Topic- Domestic Violence: UPDATED on January 25, 2020

*If you suspect someone is a victim of domestic violence, reach out to your local domestic violence hotline.* Hello everyone! I often promote #ConstructionTales on different Facebook pages and various media platforms throughout the internet. I stumbled upon one that dealt with the subject of Domestic Violence against women. I was pleased to see a page dedicated to giving solid advice on that subject matter. I have dealt with that as a child watching my father get angry and abusive towards my mother, sisters, myself, and my step-mom. I plan to write a book about it some day. An abusive home life had brought on a subconscious fear once I would hear a man's voice get louder in nature. I then would subsequently anticipate that violence was sure to follow. I usually kept my distance once I would hear the voice escalating to a deeper intensity. As a grown woman, it sometimes still bothers me to hear various types of yelling. It is something that once you experience that type of violence, it never fully goes away. However, I have grown into my strength as a woman over the years. Being in construction has built up the fire in my soul for many years now. As of today, not much rattles me. It is fair to say that I now have the heart of a lion. As an adult, that is still a hot button subject for me. I absolutely won't allow that in my home or in my life. I have two boys that I would not tolerate hearing any form of violence towards their girlfriends and/or future wives! I tend to look out fiercely for family members as well. Years ago, I had witnessed an episode, over the phone with a family member, where my family member was getting abused by a partner. It was thousands of miles between Oregon and New York. I couldn't handle the situation myself so I needed my mother to take care of it for me. I had gotten on the phone with my mother and made her go get my family member and pack up the belongings. I would have kept on my mother until the family member was out of the offending house. In hindsight, I didn't think about how uncomfortable this incident had made her feel. I didn't think about how the past trauma impacted her and put fear in her heart. At that moment, I was the voice of reason and the backbone for my mother to take a stand and get that family member out of harms way. I kept encouraging my mother to handle business and she would not get harmed for intervening. I most certainly would have jumped on a plane if anything bad had happened to my mother. Thank goodness that family member did get out of that relationship, after that explosive night, and has had a loving spouse for many years now. Domestic violence is an absolute deal breaker in a relationship for me! I have only been in one relationship that had turned sour like that. I was a very young woman with few relationships under my belt. I ended up getting into violent matches with him, a few times. I would never let a man just hit me without hitting him back. We would end up a bruised and a bloodied mess once we were done fighting. We both ended up with wounds from that since I would not back down. Initially, it was super hard to get away from that situation since I loved him with great intensity and passion. However, I ended up getting out of that situation. I made sure to get out of that situation and to never get into something like that ever again. I have never been in an abusive relationship ever since we parted ways. I think one of the best ways of avoiding those kinds of situations would be to make your own money. If you make your own money, you can be the captain of your own ship. Life follows under your own terms. Then you can screen men to see if they come from good backgrounds and don't have a history of violence. You can study their behavior and part ways when if the situation turns violent. Oftentimes, women get involved with a man since they must depend on them financially. When you make your own money, you can pick and choose who you want to be with long term. It is important for a man to know that you don't need him and he must put in some work to keep you. If a man puts his hands up just once in anger, he will do it again and again. It helps being strong too. I know most men would not want to get hit back by me since I do pack a mean punch. Seriously, you must be willing to look for signs and be willing to leave at the first sign of violence. It could save your life and the life of your children. Being in a violent relationship is not healthy and has long term ramifications for your children in the present and the future. I remember as a kid seeing my female role models being abused. Sadly, it almost felt like it was normal to expect in a relationship. I was accustomed to a man ruling the house and you do not question it. Despite the strict military style home life, I adored my dad. I rarely saw my mom or step-mom stand up for themselves. If they did, they would see the wrath of my father. As a kid, this environment stunted my social growth. I was very quiet and barely spoke unless spoken to in elementary school. I didn't find a part of my voice until I reached middle school. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school. Somehow that pivotal event caused alot of mixed emotions and some misguided anger as a teen. Despite my mom having a man that treated her better, I was angry and confused about the broken family. I moved in with my dad and step-mom when I turned 13 years old. The step-mom made the experience grueling to endure. They parted ways in the summer before my senior year of high school. Here comes a move to a different town and high school. The bright side of this change was meeting my first strong woman in my life. I moved in with this couple and my dad in the new town to start school. Any form of domestic violence had ceased to exist. I got to see with my own eyes a different type of husband and wife dynamics. I met my first strong woman; boy did I gravitate to her!! She was cut from a different cloth and originally came from Chicago. I remember her teaching me how to protect myself. She told me to put my key in between my fingers. If someone attacks you, you now have a weapon. It may have been at this moment that I blamed my mom for not sticking up for herself. Here is a woman that knows how to communicate, compromise, and never let a man push her around. Her husband was allergic to cats. She had a heated shed where she kept her cats; something my mom or step-mom could not get away with ever. I used to go to the shed and pet the cats with her and ask her many questions. It was at that moment in time where the family dynamics ideals shifted dramatically in my mind. I left that environment hopeful that my future relationship will not be doomed to domestic violence. I sincerely hope my story above will inspire at least one woman to evolve from any form of opression to an evolved position of a new self-suffient life. It all starts with figuring out exactly how you want to get out of the current way of life. You can reach out to the apprentice office of a trade you want to enter into for a career. Wait for the intake of apprentices and apply. Make sure you read and follow the instructions EXACTLY as stated. Then jump through the hoops and start your career in the trades. Once you finish your apprenticeship, you are on the road to independance and a life where you can call the shots. You do not have to choose only a trade to join. You can find financial stability from many other avenues. Then you can pick and choose who you want to be in your life as a partner. Having the financial independance to do as you choose is very gratifying and makes life enjoyable. I am rooting for you on your road to achieving independence and a better way of life! *EDIT:* I sat on this article debating whether or not I had given enough sound advice for a woman that is actively in the struggle of domestic violence. I want to add that you are stronger than you know. You do not know how strong you are until pushed to do so. I know I once had the love and the fear of God in my father. I put some distance between ourselves and developed that strength. You must be head strong with the purpose of not relying on anyone but yourself. There are places that can help you and your children. Surround yourself with strong women. Women who have previously experienced domestic violence and have rose above the ashes of old to form a new life. Each step into the path of independence takes time. Be kind to yourself. Write out a list of 50 goals and scratch each accomplished goal out. Then re-write your goals six months later. You do not need to have malice in your heart or hold an anger against the man who once tried to control you. Anger will only hold you eternally in that negative space. Pray for them and find peace amidst the storm. Find your voice and please do not lose it. Take your time and study men who cross your paths. If you sense any form of aggression or excessive anger in the man, cut your losses. You will know a good man when you see him. Your intuition, aka your gut, will tell you he is a good man. You shall gain a sense of peace in his presence. Take your time and choose wisely moving forward. You got this next chapter. Best of luck! Have a great Monday! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper *If you suspect someone is a victim of domestic violence, reach out to your local domestic violence hotline.* #Scholastic #nonfiction #bookstagram #DropEverythingAndRead #SpringBookFair2021 #LoveOfReading #Reading #ConstructionTales #books #funny #NYC #podcast #Spotify #VerballyDisastrous #bookfair #bookjoy #ReadAnywhere #LoveToRead #AllForBooks #Adult #FBF21 #LBF21 #BEA21 #IKBF21 #KLF21 #HKTDC21 #GBF21 #IIBF21 #LATFOB21 #SIBF21 #FILBO21 #EIBF21 #BAIBF21 #MIBF21 #BIDLDSP21 #BS21 #BBF21 #HIBF21 #IBTAF21 #IBBF21 #ITEF21 #JLF21 #JIBF21 #LBF21 #NDWBF21 #TiBE21 #TIBF21 #BCBF21 #LIVREPARIS21 #SDLDM21 #HBF21 #FIL21 #IIBF21 #SBF21 #BuchWein21 #VIBF21 #ADIBF21 #AIPF21 #bookstagram #book #bukuislami #b #bukumurah #islamicbookfair #buku #booklover #bukusejarah #buchberlin #booklove #cher #bookshelf #internationalbookfair #bookholic #jualbuku #jualbukumurah #reading #obralbuku #bukuindie #bukujogja #tokobukumurah #buchmesse #langka #pasarbuku #bukulangka #bhfyp #jualbelibukuonline #onlineshop #jualanonline #booklovers #anresbooks #readingbooks #booksofinstagram #boekuitstalling #buch #bookish #buchberlinkids #tokobukuonline #boimela #lesen #bookworm #poetry #gontor #fbm #bazarbuku #bookreview #berlin #read #writer #berlinerbuchmesse #buchmesseberlin #author #instabooks #boekverkoping #virtualbookfair #bookaddict

