A New And Innovative Method To Promote Your Book

I have discovered some very interesting marketing information today that I would like to share with you. If you have already listed your book on Amazon, then this method can increase your book sales drastically. Whether you have published a book before or you are considering possibly publishing in the future, this method of marketing can be very profitable for you. When you look at "typical" book promotion methods, you've surely heard things like get onto social media and build a fanbase? I have found a social media platform that will actually pay you to promote your own books. Plus there is an added advantage that you can build a fanbase of readers too. There are self-publishers making a lot of money selling low content books on a website called Etsy and getting paid to promote them. So they make money from promoting the book and then again from the actual book sales.

Authors have started using Etsy to increase their book sales and build a good fan base of email subscribers waiting to hear about your latest novel, and there is no need for you to build a website. There are authors selling every type of genre on this website, which allows them to promote their books to a laser targeted audience. They make money from their Etsy sales and increase their book sales too and the process is very simple.

All you need to do is create a PDF file of your book and inside the PDF, you can have a link to your Amazon Author Page for even more sales. If your book has inspirational passages or thought-provoking ideas, you can actually list these separately. People will often pay for one printable motivational quote, but remember to insert a link to your book inside.

Here are Etsy's instructions on how to list digital items: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/3850 

Each listing costs only 20 cents for four months and by using this social media platform you will:

1. Make book sales from your listing on Etsy

2.  Drive more readers to your books on Amazon

3.  Build a good fan base waiting to hear news of upcoming book signings or new book releases

4.  Establish yourself as an authority across a variety of selling platforms

Go to the Etsy home page and type in some keywords to find other authors who are selling similar books in your genre. What strikes you about their listing? What draws you to this listing as opposed to any other? What are their prices, are your books more expensive? If you are new to the Etsy platform, then your prices need to be slightly lower than the competitors. As you begin to gain reviews for your books, you can increase the price from there.

Creating a listing for your book is very important and can be quite daunting if you have never listed a product on Etsy before. Please do not let this minor detail deter you, as I have discovered a little shortcut to make the process very quick and straightforward. Find an author who offers something similar, and use their product descriptions as a template for yours. I'm not suggesting you plagiarize their product description, but it will give you a template to work from. You don't want your listing to be exactly like another, as they have worked long and hard to come up with a detailed description, but it's completely okay to use tried and tested methods.

Try making your first listing and discover how simple this marketing method can be to draw more readers to your books.

How To Find A Brilliant Idea To Blog About

One of the downsides of being a freelance writer is the times that creativity seems to have disappeared. Sometimes it causes you to doubt yourself and your abilities, maybe even doubt whether this whole professional writing thing is really for you.

“What on earth am I going to write about this week?”

Perhaps not all freelance writers feel this way but I certainly do. Surely there are some who never face their content deadlines thinking this way. But I have asked a few fellow writers what they do when the creativeness has disappeared and this is what we came up with.

Read. It almost doesn’t matter what it is, and it is usually better if it is not in your niche. You could find some interesting fact or idea that will be the spark that leads to an article topic.

Look on social media and see what people are discussing or find an inspiring question. Then write a long-form answer. If you are a member of any social media groups, then try asking a general question about what is on their minds. That usually surfaces a few topics that you might not have thought of, or reframes things in a different way. 

Another tried tactic is to just start writing anyway, even if you don’t know what you’re going to write about. Sit down at a keyboard, turn off all your notifications, and just write what is on your mind. Clear your head of all your thoughts. Keep going until you hit on something that gets you inspired. 

Also, for me it helps to separate the idea and the actual creation of the article. They are different states of mind, and I have found I can come up with many more topics when I’m in a relaxed mood than when I’m panicking about creating the article I will publish next. Even if they aren’t all perfect, a list of random, free-associated ideas is a better starting point than the blank page. 

Build yourself a creative journal from ideas that come to you through the day. Before long you would have built a vast collection of ideas that you can draw upon. You can rely on that scribbled note or scrap of an idea and turn it into a solid piece of creative writing. It will make the process of finding a topic to write about a much easier one.

When I don’t know what to write, it’s usually the case of not having done enough research. For me, it usually means I haven’t given my initial thoughts and ideas enough airtime, and by that I mean I haven’t let my brain do some of the important work for me. I’ve found that before I can give my ideas the critical feedback, they need time to sit and incubate before I disregard them completely. This is just another part of the creative process.

My final tip is listening whenever other people talk. It’s easy to switch off, especially after work when you are tired, but having a constant curiosity about what other people say enriches your creation process. It helps you connect the dots between ideas that lead to more interesting content.

Why Rewriting Is Essential

Oscar Wilde once proclaimed that he spent all morning adding a comma and all afternoon deleting it.

As a writer, it is important to learn the art of analysing your own work, and not only relying on the use of a professional book editor. A novel must go through many rewrites before it is ready to send to a publisher. Many writers find this almost impossible, so you are not alone. So how can you read your manuscript and critique it honestly? The first thing you need to do is accept that, as the creator of the work, you are never going to be 100% impartial. Secondly, you will have to accept that the manuscript will never be perfect; there will always be something you feel is not just right. A word or a piece of dialogue by a character, you will always have that uncertainty in the back of your mind that more changes could be made.

The good news is that there are a few simple steps you can take to give the whole manuscript editing process a better perspective.

When you have spent weeks or months working on a new novel, most writers become so engaged with their work, they cannot look at it with any form of objectivity. Put the manuscript to one side and start thinking about your next project. Your mind needs to distance itself from the book, and focus on something new. When you return to the book, weeks or even months later, you can evaluate it clearly as you have now detached yourself from it. If you still cannot find any faults, then you will need to send it to either a friend who will give you an honest review or a book editor.

Try to write a logline for your novel. Asking yourself the following questions will reveal if the structure of your novel is publisher ready. Who is the main character? What is their goal or objective? Why is reaching this goal so important? Have you included strong, believable obstacles for the character to overcome? How realistic are your characters, what are their distinguishing traits? Why would the reader want your character to triumph?

You may already know what is wrong with your manuscript, because your unconscious mind keeps telling you. So when you have those niggling questions on how you can improve the novel, write them down. You will notice that you have quite a few insightful notes and comments. Ask yourself what would make you travel to the nearest city, stand in line and buy your book. If the book doesn’t inspire you to buy it, why would your reader? Once you have organised your notes into an orderly fashion, then sort them from easiest (which includes grammatical errors) to the more difficult alterations such as storyline, plot and conflict. Beginning with the easier notes first will psychologically give you the motivation to continue on to the more difficult ones.

