Indie Life Wednesday!

 

I thought it would be nice, in celebration of 'Indie Life' Wednesday, to have a guest poster today.

Nhys Glover has led an extraordinarily distinctive life and, as a writer, pens characters who do the same. She has been kind enough to share her indie experience, inspiration, and life philosophy with us today. And -speaking as someone who has read her work- Nhys Glover is definitely a voice to listen to.

Thank you, Nhys, for sharing your thoughts on indie life today!

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ON ‘BEING HEARD’ VIA INDIE PUBLISHING

In my career I’ve worked with many people during and after times of crisis and challenge. Through that work I learned the power of sharing those times with others as a way of validating those experiences. The term usually employed for this sharing, and the feeling of validation that follows, is ‘Being Heard’. Indie Publishing is a powerful means of Being Heard.

There is a subtle but significant difference between writing for oneself and writing with the purpose of being read. (I was very careful to not say ‘writing for an audience’ as that’s another aspect again.) For years, and I do mean years – as I have been writing since I could write and I’m now approaching retirement age – I wrote for myself because I never wanted to face the rejection slips. My writing was my escape from the mundane, often difficult world I inhabited, and it gave me hope. I didn’t require a reader, especially one that I knew would be judging me and measuring me against a standard that I didn’t understand – a criteria that a publishing company had laid down and used to cull all manuscripts that crossed their desks. I knew I didn’t fit their criteria and so I opted out and was happy to write only for me. Until…

I got cancer. Then I wrote a fantasy past life novel that needed to be heard – needed to be shared with others – for my symbolic struggle to be validated and made real. I didn’t even consider going through mainstream publishers because, even IF they’d picked it up, which was unlikely given the subject matter, I might not live long enough to see it in print. And I needed to see it in print. So I decided to self-publish. But because of the negative image of ‘vanity press’ at that stage (10 years ago), and because I didn’t want to foist some 2^nd rate garbage on the world, I got it professionally assessed first. 

I can still remember reading that assessment. I cried. Everything I’d put into the story the reviewer had ‘got’ and she loved it. I suddenly felt ‘heard’ and given a kind of freedom I’d never experienced before.

When the whole Indie book industry sprang up to challenge the big boys, shortly thereafter, I started writing in a different way. I no longer wrote just for me, because there was no longer a barrier in place to limit my creative communication. I didn’t have to conform to someone else’s requirements, and as long as one person read my stories I got ‘heard’ and that little part of my Soul that I was sharing with the world felt validated.

For several years I just published my books and ebooks and left it to the Universe to find my readers. I sold maybe a handful of books. Then a good friend started hassling me about marketing my stuff and pointed me in the direction of an excellent book that showed me how to do just that. It led me to the inexpensive services of a PR person called ‘desertgirl’ on Fiverr.com. I gave her the job of letting the world know about my free days for ‘Barbarian’s Mistress’, which was a historical romance I’d just finished. 

With her help it had 16,500 downloads in 5 days. I can’t describe the feeling that gave me. But it was the second time I’d cried for joy. And when the reviews started coming in, and they were mostly glowing, I got my ‘being heard’, big time. And when sales started following, it was another kind of validation.

Indie Publishing gave me a voice after a lifetime of silence. That voice uses fiction to proclaim the redemptive power of love. When the world presents us with the harsh ‘realities’ of life, my stories remind me and my readers that the most damaged of us can be reclaimed, and that there are a lot of good people out there who can find happiness.  That’s my world-view and I’m over the moon to now be able to share it.

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For more on Nhys Glover, you can drop by her website or visit her on Goodreads for a list of titles. There seems to be a love story for every heart, whether it be pining for werewolves on the moor, a chase involving Vesuvius and the Roman Empire, or for someone on the ill-fated Titanic.

And please don't forget to hop to other blogs celebrating 'Indie Life' today!

'Guardian of Werewolf Keep' by Nhys Glover -Review

‘Guardian of Werewolf Keep’ by Nhys Glover is a very heartfelt read. Young Phil –short for Philomena- must travel to the lonely end of the moors and live among werewolves for three months, as stated by her father’s will, in order to receive her inheritance -Her father’s legacy, which answers many questions regarding their estranged relationship.

While there were many unexpected pleasures, there were a few things that I did not care for, such as the instant chemistry between Phil and Byron (the guardian). It is easy to understand how Byron could become immediately captivated with Phil after being surrounded by grief and burden for many years. Though, with Phil’s background as a simple worker surrounded by men who thought they were too good for her, I would have expected Phil to react firstly by throwing up her learned guards rather than surrendering to her lust. But as the story progresses, the ups and downs of their relationship feel very sincere and realistic, as does their love. (After all, Byron is a genuine, sweet hottie. Who’s gonna toss HIM back? ;)

Also, I felt that the letter from Phil’s deceased father disclosed too much information. Rather, it would have been more natural for Phil to learn these things while staying in his room and investigating. In letter form, the information sank in as fact, but did not garner much of an emotional response from the reader.

However, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I loved the solitary feel of the moor and the utterly fantastic way that Glover brings the residents and the Keep, its self, alive. It is a very unique experience. Though readers meet the Keep and the residents by way of Phil’s initial presumptions, Glover makes sure that the way the residents view themselves and their predicament are equally explored. Because this information is so intricately layered throughout the book, the entire storyline is richer. I honestly enjoyed all of the characters and look forward to Glover’s spin-off story about Jasper. (But I have to say that my favorite character is Charlotte. :)

If you are looking for a fast-paced, action-packed read, this story is not for you.

‘Guardian of Werewolf Keep’ is perfect for readers who enjoy love stories with substance and a classical supernatural touch. 

'Emergence' is out!

The third installment of Rachel E. Fisher's 

'Eden's Root' trilogy is out!

 

"I promise you, Sean. We're going to stop them."

The pieces on the board are in motion and with both sides gathering strength, each move will be critical. When the Truthers make a play for checkmate, the Seeders are forced to respond. Fi and her companions will face greater challenges and higher stakes than ever before, because this time if they fail, it's for keeps.

Find 'Emergence' on Amazon and Goodreads.

If you have not had the pleasure of reading the first and second titles in the 'Eden's Root' trilogy, prepare to feast. :)

#1

The year is 2033 and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional.

 

Find 'Eden's Root' on Amazon and Goodreads.

#2

The mission of Eden must be fulfilled and Eden’s best Seekers are needed. Forming a new group they dub the Seeders, Fi, Asher, and Sean are joined by a new addition as they set out to bring hope and support to the Topsiders in the form of radios and heirloom seeds. Their experiences Topside prepare them for the threat from marauding gangs they call Lobos, but it is a different, less obvious sort of threat that takes them by surprise. As radio broadcasts begin to reconnect Eden and the Topsiders, the Seeders stumble upon mysterious broadcasts from unknown stations. When two of their own new radio stations go silent within days of each other, Fi and her companions realize that something is terribly wrong. Eden finds itself pitted against a growing and unknown force as their very mission lights the flames of war.

Find 'Seeds of War' on Amazon and Goodreads.

 

 

Happy reading!

Indie Life Wednesday...Late Post

(This is my makeup post for having missed 'Indie Life' this month.)

Indie Life blog hop -Every 2nd wednesday (or sometimes later)

In 2013, I find my house emptier, my heart fuller -and sometimes heavier, my optimism stronger, and my goals bigger. I want to step up my literary game this year, but with that comes hesitation and more investments that my household can't necessarily afford.

Planning a move to Ingram's 'Lightning Source' program was thrilling, exhilarating, empowering...

Planning made me feel like I was really grabbing my future by the nape and making it obey. 

But here I sit, my files upgraded, ready to fit Ingram's specs. Here I silently wonder, Is it worth the money? Will it make the difference I want it to? Will I be disappointed? And here, my hand hovering between the 'upload' button and 'Log Out,' I worry. Because every decision I make involves my family as well as my work. That's part of being an indie author, I guess. Every decision is very, very personal.

So I will go to bed -my stomach in knots- with this question mark that expands in my head like a scared blow fish, realizing all the while that it is not the question that threatens my peace, but the fact that I have already answered it in my heart.

And I will act on it. I have to. I want to.

If I didn't, that would kind of defeat the purpose of being an indie author; a wild thing that exists between This and That, creating a viable life in the wilderness of Between. 

Tonight I will cut expenses in my head and tell myself that it will be alright. I will run the numbers through my mind over and over, making sure I didn't screw up the math (because it has always been my weakest subject). I will make this leap happen because it has to. Because I won't go backwards. For me, my family, and my readers.

Yes, I will let go, knowing the net is as reliable as a fictional boyfriend at times.

But tonight, for now, I will just carefully pet the blow fish in my head and tell it to chill the fuck out.

Review: The Scarlet Dagger

'The Scarlet Dagger' by Krystle Jones was a pleasant surprise. I downloaded this novel for free on Amazon, unsure at first. However, knee-deep in chapter one and I was hooked.

The post vampire-ravaged world was very interesting to visit. At times the underground of the Red Sector reminded me of the militant crew who invaded Sunnydale during a season of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (in a good way). The above-ground world was a mix of elitism and blood-soaked poverty. Very powerful imagery accompanied strong characters.

And I warmed to the main character, Sloane, fairly quickly. She was easy to relate to and -while she doubted her decisions and surroundings at times, making her even more relateable- Sloane always rose bravely to the occasion in a realistic way.

The only thing that turned out a bit below expectation was the male love interest, Aden. (SPOILER ALERT) Very promising at first, I was slightly put off when Sloane, ordered under his charge, had to live in Aden's apartment with him...and his mom. I understand that Sloane is only seventeen. However, with such a tall order of "adultness" in every other area of their lives, this was a very large step backward. The sweet interactions and situations will very much appeal to a wide range of readers. I just preferred Aden's manly qualities over his boyish charms. That's all. But it did not break the pace or ruin genuine moments in the storyline.

Overall, I loved 'The Scarlet Dagger' and plan to purchase the sequel. It is a great YA read.