Construction Humor- Sunday Funday!!

Hello everyone! I wanted to offer some funny humor. Have a great weekend- what is left of it!! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Poems By Fellow Author Melica Niccole

Hello everyone! I am sharing poems offered by fellow author, Melica Niccole. My 10 year old son, Johnny, appreciated them. He was not happy they didn't flow like a normal poem. I gave her feedback and she said she did it on purpose- to be creatively different. Here they are from her Google profile. https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MelicaNiccole/posts/gLRFLk2HPcC?cfem=1#+MelicaNiccole/posts/gLRFLk2HPcC?cfem=1

I hope you all enjoy! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper www.lesliemjasper.com

Word Press With Lawrence Wray Interview Questions- My Answers For The Interview Coming In The Future!

Hello everyone! Here are some of the questions I have filled out for an interview with author, Lawrence Wray. Here is the format. I am keeping it that way so fellow authors can copy and paste it for their use. It may not stay that way as I see it when posted. You can cut and paste and work on your own interview. There are alot of questions to fill out so pace yourself and take your time! I hope to help some fellow authors out getting the exposure they need for their book. Good luck! I all! I’ve decided to throw my hat in the ring and do some author interviews on my blog. I’m aiming at one per week, so first come first served. Email the finished interview to lawrencewray@hotmail.com If there are any questions that you would like to have included, just put them in. I don’t expect to have to edit anything, so if I do find something that needs looking at, I’ll let you know before I post and we’ll talk it through. Please provide up to 5 photographs. (Author, books, etc) Book blurb, etc., get it out of your system. Everything welcome. Lets get that author/book out there folks. . . . . . * All sections marked with an asterisk will be deleted before uploading. . . . . . Welcome all, Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Leslie M Jasper, author of Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey to Become an Electrican Hi Leslie, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background? I started my electrical career, at 17 years old, in the U.S. Navy as a construction electrician in the Seabees. I have been a union electrician for the past 20 years. For the past two years, I got the opportunity to transition into the office and train to become a CAD operator and an electrical engineer. I am also working closely with my project manager learning those tasks as well. I work within the five bouroughs of New York City, Westchester County, and Fairfield County in Connecticut. In addition, I work as a writing coach and instructor for Empire College in New York City. What were you like at school? I was the quiet and shy band nerd who enjoyed an educational challenge. It took me 20 years to go back and finally get my MBA. I also have an OSHA 500 certification- meaning I can teach and offer OSHA 10 and 30 cards. Were you good at English? It is fair to say I was since I had a very good GPA in school. What are your ambitions for your writing career? I would like to write at least four more books for the Construction Tales series and a fiction book about a little girl who struggled within an abusive homelife to become a successful self-made millionaire. I would like to write a few memoirs for some of my intersting friends as well once retired. Which writers inspire you? I enjoyed reading V.C. Andrews and Stephen King as a teen and young adult. I have not been able to find time to dig more deeper into writers since I am usually very busy. I do have a tendancy to read and assortment of work that is thought provoking and maybe controversial. So, what have you written? I have written the first volume of my Construction Tales series. My first book is entitled, Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey to Become an Electrician. Nine months later I edited my teen version of the book. It is entitled, Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life. These books will cover my journey to becoming an electrician in New York. Where can we buy or see them? (Adult)Amazon link (available in paperback and Kindle worldwide): http://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Womans-Journey-Electrician/dp/1467960160/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1455470817&sr=8-2&keywords=construction+tales Barnes & Noble link (available in paperback and Nook worldwide): http://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Womans-Journey-Electrician/dp/1467960160/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1455470817&sr=8-2&keywords=construction+tales iTunes link (available 52 countries worldwide): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/construction-tales-vol-1/id725235089?mt=11 (Teen)Amazon link (available in paperback/Kindle worldwide): http://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Persons-Accomplish-Anything/dp/1497593115/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455470817&sr=8-1&keywords=construction+tales Barnes & Noble link (available in paperback and Nook worldwide): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/construction-tales-leslie-jasper/1118955613?ean=9781497593114 Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? In this book, I am the main character. What makes my character so special is because I step foot into a male-dominated work environment and attempt to learn a trade. I worked hard and earned a great working reputation despite the lack of a warm embrace from some co-workers. I am attempting to do something few women are brave enough to do. What are you working on at the minute? I have been very busy promoting my first (teen and adult version) book. I started writing Volume 2 that is entitled, Construction Tales: My Illuminated Path Continues... I need to carve out more time to write the book. What’s it about? Volume 2 offers more construction stories in different environments as well as what it was like working outside on the railroad in the winter while pregnant. What genre are your books? I would say inspriational and self-help books. What draws you to this genre? The fact that I was working in a field that is very difficult and managing very challenging people. I offer guidance on how to naviagate this treacherous field of business. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? I have thought about someone in between Jennifer Garner and Melissa McCarthy would be a fun and zestful choices for that role. How much research do you do? Very little research was done- I just have to remember what happened 20 years ago. Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers? No, not yet. Why did you do decide to collaborate and did that affect your sales? No, not yet. When did you decide to become a writer? My first stint of huge unemployment while working with the tools. I had plenty of time on my hands to try my hand at it. Why do you write? I wanted to share my story in an effort to demonstrate it is difficult to get into this business but it can be done. I am a part of women's history and it was important to preserve those periods of time. What made you decide to sit down and actually start something? The great recession of 2008 brought on my need to start writing. I was thinking that there are probably few books out there that showcase women in construction. Do you write full-time or part-time? I write when I can find blocks of time to putting my story on paper. Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? I will think of a funny story and write a short story and post on my Facebook book page. I will then go back and expand on the moment in time with more details and feelings during that snapshot in time. I then carve out a small block of time and then go back to other tasks. Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? No I do not write every day. I do write short stories on my lunch break or while walking on the treadmill during the first 15 minutes of my cardio routine. I must then find a nice quiet time to write more in-depth. Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day? I think a great goal would be to get a 1,000 words in per day. In reality, I probably do 250 words a day. I am heavily involved in social media book promotions. I really need to work on beefing up my daily word content. Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand? On my computer. I try on my ipad or G6 but it is not very efficient. Where do the your ideas come from? The jobsites from the past and my crazy work coworkers! Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? I think of a funny story then write it out. I go back and expand on it big time. How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I have evolved creatively through my journey of obtaining a college education. This process opens your mind and allows new ideas to come in fluidly. What is the hardest thing about writing? Finding time to do it! I have a few things on my plate that take up blocks of time. What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book? Remembering funny old stories from jobs in the the past. What is the easiest thing about writing? Coming up with a story and running with it. I naturally like to offer "too many details" in the real world. How long on average does it take you to write a book? If that was my only task, maybe a month. Juggling it in between jobs, it could take a couple of years. It depends on how bad I want it finished. Do you ever get writer’s Block? Sometimes, hard to remember some great and crazy events on jobs in the past. Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? I would say walk away from it. When an idea pops up, it will be in the shower or driving. Just find the next free moment and jot it down. If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it? This book is the first part of my Construction Tales series. I have written about what it was like to become a female electrician in New York. I have 20 years and counting of stories to tell. I have co-workers who have offered to share some of their stories as well. I share my personal journey and challenges I endured and overcame during that time period. What are your thoughts on writing a book series. In my situation, it is great! I cannot fit and remember all the stories to put them into just one book. I don't pressure myself too much. I write the stories and come back to them to expand when I am ready. Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors. I have little time to do personal reading. I was commuting to New York City so I was reading during the ride in. I was reading some success stories from Jack Welch most recently. For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I definitely prefer to have the book in my hand while reading. I am not a fan of the ebook just yet. What book/s are you reading at present? I have dived into the first chapter of the book entitled, The Joy of Plumbing by Hattie Hasan. It is about a group of women plumbers in business together in England. Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? Oh no! That process is painful! I would much rather have someone else edit it for me. I had to help editing with this book and I will make sure I have help on the next book! Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? When I helped edit the last time, I spent almost the entire summer of 2013 going over it multiple times. I will not do it alone again! Who edited your book and how did you select him/her? My book was edited by a family member, Jeanine Larkin. I chose her since she is famliy and offered to help me on the process. Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about. The book cover has a pink hard had with a pair of pliers and screwdriver shaped together in a phalic symbol. I wanted someone to immediately recognize that the book is about a woman electrician. My mom-in-law told me to put the phalic symbol on the hard hat so in case someone doesn't get the symbolism. Who designed your book cover/s? My brother-in-law Nick Jasper. I told him what I wanted and he made it happen for me. Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? I definitely think it does. I know I would pass by an unknown author if the book cover was not alluring to me. How are you publishing this book and why? I published through Createspace since my book falls into a category that publishers do not normally know how to market to audience. Instead of waiting for a publishng house to find it interesting, I decided to take matters into my own hands. What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? I main advantage to self-publishing is that you can make it happen where it was not a possibility before. The main disadvantage is that you must work super hard to make it known to audiences. How do you market your books? I make it happen through TONS of social media exposure. I abuse hashtags for many big book fair events. I reach out to as many libraries, book clubs, and people accepting interviews as I can. Why did you choose this route? I chose this route since it is the cheapest way to promote my book. I must keep my costs down. Would you or do you use a PR agency? I don't currently have one at the moment. I would like to have one if one becomes available. Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? Use every tool out there available. If you want to use more, ask many people. Join forces with other authors and join marketing forces with them. What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? At the moment, all my writing time is devoted to marketing. What do you do to get book reviews? At the moment, I have offered my book to a few friends in exchange for a review. Some people have failed to complete their end of the bargain. My book ends up as a dusty old book sitting somewhere solo. How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? I would say it is decent for the adult version. I have one for the teen version so that needs help tremendously! Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? I thought about a free book in exchange for a review. That has not been as fruitful as I had hoped. I will have to come up with something else. What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? Both are good to serve as guides for writing the next book! I had one somewhat bad mention so I fixed it in the teen book. Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? One of my buddies privated messaged me after seeing the book, buying it, and reading it. He said I made him look like a real asshole in the book. I said the good thing is that no one knows who it is but you. I told him to wear it if the shoe fits. It was a very funny conversation. What’s your views on social media for marketing? I think it is a fabulous and cheap way to market and promote the book! Which social network worked best for you? My Facebook book page is definitely my best vehicle for posting book material and reaching people who would be interested in my book. Any tips on what to do and what not to do? I would say don't pay to get published when you have the marketing world of Amazon already at your fingertips. It gets printed, shipped, and funds are collected while you carry on with your life. A royalty check just pops up in your bank account. Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? I have not explored those venues yet. I have worked with The Combined Book Exhibit to create a book trailer and the promotion that comes with that exposure. I did promote through the Virtual Book Cafe. I would not say I received tremendous book sales- maybe just known amongst people who read blogs on the internet. Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? No,I did not do that. I will be sure to do those marketing steps for when I launch Volume 2. I am a rookie to marketing. However, I am learning fast on how to proceed. Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? Abusing the hashtag on Twitter for an event did have a huge impact. I kind of felt bad when I received complaints from a few librarians attending an event that I was clogging up their feeds with my book trailer. Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future? I probably have that are yet to be discovered. I didn't market before the book launched is one mistake. I don't think I need to sign up and pay for every book fair out there. I did that with little results. I will try to market as cheap as possible from now on! Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? Perhaps the right readers do not know the books exist. Not everyone has access to NBC or Fox channels. What do you think of “trailers” for books? I think they are a fabulous marketing tool. Once you have one, you can keep using it at different venues for a long time. Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? Yes,I do have one. It was created by The Combined Book Exhibit and ran in both NYC's Book Expo America and the San Francisco book fair. I will probably do it for the London and German book fairs at some point. Do you think that giving books away free works and why? I hear that it is a good marketing tool. I donate copies every so often to diffent events. I just donated three copies for an Independent Author Book Expo happening in Roselle, NJ on October 15, 2016. I am booked to be at this event so I am donating copies to 3 lucky young readers. Here is the book trailer for Construction Tales: https://youtu.be/RChC9wp97kk Did you format your own book? I used the Createspace template to format my book. That way it can be uploaded for Amazon for sale. In what formats is your book available? Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and iTunes worldwide If formatted by someone else, how did you select them and what was your experience? I used the formats offered through Createspace, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble and I have no complaints at the moment. How do you relax? I have a difficult time relaxing. I would say my best methods are to go to the beach, Florida, or on a cruise ship. What is your favourite motivational phrase? Go Hard or Go Home! What is your favourite positive saying? You are the captain of your own ship. What is your favourite book and why? I would have to say it is Flowers in the Attic. I read it as a teenager and for some reason it was my favorite for many years later. What is your favourite quote? "Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."- Nelson Mandela What is your favourite film and why? I would say The Bone Collector is my all time favorite since I have a huge interest in forensice science. Where can you see yourself in 5 years time? I see myself older, wiser, married, a couple of years more experience within the business side of the electrical industry, more accomplished in my goals, and closer to retirement! What advice would you give to your younger self? I would tell myself to not get so worried about stuff. God has a plan so when things happen it is for the best. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? I would like to meet Sheryl Sandberg who is the author of Lean In. I would like to meet her since she is strong, energetic, and a smart leader in business. I share being a widow with her so I can relate to that issue in her life. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? I would like to be the author of Lean In since I would like to write a book about being a successful executive who inspires other people to figure out how to find balance and live your best life that works for you. What advice would you give to aspiring writers? I would say pick up some mentors in the business and ask alot of questions. If you don't know about something, find out by asking around until you find someone who knows. Then make yourself available to help others. Where do you see publishing going in the future? I see more works of literature from different sources becoming available. Perhaps the normally closed publishing world will dedicate a part of themselves to searching and reaching out to writers who pick up major steam in the social media world. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? I did sign up on an international platform, IPR License out of England, for an gaining international interest in my book. How can readers discover more about you and you work? Website: www.lesliemjasper.com Blog: www.lesliemjasper.blogspot.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ConstructionTalesVolumeI/ Twitter: (@LeslieMJasper):https://twitter.com/LeslieMJasper?s=01 Lnkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/nhome/?trk= Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/405886985137955129/ Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Leslie-M.-Jasper/e/B00LSRKAKO Smashwords: n/a Book Links: http://www.iprlicense.com/Profile Goodreads: n/a (* Any order you like and if I’ve missed anything, just type it in.) Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Please share this interview with fellow readers and authors. As always, thanks for stopping by! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Book Festivals and Free Marketing Opportunities for Authors

