#IWSG Posting, Anthology, and Free Books

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Today’s question:
What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Quite a few! I’ve always said writing my series, The Circle of Friends, was therapeutic. I dealt with a lot of issues and there were personality traits from me in every single character.

Lori got my positive optimism. Sarah got my insecurities. And it goes on and on. (If you’ve read any of the books, I’ll let you guess what part of me is in each character.)

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The IWSG anthology contest is open for two more months.

The genre is middle grade historical – adventure/fantasy.

For those who are confused by the genre:

Middle grade – suitable for 9 – 14 year-old children.

Historical – it must have historical aspects and be set in a time before 2000 or earlier. It just needs to be set in the past.

Adventure/fantasy – the subgenre can be either adventure OR fantasy. The fantasy genre is acceptable as there are many ancient cultures and times that believed in supernatural occurrences.

If you need examples, Dancing Lemur Press’ next release is a MG historical-adventure - Stone Man, and while not historical per se, Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China has a ton of historical fantasy in it with its Chinese history mixed with the ghost of an emperor.

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BUY ONE BOOK – GET ONE FREE

Buy any print title and get an inspirational print book free. Buy two, get two books free!

Buy any eBook and get another comparable eBook free. Buy two and get two free!

Must purchase print and eBooks directly from Dancing Lemur Press. Bookmarks and other swag will be included in shipment. Free book is our choice.

Books must be purchased July 3rd, 4th, or 5th 2019.

USA orders only.

Visit Dancing Lemur Press and place your order this week!

What Happens When Your Publisher Closes Shop and Book Tours Looking for Hosts

What do you do when your book is about to be released and your publisher closes their doors?

Sadly, it happens often. Sometimes a publisher will run out of money and has no choice but to throw in the towel. Sometimes small publishers are gobbled up by larger publishers who decide to dump some of their books. Either way, it’s heartbreaking for the authors.

But when it happened to Tara Tyler, she found a way to bring her book into the world. And it’s available now.

WINDY HOLLOW
Beast World MG Fantasy Series, book #3
by Tara Tyler

In BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, Gabe and his friends go on a quest to save their school, blowing up all the rules, and discover their origins.

Then they go to CRADLE ROCK and meet some real live humans, scaring them into attack mode. The Beasts realize they have to spread the truth ASAP.

Now, school's out, and Gabe is ready for a break from all the drama...

Gabe and his friends fly over the Great Sea for the wedding of the century: a dragon prince and a beautiful harpy. But Gabe can't relax on this vacation. Besides competing in rigorous wedding events, he overhears the nearby human village WINDY HOLLOW is in danger from an evil human scientist and a vengeful were-ogre experimenting on beasts. Gabe and his friends risk crossing the mountains to help, despite several warnings.

Maybe he's going too far this time, but he's in too deep to quit. It's do or die, hopefully not die!

Pick up Windy Hollow in eBook and paperback on Amazon

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over the US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her husband and one boy left in the nest. She has two novel series, Pop Travel (sci-fi detective thrillers) and Beast World (fantasy adventures), plus her UnPrincess novella series where the maidens save themselves. She's a commended blogger, contributed to several anthologies, and to fit in all these projects, she economizes her time, aka the Lazy Housewife—someday she might write a book on that... Make every day an adventure!
Find Tara here : website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / newsletter

Book Tours Looking for Hosts

Silver Dagger Tours loves to promote book series.

They are setting up a book tour for author Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Cassa book series – CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.

Sign up to participate in the CassaSeries book tour taking place this fall - Silver Dagger Tours

See why this is an award-winning and best-selling series.

Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. is also setting up a book tour for its October 8 release, Stone Man: And the Trail of Tears by Charles Suddeth.

Contact Dancing Lemur Press if you are interested in hosting this middle grade title – inquiries AT dancinglemurpressllc DOT com.

Have you ever experienced a publisher going under and taking your book(s) with it? Do you participate in book tours?

Friday, June 21st Elizabeth S. Craig is letting me post at her incredible site on the Importance of Images in Social Media.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group and New Publish & Promote Book

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Today’s question:
Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why?

That is a tough question. Between my own reading habits and reading DLP submissions, I read a lot of genres, and with my own writing, I’m working on my 4th genre.

I love stories with a little romance to them. (I also loved the movie A Little Romance – does anyone remember it?) DLP doesn’t publish romance outside of YA, but I enjoy writing stories with that element strongly present. My series has it, as does the paranormal stories I’m working on.

I also enjoy non-fiction. And writing it is even easier than fiction for me.


And I’d updated my How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now eBook last summer, but it really went through a new update and edit last month.


Plus a new cover!


