Vol. #1: Sharing (3) Showcased Awesome Gang Authors!

Photo Credit: https://awesomegang.com/ Hello Everyone! How are you handling your ongoing work week this Wednesday evening!? It is a rather brutally cold day today. Hopefully, you are being warm and dry today. I'm going for earning some good karma, via passing around some author spotlights that come to me, via email. I'm going to showcase some authors that come from my regularly sent Awesome Gang newsletter. In this blog post, I opted to choose (3) authors to showcase their work that was submitted to Awesome Gang. I may showcase some more authors in other posts. I might as well also shamelessly promote my book entitled, "Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey To Be An Electrician". It is available on Audible in audio as well as paperback and e-book for: Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble. I thank you ahead time for peeping my book content and/or subscribing to either one of my YouTube channels. I'm working on the final phase of my first children's book entitled, "Not All Girls Play With Dolls". Of course, I shall be sharing that book once it goes live globally on Amazon. I did edit the adult version into a tween to teen version of #ConstructionTales that is entitled, "Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide To Accomplish Anything In Life". Here are some showcased authors down below: Showcased Author- 1.) Eva Sandor Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I’m Eva Sandor— longtime illustrator… attacker of DIY projects… lover of sensory experiences including, but not limited to: wolfing down delicious food, smelling aromas, basking in music and ever so gently crrrrushing the pets of the world in my loving grip… I enjoy communing with horses, running far on shady trails, visiting new nooks of the globe… oh, and I wrote two novels. You probably want to hear about the novels. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? My latest one is Power’s Play and it’s the sequel to Fool’s Proof. It was inspired by people asking: “So? When’s the next one?”, and me realizing that I did indeed have plenty more in me. I like to call the world my characters inhabit “mildly magical”. Yes, it’s a fantasy, but not because I wanted it to be full of prithee-thou and Ancient Prophecieees. I just wanted the opportunity to really mix and mash, and to indulge in the kind of luscious, intricate, heavily detailed language I myself so enjoy reading. So I built an alternative version of our own early Renaissance, filled with halfway recognizable pastiches of real-world locations, glimmers of advanced technology powered by an unknown natural force, animal life that’s almost, but not quite, similar to our own and a cast of characters ranging from lovable to repellent. My main character, Malfred Murd, is somewhere in the middle of that range and continues to paddle clumsily toward the “hero” end of the pool. In Power’s Play he’s achieved a kind of semi-comfortable repose, but of course you know it can’t end there— Fred just has to get tangled up in some new foolishness. This time, it’s going undercover to help take down a criminal empire. Uh-oh. What could possibly go wrong? Do you have any unusual writing habits? Well, unusual for me is that, since 2020, I’ve had a complete reset of my inner clock. I became aware of what I like to call “Night 2.0″— the wee morning hours, the time Sky Masterson sang about in Guys And Dolls. Now that’s my time of day, too. If I wake up and it’s after 4 am… then it’s time to brew up that Cafe Bustelo, flap open the MacBook and get cranking. Plus, if the weather is appropriate I’m probably out on my back deck. The sun comes up, the chapters get written, the rest of the day spreads out ahead, including time to draw. This is my new habit and I feel like it’s a well-kept secret. Shhhh! All the cool people are switching to Night 2.0. What authors, or books have influenced you? Everything has, to some extent. I take writing I like as an example, and what I dislike as a warning. But to be specific, in the case of my two novels, my major influence was Patrick O’Brian. I’m one of those fans who’s “circumnavigated”— read all 20 of his Aubrey-Maturin novels, and more than once. There’s a terrific Facebook group out there for us, and after sharing a few humorous spoof chapters I wrote in imitation of POB’s unmistakable voice, I just… felt like going further. I wanted to offer something brand-new and all-me to those readers who enjoy the POB style of intertwining turns of phrase, studded here and there with gleaming Baroque words, piled neatly into dense stacks that unfold and unfold when you tug on ’em. But I wanted it to be comedy, because dammit, I just like humor. What are you working on now? Why, the third book, of