Hello everyone! I am sharing good marketing opportunities for authors that are affordable or free. Become a member of Book Buzz to get some marketing ideas. Here they are: Book Festivals Accepting Authors For Their Events: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books APRIL 9 & 10, 2016 - USC CAMPUS http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/contacts/ Alabama Book Festival Saturday, April 23, 2016 - Montgomery Alabama http://www.alabamabookfestival.org/author-submittal.html Hudson Children's Book Festival May 7, 2016 - Hudson, New York http://www.hudsonchildrensbookfestival.com/book-festival-authors-illustrators.php Gaithersburg Book Fesival Saturday, May 21, 2016 - Gaithersburg, MD http://www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org/participate/speakpresent/ The Prince George's Book Festival May 14, 2016 - Landover, MD http://springbookfestival.simplesite.com/414453737 Mississippi Book Festival August 20, 2016 - Mississippi State Capital http://msbookfestival.com/index.php/site/page/participate We will list others in the Spring as their applications open up. Free & Cheap Book Promotion Resources Authors: If you have a recent or forthcoming publication related to the readership of H-Childhood, please encourage your publisher to send a review copy to H-Net (and to recommend the title for the H-Childhood list). Visit https://networks.h-net.org/node/18732/discussions/85358/seeking-authors-and-reviewers for more information. Review copies can be sent to:       H-Net Reviews       141h Old Horticulture            506 East Circle Drive            East Lansing, MI  48824-1115 Prospective reviewers: If you are interested in reviewing books for H-Childhood, please email me with your name, affiliation, and area(s) of interest/research expertise. I can be reached at: meredith.bak@rutgers.edu Write 2 Be Magazine Seeking Authors For Interviews http://write2bemagazine.com/write-2-be-magazine-is-seeking-authors-to-interview/ Authors Publish Magazine Free eMagazine For Authors http://www.authorspublish.com/ Cheers! Leslie M Jasper Leslie M Jasper-Stakley Additional information offered from fellow author, Sonya Felice Jenkins. She can be found at her Book's Facebook page by plugging in her name: Sonya Felice Jenkins http://sonyafjenkins.wix.com/authorsonyajenkins You can checkout her book on her website above: Here are a few events to add to your blog list. . . -The Sistahs on Lit Book Festival in Silver Springs MD on April 23rd -2nd Annual Sharnel Williams Book Fair in Newark NJ on June 11th - -Baltimore Book Festival in Baltimore MD on Sept. 24th -14th Annual Collingswood Book Fair in Downtown Collingswood NJ on Oct. 1st. Hope these are helpful and hope to see you there. :D

