Self Publishing Journeys

Justin Sloan is a video game writer, novelist, and screenwriter.

He studied writing at the Johns Hopkins University 'MA in Writing' program and at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Professional Program in Screenwriting.

Additionally, he has published short fiction and poetry.

Justin was in the Marines for five years and has lived in Japan, Korea, and Italy.

He recently gave up his day-job to go full-time as an author.

Find Out More:

1) Justin's website: http://www.justinsloanauthor.com/

2) Follow Justin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustinSloanAuthor

3) Follow Justin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/justinmsloan

4) Justin's Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9772692.Justin_Sloan

5) Justin's Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Justin-Sloan/e/B00OJPAM0K

6) The Creative Writing Career website: http://creativewritingcareer.com/

7) Justin's YouTube Channel 'The Sloan Zone': https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-f7OkD-MudUjBLINdRdIw

8) Justin's podcast: http://creativewritingcareer.com/

Talking points:

1) Justin's work with military veterans: https://creativewritingcareer.wordpress.com/category/military-veterans/

2) Brandon Sanderson is one of Justin's favourite authors https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brandon-Sanderson/e/B001IGFHW6/

3) Book promo sites:

Book Barbarian http://bookbarbarian.com/

FreeBooksy https://www.freebooksy.com/

Booksends http://booksends.com/advertise.php

4) Story beats explained https://timstout.wordpress.com/story-structure/blake-snyders-beat-sheet/

5) Michael Anderle, one of Justin's writing partners https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Anderle/e/B017J2WANQ

1) Over 14000 unique clicks were generated in my Crime/Thriller Giveaway at https://freebie-books.com/crime-thrillers-may2017/

Ian Sutherland was the top promoter, sending 3500+ unique clicks, many of those directly via his Twitter accounts.

Check out Ian's Author Platform Sidekick service: https://self-publishing-journeys.com/APS [Affiliate link]

3) My Dead of Night proof copy arrived - I have 10 x fiction paperback books now:

4) I've now put Self-Publishing Journeys on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SelfPublishingJourneys/

5) Avril McDonald's new book:

[amazon_link asins='B06XTV7ZJ5' template='ProductAd' store='author-pt-21' marketplace='UK' link_id='fffcc329-373c-11e7-8700-95a48855f596']

6) Sarah Painter's Worried Writer podcast (highly recommended!) at http://www.worriedwriter.com/ and her first self-published book:

[amazon_link asins='B06Y6GXFY6' template='ProductAd' store='author-pt-21' marketplace='UK' link_id='310ce1bb-373d-11e7-9308-2f2c71aeabd0']

7) Books2Read service https://www.books2read.com/ (highly recommended!)

8) My crappy Amazon review - note the anonymity of the reviewer who simultaneously gets to screw up my chances of shifting the book and remain hidden in the shadows!

9) Reminder! Amazon Academy event in Edinburgh on 23rd May http://selfpublishingadvice.org/amazon-academy/

10) Reminder! ALLi Indie Author Fringe event on June 3rd http://selfpublishingadvice.org/6-weeks-until-bookexpo-indie-author-fringe-2017-are-you-ready-to-sell-more-books/

Jason Blacker writes mystery fiction and literary fiction as well as poetry and daily haikus at his haiku blog.

Jason's stories range from Adventure to Zombies, though he's best known for his Lady Marmalade cozy mysteries and his Anthony Carrick hardboiled mysteries.

Jason received an incredible 300 rejections from traditional publishers before turning to self-publishing, here he deploys lots of online marketing techniques to promote his work.

Find Out More:

Jason's Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jason-Blacker/e/B0051QUDA0

Jason's website: http://jasonblacker.com/

Jason Blacker on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2156914.Jason_Blacker

Follow Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonblacker

Jason Blacker on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jasonblacker

Jason's Haiku website: http://haiqueue.com/

Talking Points:

1) More about the Pomodoro technique http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-pomodoro-technique-is-it-right-for-you.html

2) Scrivener https://self-publishing-academy.com/SC [My affiliate link]

3) Vellum software https://vellum.pub/

How to use Vellum on a PC https://paulteague.com/how-to-use-vellum-on-a-pc/

4) ConvertKit website https://convertkit.com/

I use GetResponse https://paulteague.com/getresponse [My affiliate link]