Finally, I want to urge you to practise a little patience and ensure your novel is completely ready before sending it to a publisher. You may think that the publisher will overlook errors, but they will not. You have worked so hard on completing the novel, what harm will waiting a few more weeks do? Give yourself and the manuscript the credit it deserves by making sure you have got everything right. 

Why Writing In The Morning Is Perfect

What is the one thing you want to achieve tomorrow? Maybe this is the most important thing you want to achieve this year? If you are a novelist, or a creative person of any kind, then the one ambition you may have is to finally complete your unfinished manuscripts, and gain some recognition for your work. So, the question has to be asked: if completing your work and gaining validation from your readers and peers is your ultimate goal, what is stopping you from realising your dream? Are you making excuses why you do not write every day?

The awful curse of procrastination is not always evident, but it can be determined by your daily routine and the formation of bad habits. We may tell ourselves that we don’t have the time, or that we write better in the mornings, or that there is too much noise and distractions around us. But all of these excuses cause you to lose momentum. In turn, they cause you to lose sight of your goals. The only way to finally beat this monster called procrastination is not to over think the process of writing, just do it. Take action a few minutes a day and increase that each day. The more action you take, the more motivated you will become. Results fuel more action. You will have steadily created a routine that you will keep to, just like brushing your teeth. The action of writing each day will become as normal as getting out of bed in the morning.

I have always found that writing in the morning is the perfect time for the following reasons.

1) This is the only time of the day when the time is yours. Throughout the rest of the day, your time is taken up by everyone else's needs, whether it be family or the company you work for. But the morning is the time when you get to choose what time you wake and what you do in the hours before leaving the house.

2) Even if the rest of your day is about accomplishing tasks for everyone else, if you write in the morning you know that whatever happens, you have done something for yourself. You have been productive and that productivity will stay with you for the rest of the day.

3) To complete a task, whatever it may be, fills you with a sense of success, and success breeds more success. You are building a pattern of self-motivation and this will definitely lead to more good habits in your life.

4) If you write in the morning, you are giving your brain the entire day to gather ideas in your head, creating plots and characters. You can then make notes throughout the day, giving yourself material to work on the next day.

To achieve all of this requires a realistic morning schedule. Try not to waste your mental energy in the morning with other tasks. Remember, this is your time to take steps towards your dream; the rest of the day is for everyone else. If this is new to you, start small. Write for ten minutes per day. Most writers who give themselves just ten minutes usually write for longer because they have started building momentum, they can see results and this inspires them to continue. So what are you going to do tomorrow? Write?

Because once you normalise writing as part of your morning routine, it will become second nature to you and, before long, you will be completing every task you want, not just all those unfinished manuscripts.

Grow Thin While You Sleep

“When you say “I AM” you assert the reality of your existence; not the mere reality of the physical existence, which is but temporary and relative, but your real existence in the Spirit, which is not temporary or relative, but is eternal and absolute. The real “I” is not body, but is the Spirit principle which is manifesting in body and mind.” ~Yogi Ramacharaka 

Now that you have decided to transform your life and purchased this book, I’m happy to be your guide. You can use the universal principles I have shared within this book that I used to heal myself, to play the guitar again, to get up in the middle of the night by myself, to drive again and continue doing yoga again. As I alluded to earlier, I used these same principles to release the weight that I had put on during and after my recovery from surgery. 

You will be guided in how to contact your subconscious mind while going to sleep, while sleeping, and immediately after waking up. Of course it is available at any time, but sleep time is a power-packed time for transformation because the ego and conscious mind are resting and out of the way.

I will show you how universal principles have worked in my life and how you can have them work for you as well. This is true on any level of business, career, health, healing, improved relationships, and releasing weight. I don’t use the words lose weight because I don’t want you to think you need to find the weight again. It’s not lost, it’s released into the ethers and transmuted from your consciousness if you allow and trust.

Enjoy the miracles that you are NOW ready to receive! Realize that the miracles are not one-sided but are many faceted for all parts of your life. Do not be obsessed about your body. Love it and grow into loving it more. Release your attack mode and allow the Universe to bless you. Release and let go. 

Find out how your Creative Mind is the Master of your Success. Learn to figure it does matter what you decide to eat. 

•You will learn to Recognize Your Stumbling Blocks 
•Discover how to use your Feeling, Imagining and Believing tools 
•Build a Consciousness of Thinness 
•How to BE Thin Right Now 
•Know You are Thin Right Now! 
Realize You Are The Master of Your Success! 
Learn that The power of thought is our inherited natural gift and our creative mind is always in Total Agreement with whatever thoughts we hold true and entertain as truth. 

If you decide to live in the NOW and experience everything around you to the fullest, living with love, you will see miracles becoming unhidden and visible to you. 

You will learn what are the universal principles in the physical universe, that are constant and unchanging. Likewise, there are universal principles in the unseen universe, such as Law of Mind and the Law of Cause and Effect that are always at work. 

You will learn to call upon them with awareness and thanksgiving.

Review Feedback
An excellent review because the Reviewer Lesley Jones, read beyond the words and GOT the message, GOT the purpose of the writing of my book. It's not a gimmick book but a mindful book that will place the reader, if allowed, at another level of greatness and success for the reader on a joining of the mind, body and spirit. Daya Devi-Doolin

Cloud Whispers

The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate.

Katie Callahan longs to start a family of her own. Infertile and unable to convince her relatives to accept the man she married, she regrets giving away the daughter from her secret teenage pregnancy. When a twist of fate brings a second chance at motherhood, she’s caught between joy and the fear of her husband’s rejection of another man’s child… until a devastating motorcycle accident rips the decision out of her hands.

With her body trapped in a coma, Katie finds herself in the dreamlike space between Earth and the afterlife. Guided by spiritual forces and the soul of her beloved dog, she learns the life-changing power of intention and self-transformation. From her ethereal vantage-point, she watches as her loved ones work together to connect the pieces of their broken hearts. As she finally realizes her true destiny, Katie's only chance to fulfill her purpose means completing an impossible journey back to life… 

Cloud Whispers is a mind-expanding women’s fiction novel with a strong spiritual message. If you like headstrong heroines, heartwarming stories of family and forgiveness, and new age concepts, then you’ll love Sedona Hutton’s empowering tale. 

