times, images and videos are included, where appropriate, to give readers something to look at. Here, I believe prosperity through diversity and always looking at new avenues to improve it further.
At last, but not least, I never felt discouraged when I work hard on a post even though no one pays attention to it. I am aware that growing a blog takes time. No one appreciate it now, does not mean that it will not be appreciated in the future. This is because once I grow, more people will look through my older posts and will see my hard work! Alternatively it will give me a chance to improve it further.
Stay tuned and I will work on my design and with my next post, I will discuss blog networking
James Oh
Skype me at james.oh18
Saturday, 11 June 2011
GUEST INTERVIEW WITH ANGEL HAZE
GUEST INTERVIEW WITH ANGEL HAZE
It is a great pleasure to have ANGEL HAZE AND HER BOOKS BLOODLETTER AND LEGACIES OF TALIMURA: WAR OF THE WITCH REVIEW today. A very warm welcome, ANGEL and thanks ANGEL for giving us the chance to get to know you more and also for allowing us a glimpse of the world that you have created inside your writing. Thank you very much. Let her walk through her profile and books, as appended below, before we kick off the Q + A session.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR -ANGEL HAZE
Angel is a Canadian author who spent her teens watching CSI, studying forensics and reading mysteries. She lives with her brilliant husband who co-authors her fantasy novels. Follow her on Twitter @AngelHaze7 or her website at www.angelhaze.com
ANGEL HAZE is the author of the books below.
The release date of Bloodletter and Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch is set for the end of June 2011.
Q&A portion:
James: When did you begin to write?
Angel: I was about seven or eight, writing about a little girl who ran away from home. (I was an avid reader of The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler Warner.) It wasn't until I was fourteen when I thought of writing as more than a hobby.
James : What made you choose this genre and the title of your book?
Angel: I have a life-long passion for thrillers. My greatest influences are Tess Gerritsen and Dean Koontz. The title of Bloodletter was chosen when I was about nineteen. I wanted the name of the killer, as dubbed by the media, to be catchy and chilling with underlying meaning.
Originally, War of the Witch was going to be called Legacy. My husband and I knew we had to change the title as the book progressed and ideas of prequels and sequels started building up. The title of Legacy did not allow for the possibility of other books so we ran through a list of world names and came up with Talimura. Then we had to think of which legacy this book centered on--Debonair, the beautiful, malevolent witch or the Falchion, the legendary sword used to defeat her?
James: Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?
Angel: My passion for forensics, delving into the criminal mind and true crime stories inspires most of my thriller novels.
War of the Witch was actually my husband's idea. Bringing his idea to life has been one of the most exciting adventures. With fantasy, there is limitless freedom to create the world you want. Whereas I gather my inspiration from World of Warcraft and Chinese history, my husband attributes his inspiration to drinking and pacing the back deck. :)
James: Can you enlighten us a little more about your books?
Angel:
BLOODLETTER:
Thou shalt not kill.
A contradictory message written in blood at the scene of a young woman's murder. Within days, another body surfaces with a similar calling card and, to Detective Ramon Faust and Criminalist Kelly Garret, it's clear a deadly game is underfoot.
As the rash of horrific crimes continue, a phone call unearths a shocking revelation: Nakeita isn't the first city the elusive killer has left his mark. The Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, has played his deadly game before.
Delving deep into the most terrifying case of Kelly?s career, threatening phone calls and flashbacks of a forgotten near-death experience challenge her sanity and the lives of everyone she loves.
LEGACIES OF TALIMURA: WAR OF THE WITCH
Debonair, a witch from the Unspoken-of Lands, has meddled in the forbidden practice of magic and created an army of nightmarish proportions. When sixteen-year-old Astanyx and his two best friends return from a hunting trip to find their small town of Polca reduced to smoke and ash, they find themselves thrust into a battle for which they haven't been trained.
With the help of his comrades, including an esteemed warrior, one of the last great wizards and a princess they've sworn to protect, Astanyx must fight to unite the kingdoms of the humans, dwarves and elves. He must ask forbidden questions that no one wants to answer, questions about Talimura's dark history. As Debonair?s brutal warriors lay siege to the kingdoms, Astanyx is driven to pursue a fateful quest for a blade powerful enough to defeat the malevolent witch before she destroys the three kingdoms and unleashes an unspeakable ancient evil.
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?
Angel: Throughout the books are underlying themes, hidden references and characters and motives mentioned in passing that will come into play in sequels.
James: When do you plan to publish your book 2.