So the new eBook version is live and the new print version will be available very, very soon.


Yes, I took a window of opportunity and worked on something of my own.

Buy it on Amazon / Barnes & Noble

(I got to see this book before its release and it’s really cute.)
The Missing Alphabet
A Gregory Green Adventure
By Elaine Kaye

The paper alphabet letters in Gregory Green’s classroom have gone missing, and it’s up to him and his friends to find those missing letters. They go on a hunt through the school, hoping to find them. They spot letters next to things that start with those letters, like B for Bananas in the cafeteria. But will they be able to find the entire alphabet?

The Missing Alphabet is a great story for children learning to associate letters with objects, and four activities throughout the book will further help children to get familiar with the alphabet.

EBook – Amazon / B&N / Kobo Print – Amazon


June 1st was Hickory Con, a new con to us. And despite the travel time (7 hours total) it was very successful. We also found out about a new con in Savannah, GA, and I can hang in that city any time.

We promoted all titles, but especially our most recent – Big Red sold well and Music Boxes sold out!

And speaking of Music Boxes…

Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker was named by Barnes & Noble as one of 5 Spooky New Middle Grade Books for Campfire Chills!

That’s right – in the middle of four books by the BIG FIVE publishers was Music Boxes.

And I couldn’t be more proud of Tonja and her book.


I’ll end with some fun photos from Hickory Con:

Big Red and Printing & Distribution Matters

I am thrilled to announce Dancing Lemur Press’ latest release! Compared to Heinlein and Black Mirror, this military sci-fi story takes many twists and turns on its journey. If you love action and a compelling mystery, you will love Big Red.

Big Red by Damien Larkin

We have always been here...

Traumatized by the effects of Compression travel, soldier Darren Loughlin holds the key to the fate of Earth’s Martian colonies. With his Battalion decimated, his fractured memory holds the only clues to the colony-wide communications blackout.

With time running out, Darren pieces together his year-long tour of duty with the Mars Occupation Force. Stationed in the Nazi-founded New Berlin colony, ruled by the brutal MARSCORP, he recounts his part in the vicious, genocidal war against the hostile alien natives and all who question Terran supremacy.

But as his memories return, Darren suspects he is at the centre of a plot spanning forty years. He has one last mission to carry out. And his alien enemies may be more human than he is…

Release date: May 14, 2019
$18.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 304 pages
Science Fiction - Military/Alien Contact/Alternative Historyv Print ISBN 9781939844606 / EBook ISBN 9781939844613
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

“There is drama and heartache here, insights in the light and darkness of humanity’s soul. This book makes you think.” – Phil Parker, author

“A mesmerizing mix of genres: A dash of Starship Troopers mixed teasingly with Memento, spiced with a haunting blend of Black Mirror.” - Roland Yeomans, author

“An action packed Military Science Fiction novel that kept me on the edge of my seat.” - Jamie Kramer, Books and Ladders

“This is a military sci-fi that reminded me a lot of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers.” – Lynda R. Young, author

“Every time I thought I had the story figured out Larkin threw another curveball, and I could barely keep up. It felt like the Twilight Zone or Black Mirror…” – C. D. Gallant King, author

Damien Larkin is a part-time Planning Analyst and a full-time stay-at-home father of two young children. He enjoys turning terrifying nightmares into novels and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland.

Find it at B&N / iTunes / Amazon / Kobo / Goodreads

Plus get a free Big Red MOF sticker with any direct print purchase through Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Printing and Distribution Matters

I know so many authors who are Amazon/KDP only. But at what cost?

I have been researching bookstores in the Cherokee Nation area for our fall release, Stone Man: And the Trail of Tears. Bookstore after bookstore, here is what I am encountering:

“We do not stock or sell books available exclusively through Amazon or CreateSpace.”

If you are an author who prints through KDP/CreateSpace, most bookstores won’t stock your books. Why? Amazon is their biggest competition. They want money in their pockets, not Amazon’s.

And if you think that doesn’t matter, that most of your sales are online only, consider this – going with Amazon gives you almost zero chance of your book in a bookstore or you making a bookstore appearance. Because independents (who have made a huge comeback in the past few years) aren’t the only ones – Barnes & Noble won’t buy from their competition. (Who else is left in the USA? Books-A-Million – and they won’t order anybody’s book who isn’t with the Big Five publishers anyway.)

And with Baker & Taylor, the second largest wholesaler of books, bowing out of the bookstore business to focus on libraries only, that leaves just one option – Ingram. Specifically, Ingram Spark or Lightning Source if you are a self-publisher or a small press.

Or, you find a distributor.


Who distributes your titles?