Buy Cloud Whispers to unlock a fearless new outlook on life today!

Review Feedback

This is an accurate, well-written review. Leslie provides a concise summary of the story, then proceeds to provide information about the story's characters, plot, and conflict. I appreciated Leslie's comment, "The author wrote those scenes with such detail that it is clear she has researched her subject intensively." (And yes, this is true!) The last line of the review, "A perfect story of a family’s secret torments, and their journey to self-awareness and forgiveness," is a perfect summary. Thanks for a great review!

How To Write About The Emotion Of Death

Writing any kind of emotion that touches a reader’s heart is difficult. But when it comes to relaying the feeling associated with the death of a loved one and the grief that follows, it is paramount you get it right. If you have never experienced the emotion of grief yourself, it is useful to speak to people who are willing to share their experiences with you. This way, you will gain a useful insight into the different stages and coping mechanisms. According to Kübler-Ross, a Swiss psychiatrist, in her 1969 book On Death and Dying, there are five stages in the grieving process. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. The length of time it takes to work through each process varies from person to person. The more detail you can include in the feelings of your character, the more the reader will connect with them.

A great piece of advice is to remember the small details when you are writing about grief. If a person loses a loved one, certain things can trigger painful memories, even years later.

Meeting someone with the same name

Hearing their favourite song

Eating their favourite food

Smelling their perfume or aftershave

Watching their favourite TV programme

Talking about them with their old friends or family members

Photographs of them

Different memories will trigger different reactions in people. Keep in mind the type of character you have created, and the loved one that they have lost. As long as it fits the character, you can make the trigger as quirky as you want to.

While it is usual for most people to be upset and cry at funerals, not everyone acts this way. Many people get nervous in awkward situations like these, and may either tell a really bad joke, say something insensitive or even laugh. This behaviour cannot be controlled and can be embarrassing not only for them, but the people around them

Although many writers make their characters cry when they lose someone close to them, not everyone does cry. Sometimes they do not cry at all, and this can cause them to suffer long-term stress because they have suppressed their emotions.Sometimes a character can suddenly be triggered by a memory, and only then will cry. Maybe your character has difficulty expressing their emotions because of their past and never cries. This doesn’t mean they lack feeling, it is just their character or upbringing. Would your character wait until they were alone to express their sadness?

The death of a loved one can be the ultimate reason to achieve something great. Did your character's loved one have an ambition or dream and the character wants to accomplish that in their memory? Or did the death cause the character to shut down emotionally and give up on their own goals and life?

The emotion of grief is universal, but the time it takes to work through it isn’t. A person will react to grief in many different ways, and therefore there can be no time limit placed upon it. Many people, who have not experienced the loss of a loved one, expect the grieving person to regain some sort of normality after a few months, but the truth is, the person will never return to the person they once were. They have lost a person that shaped the person they were; they loved them deeply. Now they are lost and confused and have no clear direction. These emotions can last a lifetime or a few months, but their character will never revert to how they were before their loss.

To conclude, I want to stress that there is no set pattern for the stages of grief; every character will handle the process differently. What is most important is that you handle the grieving process sympathetically and keep in mind the character's backstory, as this will give you a good indicator of how they are going to react and behave. You must also remember that the loss of a loved one will change their personality and their outlook on the world. 

Write A Great Opening Scene

The time has come to begin writing your next novel. But how do you start? You will have written the storyline, but you are not sure what opening scene of the book will be the best to engage the reader. The opening scene is by far the most important as it sets the tone and mood for the entire novel.

I have listed a few openings that are popular, but these can be mixed and matched in whatever way you choose.

A great opening that is used in horror or disaster novels is the foreshadow opening. The reader can foresee the events that will happen later in the story, which the protagonist will be unaware of. Similarly, you could disclose to the reader a piece of information that the protagonist is unaware of. This is going to obstruct their goal greatly later in the story. This places the reader in a prevailing position, which will build tension and suspense. 

The most common opening is where you introduce the protagonist immediately. In the first chapter you will meet the main character and antagonist, and understand what their goal is and why they oppose each other. This makes an exciting opening which engages the reader instantly.

You can also begin the novel by describing an average day in the main character's life, before something happens that throws their life into chaos. The main character is then set on a journey to resolve the problem, so his life can return to normal. Another example would be the main character looking for a fresh start. They arrive in a new town with optimism. However, the happiness will be short-lived as they realise the place or people living there are not what they seem.

A great opening, if you have two storylines running concurrently, is to use a narrator. Plot 2 would be the main character reflecting on past events in their life, which have had a deep impact on them, and describing their feelings and thoughts. Plot 1 would be the main storyline. However, the narrator does not have to be the main character. You could also use another character to describe an important, life changing time in the protagonist's past that shaped their present behaviour.

A viewpoint opening would start with the protagonist speaking. Here the reader will gain an insight into their values and beliefs. You can also include here any bitterness they may hold because of their life history. The story will be given an immediate structure, which you can use to change the character later in the novel. For instance, they may hold a grudge against women because of a destructive past relationship. The change will come when they meet a woman that dispels the negative thought pattern.

The final opening example is where the protagonist recalls an important time in their life, where they had to make a major decision that changed their life forever. This is used primarily in murder mystery and thriller novels. This choice must be filled with an emotional dilemma, which the protagonist must pay the consequences for. For example, were they witness to a crime and did not report it?

I hope you now have some ideas on how to write that first scene.

How to Write for Children

The most important thing to remember before you begin to write for young children is to get an equal balance of entertainment and simplicity. You want to engage them without being condescending or making the storyline too complicated. The first and most vital thing to do before you even write one word is to read.

Read and research your subject. This is key for any author, but especially for children’s books. What children and young adults find entertaining is a forever changing subject. So, it is important to read the top selling novels of authors in your chosen age group. Many new authors will write in a style and tone of the classics they read as a child, but the children of today may not even be interested in that type of book. Will a child be as engaged with the adventures written by Anna Sewell or Enid Blyton today? Would they be able to relate to the story or characters?

The dialogue must be authentic for today’s generation. Watch how children communicate and connect with each other. What language and mannerisms do they use?

Decide what age group you are writing for. An eight-year-old will want to read a totally different book from that of an eleven-year-old. Younger children prefer a little safety and happy ending in their books, whereas an older child will be more engaged with a plot that has danger and suspense. Explore the children's section of a book shop, and read the synopsis on the back cover of your chosen age group. This will be a great indicator of what children are reading.

