In search of the Holy Publishing Company, well maybe...

If your an author on Facebook, I'm sure you get at least 10 questions every other day on this topic. Drum roll please, and the question is,  "but I want to find a real publisher, so I know I made it." Sound familiar? Yep, a common quest indeed.

This should go without saying, but I'll repeat this again, it's my blog, so it's my opinion, take it or leave it. Don't go getting your feathers ruffled. With all the recent information on the net about ebooks vs. paperbacks, I think it's a pretty clear. The real question should be do I want to have my book in print for the world to read.

This is not ten years ago, it's now and we are down to I think three major publishing companies, what do you think your changes are of them picking you over thousands? Sounds bleak, I know, but it does not have to be. Writers today have control over the content, title, and cover for their books. If you ever had been with a publishing company, you would understand how frustrating it was not to have control, plus if you are your royalties are somewhere between 30-35%.

Let the sun shine in...Amazon lets you have control and get up to 70% of the dough, sweet! Now you can do the Amazon thingy and still have a publisher a couple of different ways.

If you load up your own ebook you and also use create space to have POD versions as well. In my case I have a publisher for some of my books, and the rest I do myself on Amazon. Yes, I am having my cake and eating it too. 

Did you know the Mark Twain self published his first book and sold it door-door? Smart man. In addition, while your searching for a publisher, your losing sales you could have had anyway. Guess what, there are authors who did an  e book first that rocked, and gained the attention of some publishing companies. Take a look at the Kindle blogs and see how authors are happy with their success from their ebooks. There is just no reason for this kind of frustration from rejection nowadays, especially with  ebooks becoming more accepted, so relax and publish some ebooks while you are searching for that Holy Publishing company. 

Peace, Love, and Happy Writing!

Get started now

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin

Miranda Phillips Walker gets Jiggy with the Spirit World!

Sometimes it's just fun doing short stories, Check out mine and my hubby, Robert W. Walker's short story contribution coming soon!

Adding a Little Seasoning to Your Story

The best lecture I ever sat in on, was the wrong one. The event coordinator had switched rooms, so I found myself sitting in on a Sci-fi screen play lecture. Too tired to go in search of the one I had intended on hearing, I stayed put, and I was glad I did. When writing seeing how other authors write is a golden opportunity, if your not too proud you'll uncover many new writing techniques.
Open the first page of any of the top ten novels in the book store and you will see many different opening scenes on the first page. Flipping through the novels you can see how much attention the writer put in setting up the scenes in the book, some not so much. The setting is an importance aspect of the books, it's what transports us to another world, gets us in the mind and location of the characters. For me, I always like opening my books in the middle of an action scene, a careful balance needs to be struck so you don't take away from the advancing storyline but add to it.
Think about your main characters, if they are outside, how's the weather. Is there a big storm brewing, are they in danger, does the weather sunny vs. raining make they feel happy or sad.
This can also add conflict to the storyline, they have to get across a raging river to reach the killer or victim.
Add description to the main and secondary characters. Is the hero is strapping Richard Gere or a rugged outdoors man type with maybe an injured leg on a cane, or perhaps a depressed ex police officer. Let the secondary characters stand out give they a line unique to them, "alrighty then," get r done, a weird hair cut, anything to add a little spice to them.
In the scene, what is your character doing, is he using his hands, reading a book, flipping through a book, stacking case files, is he sitting at his desk or walking the beat.
Filter the scene through the characters five senses, what does he see, smell, hear, feel, or taste. This is an easy way to beef up your novel.

WV Book Festival Charleston Civic Center 10/11/09 2:30

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the WV Book Festival. Come on down Saturday-Sunday October 10-11th at the Charleston Civic Center. Panel discussions, book signing, Agents/Publishing, and chat with local authors.
Join me and Robert Walker at 2:30 on Sunday as we discuss how to get your book ready for an agent/publishing house, methods on finding agents and publishers, a look into the publishing world, book promotion, and much more. We will have a book signing after the discussion.
The Well Meaning Killer and Dead On will be available through Borders at the Book festival. Look forward to seeing you there!!

10/9/09 WV Book Festival Discussion & Book Signing

Title Fights & Writing Lifelines

Hey, fellow writers come join me at the Charleston, WV Civic Center on Sunday October 11, 2009 at 2:30 for a panal discussion and book signing afterwards! I promise, I don't bite.Often today getting your title published is a blow-by-blow experience, often bruising to the ego. This open discussion will focus on how to keep upbeat in a difficult business; getting to know all your publishing options; and determining which option(s) will make you happily published. In other words, while not everyone can get into the NFL of publishing, say with Random House, you do have far more publishing options available today than a decade ago, with small press and online self-publication here to stay. Miranda and Robert Walker will discuss the nature of publishing today, the importance of a writer's having a cheering section or support group, and how to stay upbeat and positive in the rough waters you are faced with when you take the boat across the publishing seas.

I See Dead People, Life of A ER Nurse

They say truth is stranger than fiction, I can tell you coming from a nursing point of view this is very true. I am reminding of this at least three times a week while I'm working in the Emergency Room, If I used any of these examples I would have to water them down because most people would think I was really off my rocker if I told the truth. With the release of my new book "The Well Meaning Killer" I'm starting to roll in some reviews, and some reviewers are questioning Megan McKenna's injury turn around. This fun little post is part of a new nonfiction book I've been working on with amazing stories of patients I've seen cheat death.

Unless you've spent a few hours, and I mean no less than fifteen in the ER waiting to either be seen or discharged you would probably not believe this anyway. For example while on a travel assignment in a large trauma in Texas, we had this guy brought in by EMS that had an ax lodged in the top of his head. I not kidding, the guy was sitting up on the gurney talking and laughing about he was just chopping wood one minute then felt his head burning and bleeding the next. The ax was situated about one inch on the forehead back to the middle of the top of the head. Of course head injuries bleed alot, so blood was everywhere. The staff were taking bets on whether the guy would survive surgery or not with his brain intact, guess what the guy made a full recovery with no deficits! Amazing.
Here's one similar to McKenna's injury, a young male I once had in Baltimore, Md came in to ER after his brother's pet boa constrictor had got out of the cage and had coiled itself around the teen. the boy had woke to severe pressure on his chest think he was having a heart attack from the drugs he'd done earlier that evening. he started yelling, waking up his parents and brother. Long story short the snake's constricting action was giving the boy respiratory problems (like not being able to breathe) so by the time he arrived in the ER he was unconscious but after a few days in the ICU he bounced back with no problems.

I have been a nurse for eighteen years, so I could go on for pages, but every day all nurses see for a lack of a better word, miracles everyday.

Book Signing at Borders in Charleston Town Center Mall, Charleston, WV 2-5pm

Save the Date" August 15th 2009
Thrilled to be at Borders Express this weekend August 15 from 2-5pm in the Charleston Town Center Mall, in Charleston WV continuing the "Partners in Crime Novels Book Tour." Rob will be doing signings for his new novel, Dead On. Hope to see you there!