The Old Church Ghosts

About nine moths ago I wrote the ghost story "The old church ghosts," it is based around a church in Clevedon, Avon. I lived there for over 25 years, so I know the area very well. When I finished this story I said to three close friends "I don't like it, it will be just my luck if it turned into a best seller." How prophetic, it may not be a best seller as in sales but it certainly is one of the most popular I have written. I think my dislike stems from apart from it not feeling right, I felt I had let my friends down as it is just over 1,000 words long, whereas the first two I did came in at over 7,000 each.

On the other side of the coin is my Chronicles series that has just come out, this set of what was going to be four books is close to my heart as I am an ex-photographer. Sadly, my liking for this series appears to have given it the kiss of death as there has been no interest in sales, despite a great on line following. Even one friend who said she would get it, has not bought a copy. Apart from doing well because I like the stories, I wanted it do something to show my appreciation to my editor Carol Wills and my friends Angela Priest who did the cover and colour inserts.

Alan Place

Some of the various places where you can find Alan:
 http://indieauthornetwork.weebly.com/alan-w-place.html#.T-G88xf5A6N

 ANAuthors@yahoo.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Place/e/B0076M5BNG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.amazon.com/Al-Place/e/B0076M5BNG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=tab_pro

https://www.facebook.com/awplace

Thank you for taking the time to read this

"Godric's Hollow Meets Pine Island (Isolationism)"

                    

When I’m trapped inside Forever Eternal’s Canyon

And the ocean’s flesh salts my past, but dehydrates.

I float away, adorned with possessions, to where the chosen one lived.

As I lie pouting about mankind’s simplest obligations, I must compare and contrast.

For the vine replenishes regularly, and I must suffer a hemorrhage in accordance

(Isolation for the healthy.  Isolation for the sad.)

(Isolation for the lonely.  Isolation, the good’s gone bad.)

Lonely Room’s Corner to my right

Paid dues to my left, and good people everywhere

Faded bracelets, painted polygamy, Nicole’s long-lasting farewell. 

As I long for previous chances, the scarless doorstep remembers.

Pine Island, birth of memories, lady and a gentleman, fruitful, and they appreciate me. 

(Isolation for the weak.  Isolation for the strong.) 

(Isolation I must shriek.  Isolation, the right’s gone wrong.) 

Olivia, the red-headed, captivating swan. 

Innocent, but embedded in my dreams. 

Oh Julia!  The Japanese Maples and Dogwoods bloom involuntarily! 

I beg thee, I plead to thee, come to me. 

Rain down on me, come, breath, anew me.

As I rest in endless seas, coated with a bronze surface.

The cycle rotates, and I see a wall, covered with positive graffiti. 

Only it’s guarding a broken home. 

Pine Island is my will and the way. 

While enchanted lamp shades darken what could’ve been. 

(Isolation when I’m down.  Isolation when I’m up.)

(Isolation all around.  Isolation says I’m nuts.) 

Family by blood is stronger than a network, guaranteed.

Family networking, I’m not perfect, but Craig Caron is one sentence, and I’m a never-ending story. 

As I lie in a regretful state of mind

The purest definition of courage reveals itself.

While wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

Pine Island, Godric’s Hollow, one is dreamy, and one is home. 

I choose the romantic way, and a compromise. 

(Isolationism because I’m sad.  Isolationism because I’m glad.)

(Isolationism is to blame.  It isn’t, but ignites a flame.)

(Isolationism for growth, but I shrink, because of isolationism.)

(Isolationism is the end.  But it’s also the beginning, because I’m ending isolationism.) 

Someday……while

Peace is its name…..and

RAD is its master. 

Robert Alexander Deason         Peace

© All Rights Reserved

www.facebook.com/radisradicallyprimetime

http://twitter.com/#!/RADsPeace

"With a little help from your friends"

When Siggy asked me if I'd like to write something for Writers Get Together, my immediate response was “I'd love to!”

Upon further thought, I realized this meant I'd have to come up with something to write. Between writing novels and thinking up mildly clever or vaguely informative things for my own blog, I volunteered to write for someone else's? Crap. Yes, she said I could re-post something from mine, but that didn't seem like the answer – if people want to read that, they can go to my blog, right? I could also post an excerpt from my book, but that didn't sit right, either, because I already spend so much time at shameless self-promotion.

Hmm: promotion. Now there's a thought.

You can read author blogs ad nauseum that will tell you the elements needed to find success in the world of independent (and particularly electronic) publishing: a well-written book, eye-catching cover, intriguing blurb, precise formatting, luck. And a platform.

A platform is like a following – people who will buy your book, read it and share it with their friends, relatives, neighbours, co-workers, the kid down the street and the meter maid. And hopefully everyone else they meet.

“That sounds easy,” I sez reading that.

So out I go into the world of Facebook and Twitter, friending everyone I can find, following everyone with a pulse. More than 1300 people agree to be my friend (see, Ma? I'm popular!), but only people related to me follow on Twitter. That's okay, though, because now I have a platform.

I start sharing news and links to my book, telling people about my blog. I tweet clever quotations, share funny pictures. And what happens? Do my book sales skyrocket? Do people start knocking at my door asking to be my friend? Do tweeps start following me in droves?

Nope.

Select members of my family share my FB posts with their 97 friends (most of whom are my friends, too). A few people I know take the time to click the little 'like' icon at the bottom of my posts, declaring to the world their affinity for whatever I had to say. My ten-year-old daughter tells all her school friends what a great writer her Daddy is (God bless her). My Mom tells me she'd retweet anything I have to say...if she was on Twitter.

Okay, indie publishing gurus, how is this going to help me become successful enough to quit my job and write full-time?

It won't.

The secret to successful promo in the social media world rests in the power of the group. My platform + your platform + his platform + her platform = success.

Does anyone remember the old Pert shampoo commercial with the amazing multiplying woman? “She tells two friends, then she tells two friends, and so on, and so on.” All those tiny woman heads in that commercial added together made for many sales for Pert shampoo, but only because they each told two friends. If I tell my friends, and you tell your friends, and they tell their friends...and then we do it again. For you, for me, for her, for him.

I like to do the Twitter math. When I share a link to my blog, 153 people potentially see it (yeah, I still don't have that many followers, but it's growing). For my last post, I saw my link retweeted at least 7 times, increasing the number of eyes potentially seeing it to over 2500 sets. Far more impact.

But be warned, fellow indies, this can't be done selfishly. Truly care about helping your peers, put their success ahead of yours, and you may be happily surprised at the results. For everybody.

To that end, my platform is your platform. Drop me a line if you'd like to guest on my blog, tag me when you have an important link to share, DM me when you have something to retweet.

It's a big, scary world out there, indie authors and readers who read us, but together we can survive and thrive.

Indie authors of the world unite! And together we'll take over the world!

Mwah, ha ha ha.

Find Bruce Blake at:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=640723713

https://twitter.com/#!/bruceablake

http://bruceblake.wordpress.com/

http://www.on-unfaithful-wings.com/