course! What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? I’ve found that Facebook ads are my best bang for the buck: they let me zero right in on the readers who are pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down. And the Facebook groups I’ve joined as part of the research for my books are full of wonderful fans who have become online friends. They spread the word. BookFunnel is another great resource, letting me share sample chapters to get people hooked on that sweet, sweet Evamagination. Samples have gained me readers halfway around the world… literally! I recently made some woodblock prints of a monster from the books, and offered them to readers just for fun. I ended up sending quite a few from Chicago to New Zealand. Do you have any advice for new authors? I do indeed. Writing is just like art: you’ve got to make a certain number of things (drawings, poems, stories) before you start getting good at it, and during that time there is no requirement whatever that other people see those things. In fact, don’t even keep them— or at least, not all of them. It’s the making process, and not the finished products, that turns you into a writer or artist. Do like art students everywhere: use cheap paper, stuff ’em all into the Dumpster after class, and make 100 more tomorrow. I’m constantly turning up stuff I forgot I did. In my basement I have literal shopping bags full of brochures I wrote and laid out, and those are just the ones I thought might be worth keeping for my “portfolio”. Doing the thing teaches the skill, and then at some point you’ll feel completely at ease letting the world see your creative output because… it’s you, as you as your face, and you’re just walking down the street of creativity with everyone else who makes stuff. You have every bit as much right to be there as the others do. What is the best advice you have ever heard? Well, that’s a big question but I’ll try and keep it pithy! I once read a wonderful quotation that was attributed to Audrey Hepburn— although as with many internet quotations, it’s anyone’s guess whether she really said it. Doesn’t matter. It went: “We are not loved because we are beautiful. We are beautiful because we are loved.” So many people are out there flailing and struggling to make strangers see them as amazing, thinking that’s what will bring them love. They have it absolutely backwards. If we make ourselves worthy of being loved, even if it’s just to one friend or one reader, then we’ll be beautiful to them— though the delightful irony is, of course, that we won’t care about that anymore. The beauty will be beside the point. The love is the point. What are you reading now? Classic spy lit. For example, I just finished re-reading The Eye of the Needle. Why this genre? Oh, no reason… (whistling, looking off into the distance) What’s next for you as a writer? Audiobooks! I just finished recording the audio version of Fool’s Proof and I hope to have it for sale in November, in time for Christmas gifting. And then of course, I’ll want to record Power’s Play as well. Ach Mensch, I could do a whole interview just on the incredible experience I had taking on the role of narrator— it was a crash course in voice acting and so much more. If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring? Blank ones (and something to write with, of course)! The world outside the island is full of completed books— bringing them along to read would entertain me, but it would add nothing new to the world. Whereas if I were writing, my time on the island wouldn’t be wasted… and to be honest, I’d find it more fun. I get way more satisfaction out of creating than consuming. Author Websites and Profiles Eva Sandor Website: https://www.evasandor.com/ Eva Sandor Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Eva-Sandor/e/B08DP1G39D Showcased Author- 2.) Gwyneth Lesley Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was eight, when I wrote a poem called ‘Seasons’ and a story about a giant named Maisie on the motorway. That was followed by an award-winning story about a doughnut-eating horse when I was twelve, numerous speech competitions and acting gigs … and almost failing my final year of English in high school. I then went and got my journalism diplomas, and worked in all manner of publishing, writing and editing jobs from the age of seventeen, while writing novels on the side. The first novels I produced (a young adult, science fiction collection) had a good premise, but were poorly executed in terms of editing and marketing. I was an impatient upstart and self-published author who didn’t yet know the nuances of the industry! After about five books (one of which was an Amazon bestseller for a week in satire comedy fiction, my first foray away from science fiction) I stepped away from the writing world. Now I’m back with my first book, under a new pen name and series, Prometheus’ Priestess. