How to Know if You Need a Book Publicist and What to Expect Once You Get One

If you've recently written a book, now you need to decide whether or not you should hire a book publicist.

The Other Side of Medicine - Depression, Disease or Disaster

After 30 years as family doctor it seemed a good time to collect ones thoughts together. I was helped in this task by being asked to contribute a regular column to the UK journal, Education for Primary Care. So for five years this gave me the opportunity to reflect upon issues in medicine and training of doctors.

The Other Side of Medicine - High Blood Pressure, How Helpful a Concept

Hypertension doctors are taught is an asymptomatic risk factor. It is not an illness and it is definitely not a disease. But try telling that to us patients, we just don’t and never will believe doctors. To the average patient hypertension is a bodily reality. They can feel it.

A Typhoon - A Lot Of Seasickness and The Start Of A More Serious Illness

In 1971 I was a ship's surgeon on the P&O liner Orcades. Other than my salary the main source of extra income was seasickness among the passengers: the short cruising schedule never allowing passengers to fully acclimatise, so that every two weeks the coffers received a generous addition from the new batch of cruisers.

Reality Check:Anyone Can Be a Published Author

The self-publishing industry has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to advances in digital printing, and of course the Internet as a promotional and sales tool. Like many other Internet-driven opportunities, the self-publishing field is fraught with hazards and wrapped in confusion. These days, it's so easy; anyone can be a published author. Self-publishing is the way, and marketing is the key.

Religious Books If Interested in Finding New Pathways or Just Curious

Religious books are a general term that covers many books from any religion that has a book published on a train of thought that originates with that particular philosophy

What's A Book Piece?

Creatives can spend an entire year looking for just ONE of these? What are they, anyway?

How to Get Your Book Rejected, Part One

Please know that when I pass on a manuscript, the decision is not borne of a desire to be sadistic or hurtful to authors. You won't find me in a dungeon lit by a single bulb, cackling with glee as manuscript after manuscript is stabbed repeatedly with a rubber stamped marked PASS. Our staff is comprised of authors, and we know the hard work, the dedication, and the emotion involved when writing a story. In our collective histories, we too have received rejection notices, and we know how disappointing it is. We wanted to scream, cuss, and eat everything in sight to dull the pain.

How to Get Your Book Rejected, Part Two

In Part One of this series, I mentioned briefly the importance of knowing the markets to which you submit. If you are an aspiring romance novelist sending your work to a publisher where the bread and butter is paid for by hard science fiction, chances are you are not going to have much luck.

How to Write and Sell Your Novel

Have you always wanted to write and sell a novel but weren't sure where to start? Here are time tested and proven tips on writing, agents, publishers and marketing

The Literary Sub-Culture I

Think you have a handle on the publishing industry? Now written do you think you can sit back and watch your novel hit the bestseller list? Who controls what the public reads and how do you tap into the growing literary sub-culture that defies the publishing paradigm?

Insider Dreams-911 Novel

Two weeks can be a lifetime. Just ask Ben James character, Wade Foster in the September 11 thriller, 'Insider Dreams', which hit the bookshelves in 2006. The suspenseful plot chronicles the lives of four individuals over the two weeks leading up to the attack on the World Trade Center.

Online Articles Turned into eBooks; Should You Sell Them

At least one Editor, Copywriter and Article Authors suggests that if you are to do something like this, well you should not sell the books, as the folks who buy them might be a little upset latter to see that all that information is in articles that they can get for free. You know I agree with her comments, she is correct in that if you compile all your articles into eBooks that it simply is not right to sell the eBooks.

How to Write and Sell Your Novel, Part 2

Have you always wanted to write and sell a novel but weren't sure where to start? Here are time tested and proven tips on writing, agents, publishers and marketing

Author Website Mistakes to Avoid - Part I

A website is an author's first chance to make a first impression with readers. It’s design, readability, and ease of use is a reflection of both you and your book. When done well, an effective website can do wonders for an author’s career. Whereas a poorly crafted website can result in lost sales and missed opportunities. Here is part 1 of the top mistakes should be avoided.