Children do not understand the concept of reading a book that does not instantly hook them. If they are not absorbed as a reader they will discard the book and probably never read a book by that author again. The story must be fast, exciting, and constantly moving the plot along. This should be a key factor in any novel, but especially a children’s book.

Never patronise a child through the story or dialogue. A child is very intuitive to this. The plot must be simple and easy to follow, with characters that they will relate to. Do not overcomplicate the plot or use a huge amount of characters. A child will not waste their time trying to work out a vastly complicated storyline.

Remember a child has a different sense of humour to you. A good way to find out what certain age groups find funny is to watch a comedy film together and take note when they laugh.

Create authentic characters that children can identify with, and make your action scenes visual and vibrant. A child is not interested in the characters' history or why they behave in a certain way. They want excitement, and to be able to relate to the character immediately.

To be able to write for a child of any age, read and research. Spend the same amount of time researching children’s behaviour and the characters they love as well as reading the current best sellers.  

Can Anyone Really Write a Book?

The question is sometimes asked whether anyone can write a book, with no writing experience? The writer in me wants to declare that only once you have studied your craft and written for years could you be ready to write your first quality book. However, I only have to take a look at the best selling books from last Christmas to discover that, yes, in fact anyone and their mother can write a book. With top selling novels including chefs and comedians outselling reputable authors like John Grisham, it seems if you have a good fan base, then you can sell your book.

However, all is not lost for there are a few facts to consider.

Most celebrities do not even write their own books, some do not even read them once they are published. They simply hire a ghost writer to do all the work for them, and then take the praise and royalties.

The amount of books that are sold does not correspond to the actual quality of the book.

The ingredients that go into creating a novel that is gripping and engaging takes a lot more talent and thought than simply putting pen to paper. Yes, anyone can write a story, but to write a story that someone wants to read is another matter.

Let us compare quality and quantity. The Twilight novel series has sold many copies, but if you dissect the meat and bones of the book, you will find clichés surrounding vampires and very little else. The reason they are so popular with readers is they give a sense of escapism. The reader is not interested in the grammatical correctness; they just want to escape the real world for a few hours.

Many celebrities have confessed to never writing one word of their books. They come up with a vague idea, not even a detailed storyline, and then hand it over to a talented writer to complete. The publishers know they are going to make money from the book, because of the celebrities’ large following, so there is no financial risk for them. Being a ghost writer can be the most thankless of jobs, as they not only have to write someone’s else’s story, but they have to write from the perspective of the person who has hired them.

So, what is the difference between writing and really writing? That is something that even the critics and readers fail to agree on. Critics are looking for originality in the plot and characters. They want a story to inspire, to provoke insight, to show the English language for its literary beauty. The reader just wants something that is easily understood and absorbed, as they travel to work or before they go to sleep. That is the reason behind the success of Fifty Shades of Grey.

If you are an aspiring author, you will soon realise that writing a book is a lot harder than you think. If you are an indie author, anticipating the release of a book, you are not going to have the backing of agents and publishers, even though you probably have far more talent than your average reality star. The only motivation to keep you going will come from within yourself. You must be dedicated to study your craft and keep pushing forward. Get plenty of practice, and read as much as you can. Many writers have written several novels and short stories before they are published.

In conclusion, writing is like any art form; it takes skill and not everyone is going to have the time, patience or talent. However, I feel most people do have a story inside of them, whether it is a story of their own life or just an idea for a fictional story. By hiring the skill of a ghostwriter, anyone can share their story with the public. But in my opinion, if you are a writer then you will write when no-one else cares if you do. You will write even if you are told you will never sell a book, because you are a natural born writer.

Character Types to Include in Your Story

Another writer messaged me today to ask how they could make their characters more realistic and three dimensional. I believe this takes time and many hours of people watching. For example, the type of clothes a person wears, or the way they speak, can say a lot about their personality. The more detail you have about a character, the easier it is to write them into all manner of situations. The fun begins when you have a rich tapestry of characters and then allow them to interact with each other.
However, there are certain characters that you will find in most good novels. They are the foundations on which a good story can be built. Once you are aware of the different character types, you can then use these components in your own novels. Each of these characters will have their own unique role within the story.
Protagonist
Every novel needs a main character; sometimes the protagonist can also be the narrator of the story. The majority of novels have only one protagonist. Although it is possible to have two, it is extremely hard to write a novel around two main characters. They will become too weak and the story will struggle as a result, and I speak from personal experience. When you have written several novels and you are quite accustomed to structuring a storyline, then you can write a novel with a complicated plot with two main characters.
Sidekick
A sidekick is the second-in-command to your protagonist. The most famous sidekicks in literature are Friday in Robinson Crusoe, Horatio in Hamlet or Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter novels. This character has an important role to play, even though the storyline doesn’t revolve around them. The protagonist may rely on their help to overcome an obstacle or call on their advice to resolve a problem. The secondary plot usually revolves around the sidekick.
Antagonist
An antagonist is the villain in the novel. They will be responsible for causing obstacles and problems for the protagonist to overcome to achieve their objective. The antagonist doesn’t have to be a person, it can be an internal conflict such as a phobia or mental illness. The opposing force can be absolutely anything. For example, Winston Smith versus Big Brother in 1984 and who can forget the whale in Moby Dick?
Love interest
This character is self-explanatory. They can be the sidekick and they are the character that the protagonist ineviatably falls in love with or not; this is something you can play with as you write the novel. You can take them on some twists and turns throughout the novel, placing obstacles in their way. My only advice on this character would be not to draw out the conclusion to this love story for too long or it could cause the reader to become frustrated and lose interest in the story
Tertiary character
These characters are neither main characters or sidekicks, but they do play an important role within the plot. They will play a crucial role in the journey of the main character. For example, teachers at Hogwarts, such as Snape.
Flat character
These characters are not there to move the story along, and they appear only briefly. Their purpose is to help the main character with something. Flat characters can be anything from a policeman to a bartender. Even though they are seen briefly, this doesn’t mean they cannot have a memorable personality. So you could give them a certain way of speaking or moving, or even a noticeable facial feature like a large scar.
The more aware you are about the different characters and their roles in the story, the better informed you will be when you are choosing your characters and giving them a place in your novel.