I'm currently moving over to MailerLite https://paulteague.com/ML [My affiliate link]

5) My sci-fi/dystopian Instafreebie Giveaway https://freebie-books.com/

My Crime/Thriller Giveaway https://freebie-books.com/crime-thrillers/

InstaFreebie https://self-publishing-journeys.com/IF [My affiliate link]

1) This week's writing progress - 5125 words:

2) This is my PayPal HERE card reader - it links to my phone via Bluetooth and allows me to take book payments at training events:

3) My current InstaFreebie Giveaway: https://freebie-books.com/crime-thrillers-may2017/

4) My appearance on Begin Self-Publishing podcast here

5) Reminder! Amazon Academy event in Edinburgh on 23rd May http://selfpublishingadvice.org/amazon-academy/

6) Reminder! The Newcastle Writing Conference on Saturday 20th May http://newwritingnorth.com/projects/newcastle-writing-conference/ [Waiting list only]

7) Reminder! ALLi Indie Author Fringe event on June 3rd http://selfpublishingadvice.org/6-weeks-until-bookexpo-indie-author-fringe-2017-are-you-ready-to-sell-more-books/

8) Sarah Painter's Worried Writer podcast: http://www.worriedwriter.com/

9) Self-Publishing Formula recommended interview with TS Paul https://selfpublishingformula.com/episode-62/

This Week’s Self-Publishing News

The Alliance of Independent Authors news update: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-ebooks-are-not-in-crisis/

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Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people and is inspired by writers such as Stephen King, Ira Levin, Ruth Rendell and Linwood Barclay.

His first solo novel, The Magpies reached the No.1 spot on Amazon UK and has sold 300,000 copies to date.

This was followed by What You Wish For (2014), Because She Loves Me (2014; also a No.1 bestseller in the UK) and Follow You Home (2015).

Mark started writing in his twenties while working in a number of dead-end jobs.

He lived in Tokyo for a year before returning to the UK and starting a career in marketing - he now writes full-time.

Find Out More:

Mark's Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Edwards/e/B004PP3WV0

Mark's website: http://www.markedwardsauthor.com/

Louise Voss & Mark Edwards: http://vossandedwards.com/

Mark Edwards on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5267328.Mark_Edwards

Follow Mark on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mredwards

Mark Edwards & Louise Voss on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vossandedwards/

Mark Edwards on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markedwardsbooks/

Mark Edwards in The Guardian - Trad vs Self-Publishing: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jun/25/self-publishing-mark-edwards

1) This week's writing progress:

2) My paperback books, which were formatted by http://www.frostbitepublishing.com/

These books are being sold via Createspace at https://www.createspace.com/

3) My thriller trilogy listed on Kobo at https://writinglife.kobobooks.com/ebooks

The books are also loaded and ready to release on Draft2Digital at https://www.draft2digital.com

4) My forthcoming Crime Giveaway: https://freebie-books.com/crime-thrillers-may2017/

My two books will not be accessed via InstaFreebie, Don't Tell Meg will be free, Dead of Night will be 99p - this is an exercise in driving traffic!

5) Reminder! Amazon Academy event in Edinburgh on 23rd May http://selfpublishingadvice.org/amazon-academy/

6) Reminder! The Newcastle Writing Conference on Saturday 20th May http://newwritingnorth.com/projects/newcastle-writing-conference/ [Waiting list only]

7) Reminder! ALLi Indie Author Fringe event on June 3rd http://selfpublishingadvice.org/6-weeks-until-bookexpo-indie-author-fringe-2017-are-you-ready-to-sell-more-books/

8) Tim Lewis and The Begin Self-Publishing Podcast http://beginselfpublishing.com/

9) Future podcast guest Robert Scott-Norton http://robertscottnorton.net/

This Week’s Self-Publishing News

The Alliance of Independent Authors news update: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-amazon-in-australia/

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, Graham Smith has also been a regular reviewer for the well respected review site Crimesquad.com for over two years.

As well as reviewing for Crimesquad.com Graham has also interviewed such stellar names as David Baldacci, Jeffrey Deaver, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Matt Hilton, current CWA Chair Peter James, Mark Billingham and many others.