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? Prometheus’ Priestess was inspired by a lot of things. First and foremost, by a meditation in August of 2020, when Prometheus walked fully into my head, sat down and had a conversation with me. But prior to that, in the time I had stepped away from the writing industry, I’d worked as a waitress, a massage therapist and a trauma support specialist. All jobs I now credit with teaching me a lot more about the human condition. So I’m not surprised in the slightest that it was Prometheus’ story I felt called to tell first. After all, he did create the humans according to the myth. I wanted to share that knowledge of the human condition, in a love story (because Prometheus loved the humans) and retell his myth in a way that made more sense. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I don’t know about unusual. I tend to draw pretty heavily from my life, and from meditations. I’m often caught talking to myself. Occasionally, if I’m particularly stuck on a section, I go and float in the ocean until the scene reveals itself to me. What authors, or books have influenced you? I grew up in the era of Harry Potter, so I can’t say those books didn’t influence me. But I’m also a huge Malorie Blackman fan – particularly her Noughts and Crosses series forthe way it addresses relevant social issues in society. Nalini Singh for supernatural romance told in a contemporary way. Patricia Cornwell for crime and bringing realistic elements to her books. Lee Child, because Jack Reacher was the first book boyfriend I ever had. What are you working on now? Book two is called; A lifetime kind of love, and follows the myth of Persephone and Hades when they both roamed the earth (before he took her to the underworld and made her his wife as the myth goes.) It’s a book of poetry that is due out in May 2022. Book three, which I’m currently working on the first draft of, is called Madonna’s Whore and will follow Medusa’s myth to an extent. The entire series; Femme Fatale (seven books) will do seven myth retellings with seven different archetypes of women (priestess, lover, whore). By the end it’s my hope that the reader would have experienced every archetype a woman embodies on her journey to find herself here on Earth. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? You can find everything you need on: www.outspokeninkpress.com. Do you have any advice for new authors? You can’t f*ck it up even if you tried, it doesn’t matter how quickly or how slowly you write. But share it with others, friends and family who will support you when the going gets tough. Get a professional edit. Just, trust me, you WILL miss things yourself. Trust the process. And, more importantly, enjoy it. What is the best advice you have ever heard? If you were living your dream life, and it all suddenly crumbled, what would you do? Would you go back to living the life you are now? So why then, are you currently living a plan B life? What are you reading now? The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton. What’s next for you as a writer? Getting book two out into the world in May and finishing the first draft of book three, Madonna’s Whore. If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring? Oooh that’s a cruel question. Hmmm, let’s see. 1. Is it terribly egotistical to say my own? I love re-reading Prometheus’ Priestess. 2. Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh (it’s my feel-good book) 3. Homer’s Odyssey (because it would take a lifetime to get through that) 4. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (my favourite autobiography to date) Author Websites and Profiles Gwyneth Lesley Website: https://outspokeninkpress.com/ Gwyneth Lesley Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B09KZ2L4J3? Showcased Author- 3.) J. Stewart Dixon Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. Spirituality for Badasses is my second book. The first was written ten years ago. I’ve had multiple false starts on a second book over the years. I’d write a chapter or two and then resign it to the dust bin. Spirituality for Badasses came about after a frustrating attempt to make a more conventional version of my work fly. It didn’t fly. It flopped. So, in frustration, I said fuck it, and wrote the first few chapters of Spirituality for Badasses in one sitting. I gave those chapters away for free and it immediately flew. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? Spirituality for Badasses is a non-religious approach to discovering the spectrum of awareness, told through the POV of the author while accompanying you, the reader through a series of adventure travel destinations and experiences. There are numerous how-to exercises. There is cursing. There is humor. There are sobering opinions offered about honesty, shadow, ego, mind, depression and many of the typical obstacles that prevent us from discovering our genuine, unique “spiritual badass” natures. Do you have any unusual writing habits? No. I’ve always had a good handle on creativity. I don’t need a “special time or place” I can pretty much summons the muse on command. I do usually at my desk in my office from 9-5. What authors, or books have influenced you? Mark Manson, the international best-selling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a FUCK. Jed McKenna, the underground, niche best-selling author of Enlightenment- The Damnedest Thing. What are you working on now? A prompted journal filled with pithy, fun, humorous and wise quotes and some of my original artwork. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? facebook ads- no other social media to date has worked as reliably Do you have any advice for new authors? Ever see one of the info-graphics divided into 3 parts- skill, passion and market? …They meet and combine in the center and that’s where your purpose or destiny lies ? If you wish to be a successful non-fiction author, you’d sure as hell need to exactly on-target with your purpose or- you will fail. What is the best advice you have ever heard? “It’ll all work out in the end.”- my Mom What are you reading now? The Emerald Mile What’s next for you as a writer? Guest on The Joe Rogan Experience. (I hope. My agent has them interested) If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring? Lord of The Rings Trilogy All of Jed McKenna’s books Playboy- complete 1987 series. Author Websites and Profiles J. Stewart Dixon Website: https://www.spiritualityforbadasses.com/ J. Stewart Dixon Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/J-Stewart-Dixon/e/B009I6SNSS/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1 Thanks for helping me earn some karma by checking out this content today. Let me know, in the comment section below, if you either like or dislike this idea. I'm also sharing my latest (7) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. Short story #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm working on some upcoming podcast guests for the beginning of the Year 2022, including an acquaintance who is a practicing Satanist. At some point, I want to chat with him/her about a recent choice to transition from a man to a woman. There is a goal to try to use Twitch and do this interview with my upcoming guest. Melissa and I also need to find time to get together and discuss another podcast topic. Either she was under the weather or I was sick the past few months. It's now time for me to continue working on some tasks and maybe some more painting on a time consuming project. Therefore, go carry on with your Wednesday now that we made it to the middle of another work week. I wish you a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day! Link To Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey To Become An Electrician (Paperback & Kindle) On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Womans-Journey-Electrician/dp/1467960160 Link To Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide To Accomplish Anything In Life (Paperback & Kindle) On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Persons-Accomplish-Anything/dp/1497593115 U.S.A.: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B07P5PNCS7/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_us United Kingdom: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B07P5PP7RW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_uk France, Belgium, Switzerland: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.fr/pd/B07P7RYP4G/?source_code=FRAORWS022318903B-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_fr Germany, Austria, Switzerland: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.de/pd/B07P8W3MVY/?source_code=EKAORWS0223189009-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_de

Photo Credit: Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey To Become An Electrician

Photo Credit: Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide To Accomplish Anything In Life VERBALLY DISASTROUS PODCAST EPISODE LINKS: Here is the link to the Verbally Disastrous Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dFYgX4dUiHaMfJ4gigLY0?si=KcR-D8RyRnKGk1wuPOqa1Q&dl_branch=1 Verbally Disastrous Presents- Season #1, Episode #39: Part A-Most Random Encounters!! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LytA9jnxdbQ Verbally Disastrous Presents- Season #1, Episode #40: Part B-Most Random Encounters!! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5ZMXoSWFyuA Verbally Disastrous Season #1, Ep. #41: Part A- Working On The Railroad With The Tools As A Chick! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q1G4Y14pAiw Verbally Disastrous Season #1, Ep. #42: Part B- Working On The Railroad With The Tools As A Chick! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nsbehf3Fbh0 Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #43: Part A- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6XzVL9ybKHA Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #44: Part B- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TFDLB5talUo Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #45: Part C- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nYRVJNya0lU Verbally Disastrous! Season #2, Episode #46:Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice On YouTube: https://youtu.be/IcQ4-uGankA I just shared my latest short story that has been loaded up to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library on Amazon. This is short story #10 entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". This short story covers some initial life lessons such as guarding your personal information, managing nasty rumors, combating sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and racism. Overall, the construction culture has improved dramatically over the past 25-years. Developing both a thick skin and a sharp tongue are key tools needed to survive various jobsite antics. The previous short story is entitled: #9: "I'm Working On The Railroad With The Tools As A Chick!". I decided to write about some stories from when I worked with the tools on the railroad. I shared a story of saving a co-worker from a near death experience! I hope you learn something from this short story. There are more to come. This short story is now also available as (2) Verbally Disastrous podcast episodes. Construction Tales- Told By A Woman: (10) Kindle Vella Short Stories On Amazon!! https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/product/B096N8NSGM The Verbally Disastrous Store On Tee-Spring:

https://my-store-c1f946.creator-spring.com Cheers! Leslie M. Jasper -Author And Host of the #VerballyDisastrous podcast now alive on many platforms that include: Acast, Amazon Music, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Deezer, Google Podcasts, I Heart Radio, Listen Notes, Overcast, Pandora Podcasts, Player FM, Pocket Casts, Pod Bean, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Podcast Gang, Radio Public, Reason, Soundcloud, Soundtrap, Spotify, Stitcher, Tune In, and YouTube. -The Audio Blog: Verbally Disastrous Podcast And Construction Tales Blog. Now available on: Acast, Amazon Music, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Deezer, Google Podcasts, I Heart Radio, Listen Notes, Overcast, Pandora Podcasts, Player FM, Pocket Casts, Pod Bean, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Podcast Gang, Radio Public, Reason, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and Tune In. #PhotacularImagery, #KindleVella, #FreeBritney, #AmazonMusic, #AnastasiaTaranenko, #Fiverr, #Tad_Art, #PandoraPodcasts, #Soundtrap, #ConstructionTales, #audio, #intro, #fun, #hot, #mess, #creations, #Connecticut, #NewYork, #family, #foolery, #podcast, #Spotify, #VerballyDisastrous, #new, #topics, #howto, #secrets, #women, #powerful, #strong, #shorts, #men, #teen, #trynottolaugh, #edgy, #realistic, #explicit, #mature, #shocking, #thoughtprovoking, #fresh, #dark, #mustwatch, #Soundcloud, #YouTube, #Johnny, #creative, #IABX, #Reddit, #community, #Leslie@VerbDisastrous, #strongwomen, #womaninconstruction, #empower, #gender, #ICanDOIT, #femalerenovator, #renovation, #project, #womanconstructionproject, #strong, #slideshow, #2013Project, #learnbywatching, #girlpower, #sheetrock, #tape, #electrical, #plumbing, #tile, #dust, #dirt, #debris, #basement, #paint, #renovate, #insulation, #hihats, #wiring, #metalstuds, #screws, #workout, #Johnny, #promo, #videos, #creative, #sons, #discusswithmom, #topics, #Tom, #openconversation, #Johnny, episodes, #LotLizard, #AmazonPrime, #video, #documentary, #Netflix, #gorillaglue, #gorilla, #glue, #spray, #gorillagluewoman, #hair, #hairsurgery, #LosAngeles, #DrObeng, #plasticsurgeon, #alcoholic, #drinks, #testing, #episodes, #release, #soon, #alcoholic #samples, #RevelStoke, #NewAmsterdam, #PinkWhitney, #WickedPickle, #BirdDog, #blackberry, #whiskey, #vodka, #99Bananas, #OleSmokey, #Tswoooh23_, #videogaming, #streaming, #OSHA502, #renewal, #trainthetrainer, #RIT, #Anchor, #Breaker, #GooglePodcasts, #PocketCasts, #RadioPublic, #article, #life, #apprentice, #ComedyCentral, #skit, #JessaReid, #ApplePodcasts, #Deezer, #Podchaser, #PodBean, #TuneIn, #Castbox, #PlayerFM, #iHeartRadio, #Stitcher, #Acast, #PodcastGang, #PodcastAddict, #ziplining, #AdventurePark, #presskit, #SayNoToRapists, #JusticeForUwa, #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls #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