Writing A Character With Anxiety

Anxiety affects everyone at some time in their life, whether it is a pending examination or a job interview. But when a person’s anxiety affects their everyday life and hinders their normal routine, then that is referred to as an Anxiety Disorder. That is the type of anxiety we are going to focus on in this article. Anxiety will interfere with your thought processes gradually and, unless you realise you have the disorder, it is almost impossible to control. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Social Anxiety all come under the umbrella of Anxiety Disorder.
Writing a Character that has Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is not the same as a panic attack, which is short-lived and only happens when the person comes into contact with certain triggers or phobias. Anxiety, on the other hand, is slow to develop and once it takes hold of your subconscious and inner thoughts, it will engulf you. The progression is very subtle, and usually the person will be suffering from depression too, so they may not notice it taking hold of them.
Key Characteristics and Symptoms to Include:
Difficulty sleeping or relaxing
Lack of self-esteem
Pessimism
Self-consciousness
Paranoia
Dwelling on a negative outcome
Cannot make a decision
Finding it difficult to remember names or events
Physical Characteristics:
Constant thirst
Aching especially in the joints
Heart palpitations and the feeling you are having a heart attack
Trembling hands and unable to keep your hands still
Biting your nails or lips
Short of breath
Shaking and sweating palms
Insomnia or constant sleep
Taking medication or alcohol as a coping mechanism
Nausea
There are many more symptoms, but I think these will make a great start when you are creating your character.
If you want to include the treatment available, then there are a few to choose from. They can range from anti-depressants, counselling and other forms of medication. Exposing the person to their fear or phobia slowly and gradually is also an effective method. Over time the plateau of fear slowly becomes diminished.
So what causes anxiety to develop? There is research that shows some people are more genetically prone than others, but the truth is that anything can trigger anxiety. Children as well adults can suffer from the disorder. The disorder can stem from a worry about the world in general or far smaller problems. As the person thinks about the possible negative outcomes of a situation, the direr the consequences become. For example, a person may want to make a simple phone call to a friend, but by the time they have over analysed and reflected on the negative outcomes, the day has passed them by and the phone call has not been made.
When you are creating your character with a disorder, they can either already have it, or an event occurs and the symptoms slowly appear. You could show a person that is terrified of going outside or obsessed with cleanliness, and as the story progresses, the disorder slowly becomes better and they suddenly forget their cleaning rituals or find themselves opening the front door and venturing outside. You can also use anxiety disorder as a means of conflict in your story. How interesting would it be for a character that has a phobia to be placed in a situation where they have to face their greatest fear head on in order to reach their goal?
However, an anxiety disorder can never be completely cured; the person will always carry some elements of it, but the symptoms can be controlled. 

Creating A Character With Schizophrenia

When you are creating the characters for your novel, it is vital that you give them some depth and make them as realistic to the reader as possible. If you are going to give them a mental condition, then it is absolutely vital you do your research. If a reader is suffering from the same illness or knows of someone that is, then they will notice any irregularities immediately. Take, for example, schizophrenia. Many writers only create a character with this illness if they are the villain who kills their victims because of voices in their heads telling them to do so. However, the illness of schizophrenia is so much more complex than that. Many schizophrenics are more likely to hurt themselves than others.
Schizophrenia is a difficult subject to include in your novel, but if you can get it right, then you will have created a rich and very complex, memorable character for your reader. This will help dismiss all the preconceived ideas about the illness, and normalise the difficulties faced by a person with mental illness.
The illness can affect not only those who are suffering from it, but also the people close to them, so remember to keep that in mind for the characters who interact with them. The illness can manifest itself in many ways; you could create a schizophrenic character that has an unusual job related to the illness, such as a doctor or working for a charity that helps people with a mental illness. How would they cope with the illness while trying to live a normal life?
Schizophrenia can develop suddenly from the use of recreational drugs or a stressful event in their lives, or gradually over years. The symptoms can be divided into two groups, positive and negative. People suffering from the Positive type of the illness will suffer from hallucinations or voices in their heads, whilst the Negative symptoms will cause the person to withdraw into themselves.
Hallucinations would be a very powerful symptom for your character, as this involves seeing, hearing things, or believing someone is there when they are not. These feelings are very powerful for the person with the illness, and research has shown that the brain really believes the hallucinations are real. The voices can be critical or friendly so your creative options are numerous.
Your character could also suffer with delusions, where they hold strong opinions that something is true, no matter if this thought pattern is strange or totally wrong. You could, for example, have your character believe that another character is giving them subliminal messages, or they could be convinced they are being persecuted by another character.
A person with this illness can also receive messages or hold strong beliefs that they should avoid certain places. This would make the perfect platform to create conflict, if the character is forced to visit that same place.
Other symptoms you could include would be the character avoiding people because they feel persecuted. Their thought patterns will become so disorientated; this will affect their speech and concentration. They will also jump from one topic of conversation to a completely different topic.
I hope I have given you some good material for one of your next characters.

Why Do You Write?

Working through my rewrite of my screenplay in the early hours of this morning got me to thinking about the reasons I began to write, and if that first motivation to create is still the same today. What exactly do I want to achieve through my writing? I also believe the motivation and reasons behind your need to write will affect how often you write and the amount of writing you produce each day. It will also have an impact on your style and genre of writing.
I first became introduced to the fact that writing was a proper job by a friend of mine who produced a film in the nineties called Fern Gully. The whole concept of actually creating a film of my own fascinated me. Not because I wanted to create a fantastic piece of literature, but because I wanted to be rich and famous. I wrote my first screenplay about boy meets girl in 90 pages of absolute romantic garbage. However, something extraordinary happened during that process. I found I actually enjoyed writing. I kept my passion a secret from everyone, and over time and multiple projects later, I was finally ready to send my first completed work to a producer at the BBC. They invited me to the headquarters to talk about the script and before I walked through the door, I had already spent the $100K advance I was going to receive. However, I didn’t get the advance because I absolutely bombed that meeting because I didn’t know how to market myself. That took a toll on my self-esteem and the confidence in my ability was at an all-time low. I lost all motivation and blamed writers' block for months. I had to change my outlook from seeing it as a hobby, to a job, and with any job, you have to turn up every morning and work.
So what motivates you to write every day? Once you have a successful writing career, what is the reason that inspires you to write and create every day, come rain or shine? Many years ago, if you wrote a successful novel then chances are the revenue would keep you in a very good lifestyle. However, today you have to produce many novels to enjoy the same luxury. Novelists such as Stephen King and Jeffrey Deaver, although they have a passion for writing, they also realise it is a business which they have to continually work at and market like any other business. The average advance for a novel in the 21st century is less than $7000 and with the rise of self-publishing sites such as Amazon, then competition is harsh. So, why do writers choose to put themselves through all of this uncertainty for such little financial gain? It is important to remember the reasons you chose a career in writing because the reasons will change over time.
For myself, I no longer write for fame and fortune or for the financial gain. My motivation comes from the great comments and messages I receive. To know that I have entertained a person and made them laugh, or think or see themselves in one of my characters is my motivation. Sometimes I achieve all three, and sometimes just one, but I am happy with that. That is the reason I write when everyone else sleeps, and that is the reason I feel writing is the best job in the world. What inspires you to continue writing when writers' block kicks in or you have received yet another rejection email?