Angel: Bloodletter 2 (still untitled) will be published in the Fall, along with a few other titles. The next Legacy of Talimura is still in the idea stage.
James : How many volumes of books for the above series?
Angel: LOL. I don't have an answer for that. The possibilities for each of the series are endless.
Thanks again Angel Haze for joining us today. Let us wish her a fulfilling day.
James Oh
It is a great pleasure to have ANGEL HAZE AND HER BOOKS BLOODLETTER AND LEGACIES OF TALIMURA: WAR OF THE WITCH REVIEW today. A very warm welcome, ANGEL and thanks ANGEL for giving us the chance to get to know you more and also for allowing us a glimpse of the world that you have created inside your writing. Thank you very much. Let her walk through her profile and books, as appended below, before we kick off the Q + A session.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR -ANGEL HAZE
Angel is a Canadian author who spent her teens watching CSI, studying forensics and reading mysteries. She lives with her brilliant husband who co-authors her fantasy novels. Follow her on Twitter @AngelHaze7 or her website at www.angelhaze.com
ANGEL HAZE is the author of the books below.
The release date of Bloodletter and Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch is set for the end of June 2011.
Q&A portion:
James: When did you begin to write?
Angel: I was about seven or eight, writing about a little girl who ran away from home. (I was an avid reader of The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler Warner.) It wasn't until I was fourteen when I thought of writing as more than a hobby.
James : What made you choose this genre and the title of your book?
Angel: I have a life-long passion for thrillers. My greatest influences are Tess Gerritsen and Dean Koontz. The title of Bloodletter was chosen when I was about nineteen. I wanted the name of the killer, as dubbed by the media, to be catchy and chilling with underlying meaning.
Originally, War of the Witch was going to be called Legacy. My husband and I knew we had to change the title as the book progressed and ideas of prequels and sequels started building up. The title of Legacy did not allow for the possibility of other books so we ran through a list of world names and came up with Talimura. Then we had to think of which legacy this book centered on--Debonair, the beautiful, malevolent witch or the Falchion, the legendary sword used to defeat her?
James: Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?
Angel: My passion for forensics, delving into the criminal mind and true crime stories inspires most of my thriller novels.
War of the Witch was actually my husband's idea. Bringing his idea to life has been one of the most exciting adventures. With fantasy, there is limitless freedom to create the world you want. Whereas I gather my inspiration from World of Warcraft and Chinese history, my husband attributes his inspiration to drinking and pacing the back deck. :)
James: Can you enlighten us a little more about your books?
Angel:
BLOODLETTER:
Thou shalt not kill.
A contradictory message written in blood at the scene of a young woman's murder. Within days, another body surfaces with a similar calling card and, to Detective Ramon Faust and Criminalist Kelly Garret, it's clear a deadly game is underfoot.
As the rash of horrific crimes continue, a phone call unearths a shocking revelation: Nakeita isn't the first city the elusive killer has left his mark. The Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, has played his deadly game before.
Delving deep into the most terrifying case of Kelly?s career, threatening phone calls and flashbacks of a forgotten near-death experience challenge her sanity and the lives of everyone she loves.
LEGACIES OF TALIMURA: WAR OF THE WITCH
Debonair, a witch from the Unspoken-of Lands, has meddled in the forbidden practice of magic and created an army of nightmarish proportions. When sixteen-year-old Astanyx and his two best friends return from a hunting trip to find their small town of Polca reduced to smoke and ash, they find themselves thrust into a battle for which they haven't been trained.
With the help of his comrades, including an esteemed warrior, one of the last great wizards and a princess they've sworn to protect, Astanyx must fight to unite the kingdoms of the humans, dwarves and elves. He must ask forbidden questions that no one wants to answer, questions about Talimura's dark history. As Debonair?s brutal warriors lay siege to the kingdoms, Astanyx is driven to pursue a fateful quest for a blade powerful enough to defeat the malevolent witch before she destroys the three kingdoms and unleashes an unspeakable ancient evil.
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?
Angel: Throughout the books are underlying themes, hidden references and characters and motives mentioned in passing that will come into play in sequels.
James: When do you plan to publish your book 2.
Angel: Bloodletter 2 (still untitled) will be published in the Fall, along with a few other titles. The next Legacy of Talimura is still in the idea stage.
James : How many volumes of books for the above series?
Angel: LOL. I don't have an answer for that. The possibilities for each of the series are endless.
Thanks again Angel Haze for joining us today. Let us wish her a fulfilling day.
James Oh
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