Construction Tales Was at the Virginia Library Association Conference October 21-23, 2015

Hello everyone! I stumbled on my Virginia Library Association Conference report I wanted to share. My teen book- Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life was at the event. I took photos of stats for the event. I am interested in other venues. Especially if it is free. I merely filled out a form and donated a copy of the book. I got the tip by subscribing to Book Buzz. As always, thank you for checking out my blog! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Comedy Night in the Bronx- An Event For Charity!

Hello everyone, I had a great time last night at a comedy event last night in the Bronx, NY. It was hosted last night in the Galaxy Party Hall by Papito and Awilda Vasquez family along with comedian, Ron Snipes. They rent the space for all kinds of events. You can book events through logging onto their website www.galaxypartyhallbronx.com Different family members between the Vasquez and Bobe families rolled up their sleeves to make this event happen. The venue, food, and drinks created a great atmosphere! It was very generous and kind for them to put together this event. The mother coming up on the stage to thank the crowd was very touching to everyone in the room. It made the crowd melt with emotion due to her energy- filled with passion, gratitude, and love. It does make you think that life is more than earning a paycheck and satisfying material wants. If you can each dedicate a small slice of your time and money, that effort can be life changing for a family in need! I wish them well and much healing on the journey of life! The four comedians who stepped on the stage were very funny! They include: Ron Snipes Edgar Rivera Imagine Eric Nievea Music by DJ J Hayes I know I got lots of their antics. However, I am sure a few skits went over my head since I am a snowflake. I get along with the humor and can relate since I have been around my ex's Spanish family and other friends for over 10 years. I captured 12 videos from their stand up acts. I placed them on my YouTube video page. I will update the contact info of the comedians who helped mold this charity event together- if it becomes available. I enjoyed sitting with the table of friends. I brought my work buddy to the event. He enjoyed himself. The friends all have children who have been best friends with each other since middle school. I will add more to this blog if I get a chance! Here is the link to my YouTube video page: https://youtu.be/zUr-awiEuVY As always, thank you for checking out my blog on a woman working as a female electrician in New York. My book Construction Tales is available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and iTunes! ! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Attending Mt Vernon High School Career Day - March 18, 2016