The Use Of Sarcasm In Dialogue

When you are writing dialogue for your characters, a good way to make it unique is to make their language suit the nature of their personalities. A very good way to do this is to inject a little sarcasm into the conversation between characters.
The use of sarcasm in literature goes back as far as the Bible. There are many examples of sarcasm throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Exodus 14:11, Moses, who was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, is asked: "Was there a lack of graves in Egypt, that you took us away to die in the wilderness?"
Even Shakespeare used the technique in his great works,especially with his protagonists. The most sarcastic in my opinion was Hamlet, who used sarcasm not as a form of humour but as a form of aggression. Hamlet Act One, Scene Two: "Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral bak'd meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables."
If you listen to any close friends conversing with each other, you will always find some sarcasm creeping into the conversation. Why? Because it is fun, and it shows the relationship is a strong one that can withstand a little ridicule. I use sarcasm a lot in my writing projects; some characters will use it rarely, and some every time they open their mouths. So how can you write sarcasm in a way that the reader understands? How can you ensure there is no mistake that their comments come from a place of fun, and not something more sinister?
The timing is crucial – sarcasm and jokes used in dialogue are a great respite from a very tense moment in your storyline. You can also use it during a romantic scene to show a deepening affection between two characters. However, there is nothing worse than a badly timed joke and the same can be said for sarcasm. For example, a character is being bullied by their employer and they use sarcasm as a rebuttal under their breath.
Remember that the use of sarcasm has to fit the character's personality and the context of the scene. A good way to relay the context of a sarcastic comment is by the use of facial expressions. A glint in the eye, or a smile to themselves, a laugh, and a raised eyebrow all convey that the comment is made in good humour. Another less well known expression would be a vacant, poker-faced look. These all show the character's aim is a mischievous one. The character's personality must suit the use of sarcasm, or as a way to show that the character is changing into a more confident person, as with the bullied employee earlier. There must always be a reason for the use of sarcasm by a character, either to break tension, to diffuse an argument or when another character says something ridiculous. Even if you have created a sarcastic character, there must always be a reason for its use, otherwise it is going to become irritating for the reader.
One key point to remember is that sarcasm is more of a Western trait and some cultures just do not understand the concept. An example of how you can use this to your advantage is to create two differing characters, one that thrives on sarcasm and another that doesn’t. Putting those two together in a scene would make quite an interesting read.

Useful Marketing Terms Explained

If you are trying to market your novel, the whole process can be a minefield. There are so many marketing terms that experienced marketers assume you understand. So I thought I would compile a comprehensive list of the most common terms used. You will soon be marketing your novel like a professional.
Algorithm – This is how social media platforms such as Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook decide which posts you would prefer to see. The more regularly you use these platforms the more complex the algorithms become. If people interact with you by either commenting or liking your content, they are very likely to see any future posts you place on your Social Media pages.
Black Hat SEO – This is a method you can use that Google does not approve of to increase the chances of your page showing on a Search Engine SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
Bounce Rate – This is a term to let you know the percentage of people who will leave your website or blog after only viewing a single page. The lower the bounce rate percentage, the better.
Conversion – This is when someone takes an action on your social media page, either by signing up to your newsletter or making a purchase.
CTA (Call to Action) - This is what you want your visitor to do. Whether it is them signing up for a piece of information/newsletter or buying your latest book.
CTR (Click Through Rate) - This simply means the amount of visitors to your website that have clicked on a link to gain more information.
Evergreen Content – This is the type of website information that never grows old and can continually bring new visitors to your website or blog months after you have first published it.
Facebook Pixel – This is a term for a code on your website to track the number of sales from a Facebook ad.
Facebook Live – A live video streamed through Facebook, via a webcam or camera phone. A great way to connect with your Facebook audience.
Google Analytics – A great piece of software that tracks the percentage of visitors to your website or blog.
Impressions/Reach - This is the amount of people that will actually see your post. Twitter call it impressions, and Facebook call it reach.
Keyword – A word or small phrase that describes what your blog is about. The keywords will then be used by search engines to work out what searches your blog will appear in, and where they will be ranked. Be careful when using keywords in any blog or article you write. If a search engine feels the flow of the post seems unnatural because of over using the keywords, it could result in a penalty from them.
Landing Page – The page where your visitor first lands when they visit your blog, but could also mean a page where you collect the visitor's email address or other information.
Lead Generation – A way of getting a visitor's attention; this is usually in the form of a call to action to join your mailing list or to purchase your novel.
Meta Data - Information that only you can see and is not visible to any visitor to your website.
Panda – An update to the algorithm used by Google which can filter any poor quality content.
Penguin – Another update to the algorithm that filters out websites they believe are buying links to increase their SERPs.
ROI (Return on Investment) – Self-explanatory, this is the amount of profit you have made compared to your expenditure.
Shares - If someone shares your post on social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook, this gives you the highest rating algorithms. So if you are promoting your novel, ask your audience to share the post.
Target Audience – The audience you are aiming your content at. You need to make your target audience as specific as possible. There are also advanced settings on Facebook to target a certain income bracket and even a certain group of people that have already made a similar purchase in the past.
White Hat SEO – Similar to Black Hat SEO, these are tactics used that Google and other search engines approve of.