After (what Graham describes) a few terrible drafts littered with amateurish mistakes, he managed to write a book good enough secure a publishing contract with Caffeine Nights for his debut novel.

He is the author of four books featuring DI harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team.

Graham's latest book - Watching The Bodies - is released the day after this episode goes live :-)

Graham's website: https://www.grahamsmithauthor.com/

Follow Graham on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor

Follow Graham on Twitter: https://twitter.com/grahamsmith1972

Graham's Blogspot site: http://grahamsmithwriter.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=2406007d4e2370d6

Graham's Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Graham-Smith/e/B006FTIBBU

Graham's Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/66851.Graham_Smith

Graham on Bloodhound books: http://www.bloodhoundbooks.com/graham-smith/

Graham Smith on Caffeine Nights: http://www.caffeinenights.com/graham-smith

Crime and Publishment event: http://www.crimeandpublishment.co.uk/

CrimeSquad: http://crimesquad.com/

1) My forthcoming Crime Giveaway: https://freebie-books.com/crime-thrillers-may2017/

My two books will not be accessed via InstaFreebie, Don't Tell Meg will be free, Dead of Night will be 99p - this is an exercise in driving traffic!

2) These are the promo sites that I have listed on:

Book Gorilla http://www.bookgorilla.com/

Freebooksy https://www.freebooksy.com/

The Books Machine http://www.thebooksmachine.com/deals/dealspromote.html

eBookSoda http://www.ebooksoda.com/

3) Crime Book Junkie https://crimebookjunkie.co.uk/

4) Amazon Academy event in Edinburgh http://selfpublishingadvice.org/amazon-academy/

5) Reminder! The Newcastle Writing Conference on Saturday 20th May http://newwritingnorth.com/projects/newcastle-writing-conference/

This Week’s Self-Publishing News

The Alliance of Independent Authors news update: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-where-are-the-young-british-indies/

Adam Croft is a British author, principally of crime fiction, best known for the Kempston Hardwick Mysteries and his Knight & Culverhouse thrillers.

In 2015, Her Last Tomorrow quickly became one of the biggest-selling self-published books of the year.

Adam regularly takes part in discussions and panels on publishing and the future of books, and was featured by the Guardian in 2016 as a top-selling self-published author.

His work has won him critical acclaim as well as four Amazon bestsellers, with his Kempston Hardwick Mysteries being adapted into audio plays starring some of the biggest names in British TV.

Find Out More:

Adam's website http://adamcroft.net/

Follow Adam on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/adamcroftbooks/

Follow Adam on Twitter https://twitter.com/adamcroft

Adam's Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adam-Croft/e/B004RBG2TQ

Adam's Goodreads Author page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4594443.Adam_Croft

Self-publishing tips from Adam via Reedsy https://blog.reedsy.com/self-publishing-tips-adam-croft

Adam featured in his local newspaper http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/author-adam-committing-perfect-crime-soaring/story-28769581-detail/story.html

Adam featured in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/02/adam-croft-self-published-her-last-tomorow-story

Adam featured in The Bookseller http://www.thebookseller.com/news/biggest-selling-self-published-book-2016-lands-amazon-deal-331089

Adam on BBC Look East, June 2016:

Adam on BBC Look East, Feb 2017:

) Thursday's writing progress was 5008 words:

The book is now called Burden of Guilt ... but I may yet change it to So Many Lies :-)

1) Current working title and cover for my work-in-progress - Burden of Guilt:

2) Podhero: http://www.podhero.io

3) Interview recorded with Justin Sloane: http://www.justinsloanauthor.com/

4) Reminder! The Self-Publishing Conference in Leicester on Saturday 22nd April https://selfpublishingconference.org.uk/

5) Reminder! The Newcastle Writing Conference on Saturday 20th May http://newwritingnorth.com/projects/newcastle-writing-conference/

6) ALLi Q&A with Orna Ross on Tuesday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il9598LmUxw&feature=youtu.be

7) 20BooksTo50k Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/781495321956934/

8) The Kindling community - this is a paid product and this is my affiliate link: https://self-publishing-academy.com/Kindling

9) This week's InstaFreebie leads added via http://abam.info/instafreebie/