Hello everyone! I was invited to attend the Mt. Vernon High School Career Day event. I am taking the day off so that I may inspire young students to follow my career path. As I have gotten older, I see the value in serving as a mentor. It is important to show people that the options do exist. More importantly, it is possible to do anything you dream about in life. I am taking my teen version of my book to the event to share with students. Perhaps they will see the value of joining a union and becoming an electrician. I will be there March 18,2016 from 8am-12 noon. I look forward to seeing students ask questions. I would like to connect with fellow working professionals who are also dedicating their time for the event. As always, thank you for stopping by my blog! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Joining Fellow Authors for 3rd Annual Independent Authors Book Expo October 15, 2016

Hello everyone! It is official! I am joining fellow authors at the 3rd Annual Independent Authors Book Expo in New Jersey. My book and bio will be coming shortly to www.iabx.org Welcome Author Leslie M. Jasper, author of "Construction Tales: Volume 1 (A Woman's Journey to become an Electrician Book 1) http://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Womans-Journey-Electrician-ebook/dp/B00FBJ9GVE 3rd Annual Independent Authors Book Expo  Abraham Clark High School 122 E 6th Ave.,  Roselle, NJ October 15, 2016 11AM - 6PM Open to Authors, Poets and Publishers   Book Clubs are welcome Limited Vendor Spots  Come byand check out the author line-up! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper

Independent Author Book Expo October 15, 2016 11AM to 6PM in Roselle, New Jersey

Hello everyone! I plan on attending this year's event. Here is the information for the event. Meet the 2016 Authors/Vendors Adult Fiction ​Sharnel  Williams Biography Children's Author Renaee Smith Christian Fiction Shauna Carty Cookbook Author Renaee Smith Health and Wellness Motivational Melica Niccole Poetry Young Adult ​Vendors Independent Authors Book Expo 3rd Annual Independent Authors Book Expo  Abraham Clark High School 122 E 6th Ave.,  Roselle, NJ October 15, 2016 11AM - 6PM Open to Authors, Poets and Publishers   Book Clubs are welcome Limited Vendor Spots  REGISTRATION IS GOING ON NOW!!!!   To learn about all of the exhibiting andsponsorship opportunities click on the links, or contact Renaee Smith at iabex@hotmail.com for more information. Come out and meet face to face with local and international authors. Friends, family, and the community at large are encouraged to come out and support our budding authors. Authors will make presentations from their books; also games, prizes, promotional giveaways will be available. A wide selection of books will be available for purchase at the event.  This event will feature the following: Author exhibits Author Readings and Signings Children's Corner (with Arts and Crafts and Author Readings)                                       Free Workshops and Seminars                                        Book Club Meet and Greet, and much more! Book Clubs Register your book club and be featured on our website. Send your information to iabex@hotmail.com ​Gathering of the Gifted , Connecticut Our Supporters Copyright 2013. Independent Authors Book Expo. All rights reserved. My goal is to carve out time and register this week or next week. I already promised to donate some copies of my teen version to young readers at the event. I will share when I am on board. Speak to you soon! Cheers! Leslie M Jasper