A Logline Needs Conflict

If your logline does not mention a main conflict, then it must be presumed it is because it does not have one. If a publisher is sent your logline and there is no mention of a conflict, then he will come to that conclusion also. We often make the mistake of writing a logline or synopsis like a film trailer, where they tease the viewer but give them no payoff.
For example: A woman comes home to find something horrifying.
So what type of novel would this be? Is it a horror? A murder mystery? It could even be a comedy, but the logline gives no insight or clue. This is the result when there is no conflict in your logline. If you are a reader for a publisher, you will see at least fifty query letters and loglines in one week. Eventually, many of them will sound exactly the same, because there is no clear conflict included. Give yourself a huge advantage by making your conflict shine. The logline also has to include the following information. Who is the main character? Who is the opposing character or force? What stands in the protagonists’ way for them to reach their objective? Then include a clear conflict.
If you are writing a horror novel, include what your protagonist is running away from in your logline.
If you are writing a thriller novel, include what situation your protagonist is battling against in your logline.
If you are writing a romantic comedy novel, include what your main character's struggle is. The struggle is what will create the humour.
If you are writing a historical biopic, mention the main conflict or struggle in your character’s life. Otherwise, you are just stating a random description of events without some kind of theme fundamental to the main character's development.
Throw out the idea that a good logline includes a teasing question. The publisher needs to see a distinct conflict. They will not appreciate a logline that tells them nothing about the storyline.
For example, if we look at the example of a teaser logline - a policeman gets on a train but is horrified by what he sees.

What do you think the policeman sees? Let’s try rewriting this logline with conflict.

A policeman gets on a train, headed to his father's funeral, but is horrified to find that a younger version of his father is one of the passengers, and very much alive. The train is fast approaching a nuclear weapons factory in an alternate timeline. Now he must find a way to stop the train while avoiding guards that resemble people he knows.

Can you see that now we have added the conflict to the logline, the publisher knows that the novel is a thriller with science fiction aspects. The objective is clear; we know what goal the main character has to achieve. The logline is intriguing and the concept sounds exciting. Remember, it is the conflict that will sell the novel to the publisher.  Make your conflict stand out and let it transform your logline from a vague teaser to an engaging one that a publisher will love.

Making Your Blog Articles Engaging

When you are writing content for your blog, you have probably put a lot of time into researching every aspect of your work. You have dedicated hours making the post interesting, intriguing and informative. You finally hit the publish button, hoping to get some interaction from the public. You wait patiently, but there are no comments; in fact, not one person has even found your article. This would be enough to make most writers give up and lose all motivation to write another article or blog.
Is the problem with the quality of your content, or is the audience for your subject matter too small? Actually, the problem might be very easy to rectify. You may actually be making more work for yourself with posting large articles, rather than making your work concise and to the point.
Research has shown that 79% of people who search the internet will scan an article, and not read it in its entirety. Website users search for information and they want that quickly. Writing blog posts is a completely opposite technique than writing a novel, where the reader sits back and dedicates hours to enjoying the content.
How can you engage with a potential visitor to your website? How can you make them stay and read your work?
Break down each of your posts into short, snappy bullet points. If your subject matter is complex, maybe you can write a few articles on the subject? Your reader will stay on your page for longer and keep returning if your articles are short and to the point with easily digestible information.
Make each of your paragraphs in the inverted pyramid style so the reader is not deterred by a mass of text. This makes your page extremely attractive and reader-friendly. Use plenty of line breaks between each point you are trying to make. Talk about each point in one short paragraph, which ideally should be no more than 4-5 sentences in length. Some paragraphs can even be shorter than this.
Another good technique is to use headings and then break down that heading into sub-headings. Then read through the content of the subheading to see if the reader would get the basic concept of your article just by reading a section of it. Is the content compelling? Would it entice the reader?
The use of bullet points is also very effective in drawing interest from the type of reader that likes to scan for information, because it gives them a break from reading normal text. Studies have also shown that blogs containing captions are the most read content on the web. Try using captions, again with just a few sentences in length with an engaging illustration. If you need the reader to focus on a particularly important part of your article, then use bold font to draw their attention to it. Your reader will be able to scan for the most important pieces of information quickly. Avoid highlighting large sections of the article; instead, emphasize key areas so the reader can quickly find them. Finally, you could number the key points you want to make; this is a highly effective way to keep the reader enthralled by your article. Try the different methods here and you should see a noticeable increase in your audience engagement.

Not Your Average Cup of Joe

Worried you're an average Joe? You're not. Every single person has a unique and admirable quality or many! Parlaying these qualities – whether you excel in finance, construction, strategy development or simply at making great coffee – can, and when you leverage them, will lead you to succeed beyond your highest hopes. In Not Your Average Cup of Joe, Joseph Braithwaite inspires with his own life story of rising from hardship, overcoming adversity and becoming a successful leader, how he decided to take charge of his life during the time it took to drink just one cup of coffee, and how YOU can do the same. This book includes real-life examples of successful, determined people from within a range of industries that will inspire confidence in YOU and boost your can-do spirit. Joseph explores, in an engagingly conversational tone, the value of personal presence, differentiation, and how offering, and believing in, a unique YOU is the key to achieving your goals. This practical and motivational book highlights four key areas to set you on the road to success: - The importance of grit and how to leverage it - The power of mentorship, and how to find the right one for you - The understanding of the real you, and why you are so important - The need to believe in you, regardless of what others believe After reading Not Your Average Cup of Joe, you will be on your first 'cup' to success, and you will never consider yourself an 'average joe' again.

Review Feedback

It's nice to see that the main messages that I wanted to convey have come across clearly for my readers...thank you

Shadowfest

Shadowfest is coming 

It's Summer’s End in the Holy City. The border with the Otherworld is razor thin. Malevolent ghosts, creatures of horror and mythical monsters roam.
Brona the Apothecary and Aurelian the Investigator set out to hunt down a vengeful spirit. But an elemental Mage is plotting to seize power and, in this dark fantasy conspiracy, nobody and nothing are quite what they seem.

It’s only just begun 

Brona the Apothecary is a suspect. Someone has murdered a Temple Guard. Someone who looks like her. She determines to catch the culprit. There are nine days till Shadowfest - the Night of the Spirits. Not the best time to be tracking malevolent ghosts. But who can match her secret powers in a City where elemental Mages once ruled but are now banned?
Aurelian the Investigator has his own powers and is also haunted by the past. He’s sworn to defend the Temple’s spiritual values and to rid the City of murderers, monsters - and Mages.

The past is catching up 

On the same date nine years earlier, Morven’s joyful coming of age turned to tragedy and she was forced to flee for her life from the Mages’ Citadel. Her quest for revenge will come back to haunt everyone.

And Death may be the least of their worries 

Cassian also hides his secret elemental Mage identity in the Holy City. He is summoning evil spirits and mythical monsters to commit a series of dark magic murders. At Shadowfest, he will bid for supreme spiritual power and immortality.
Brona is facing death at the stake as a suspected witch. But that’s not the worst of it. She may have to call on someone for help. Someone she hoped never to hear from again …

If you enjoy paranormal mystery and suspense, urban fantasy Mage adventures orDark Ages historical fiction, join us in this epic journey into the Celtic twilight.

A tense supernatural thriller for adult and young adult alike.

Review Feedback

Well-written and clear plot summary. Detailed and interesting comments on what the reviewer liked best. I'm very flattered that this was her first fantasy novel and she enjoyed it so much.

Keep It Super Simple

Creating A Simpler Life And Overcoming Overwhelm
Keep It Super Simple – Tips from a Recovering Perfectionist
When it comes to creating a simpler life there’s many things that can impact us.  This highly engaging book by award winning business woman and author Bronwen Sciortino, offers a brilliantly simple approach to overcoming overwhelm and living a life with less stress and more resilience.
Described as ‘chocolate for the soul’ …. ‘Keep It Super Simple’:
- shows you how to live life differently, every day;
- shows you how to find the best ways to recharge YOUR energy so you can stop being exhausted all the time;
- shows you the importance of creating your values, align your life to them & live every day being true to you;
- shows you how to minimise the impact of FOMO & YOLO on your life;
- provides you with simple steps to help you make sure you’re doing the things that are aligned with who you are;
- shows you how to step away from stress & live a life that is calm & full of energy;
- shows you how you can easily implement simple steps that empower you in YOUR life;
- gives you confidence that there IS light at the end of the tunnel;
- shows you how to be yourself whilst limiting the impact of shame, guilt & recriminations from others;
- shows you how to understand YOUR path to success so you can boldly step into the thick of YOUR life;
- neatly fits in your bag so you can easily take it with everywhere you go;
- workbook style – space for journaling and recording ‘Ah-ha’ moments in every chapter;
- you can build on your thoughts, comments & feelings – almost like a diary;
- use it as a reference in every day situations – a little ‘how-to-do’ that’s always with you.

Very comprehensive review - Lesley clearly read the book and did some of the exercises because she was able to explain the parts she loved, as well as the things that were easy for her to use. Reviews like this make it really easy as an Author to see where you can improve things for your next book.

The Shatter Point

Jada Mercer is used to getting her way, and she loves danger. When she meets Asher Williams, a sensitive musician in a band, she pressures him to prove himself through the rigors of an extreme haunt known as Horror Place. At the same time, the haunt's owners, Phil and Donna Woods, are locked in an escalating feud with neighbor Ruth Littleton. The terrifying consequences unfold step by step as the characters are pushed beyond the breaking point. Weaving layers of truth and fiction, the story challenges our sense of reality with unexpected twists and turns.

Review Feedback

Lesley Jones provided a superb, fair-minded review, with excellent descriptions that can be used for short quotes. She described the characters and the plot in a way that would intrigue any potential reader.

Twisted Wires

Twisted Wires refers to the crazy mixed up world of addiction. Twisted thinking and behaviour and attitudes abound about this subject. Surely in this day and age we could have a more cohesive attitude about it all? If this were to happen, maybe, just maybe we could have a better way of treating the problem, or detecting it before it became a problem. You have to agree the statistics about this disease are devastating, to live with it or to love someone who has it is the most perplexing thing ever. Addicts are the modern day lepers of society. Shunned, despised and most definitely misunderstood.

Review Feedback

I would like to send a massive thank you to my reviewer Lesley Jones. I love your feedback and this coming from someone whom I presume is not an addict is so important to me. I am on a quest to try to change public opinion on this tricky subject which is hard, but ultimately why I wrote the book. You have made me very happy! This whole process of writing and sending out to the world is a strange one where the hope to do well is strong, but also the hope that you the reader like what is written is also strong. So thank you, Lesley. xx

No Compromise

This book contains eighty-nine short stories designed to encourage readers while highlighting the breakdown of values and common sense in America.

Review Feedback

Captured exactly what I intended while writing the book. Excellent job. Thanks, Dr. Max High

 

Imagine what it would be like to remember every day of your life since you were six years old. Each day you record in your mind the day of the week the date was, the weather, news events and personal events. When Frank Healy was not quite six years old, he began recording in his mind every day. Since that week in 1966 he remembers the day of the week every day occurred on, what the weather was in his locale, the Philadelphia South Jersey area. It includes news and personal events. When people first hear about this they think it must be fun to remember every vacation. Along with every kiss, and every accomplishment along with he date that they happened. Yet he remembers every bad day on jobs, every romantic breakup and all the negative things too. This book will take you through all the adventures, and all the travesties that Frank went through. It includes descriptions of the mental gymnastics that enabled him to know the day of the week dates occurred back to 1752. The book includes exercises so you can try the tricks that he used.

Review Feedback 

Lesley captured everything that I wanted the reader to learn and gain on this review. The emphasis on the hard parts of having a good memory set the stage for my other books. The "Heal Your Memories" series tells how I overcame the negative aspects of the memories, and how others overcame the bad affects of their traumatic memories. I want the reader of "Who Could Forget" to be able to get inside my unique mind and understand my thinking processes. Lesley leads the reader to the idea that they will when they read "Who Could Forget".

The Thinking Human's Guide to Religion: A Modern Interpretation of an Ancient Text

Religion: fact, or fiction? The chronicle of Creation, or the ramblings of a madman? If you’ve ever wondered what it’s all about but can’t bring yourself to actually read a bible, then this book is for you!

With irreverent interpretations reflecting the modern, enlightened age we live in, this is the go-to book for when your sleep is rudely interrupted on Sunday mornings and you want some payback, but can never think of anything to question them with. Problem Solved!

 Review Feedback

Being a first time author, and owing to the controversial subject matter, I wasn't expecting very much in regards to reviews; but after reading Lesley's impassioned review, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I am amazed that an author of her calibre would find my literary offering worthy of such a high rating. I am truly humbled and wish to thank her most sincerely for her wonderful review. Thankyou!