Vol. #31: Showcasing (3) More Awesome Gang Authors!!

Photo Credit: https://awesomegang.com/leslie-jasper/ Hello Everyone! I wish you an amazingly smooth Wednesday this morning. It is currently raining with a dash of snow here on the streets of New York City. Are you a budding author who just launched your book/podcast!? It's important to have all of the social media platforms and build your brand via networking with others. I find great power in the hashtag as well. My hashtags are #LeslieMJasper, #ConstructionTales, and #VerballyDisastrous. Share with me your hashtag and connect with me on social media. If you could also network with my 16-year-old son John's "Call To Action Marketing" business (hashtag #CTAMarketing), that would be helpful and highly appreciated. This post is intended to share even more work of some independent authors, such as myself, and earn some good karma in the process. Why not offer you a taste of a variety of authors with different content? Let me know if you have discovered a new author during this "Showcased Author Series"? My objective is to pick out different authors that offer a variety of media content. For the record, I know nothing about the author other than what is showcased in the author article that was shared, via Awesome Gang. Feel free to copy and paste and share this content on your blog, if you like. As an author, if you want to add more information, drop it down in the comment section below and I will edit and add at my earliest convenience. For now, I'm connecting with the authors in an effort to build my author network. Hopefully, they will follow me back on social media. I'm game to cross promote each other on social media as well. Just let me know or re-tweet one of my posts and I will automatically return the favor on Twitter. I'm totally cool with many ways to help each other market each other. When you are a small content creator, it is important to help others out. I'm even submitted #ConstructionTales to both Awesome Gang and Book Reader Magazine recently. When I'm ready to release my children's book Not All Girls Play With Dolls on Amazon, I shall submit again at that time. My first children's book #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls is to empower young kids to pursue their passions even if it is not normally the tradition in their society. Do you have any requests for a specific author or style of content? Let me know your various suggestions down the in the comment section below. For now, here are (3) showcased authors down below: Showcased Author- 1.) Gareth Williams Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I am a retired school teacher who studied history at Queens’ College, University of Cambridge. I also have a doctorate from Cardiff University. I live on the Isle of Skye with my wife Helen and our Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Sophie. I am climbing all the Scottish peaks over 3000 feet and love all kinds of skiing. I have written more books than I like to admit but most of them remain where they belong, hidden in a cupboard! However, I have completed three instalments of The Richard Davey Chronicles and am close to the end of a stand alone fictional biography set in the late eighteenth century. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? Serving Shaka. The clue is in the title. The book is inspired by the life of Shaka Zulu, founder of the Zulu nation. I have been fascinated by his life ever since I read a biography of his life by E.A. Ritter in the early 1970s. He rose, despite the odds, to forge an empire that threatened British dominance of southern Africa. Two coincidences also drew me to his story. Firstly, he was rising to power just as Napoleon Bonaparte was dying on St Helena. But in my book, Needing Napoleon, the former emperor escapes! Secondly, although it has yet to feature in one of my books, a direct descendant of Napoleon died fighting for the British against the Zulus in 1879. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I usually play rock music while I work. People think it must be distracting but I never really hear it, it just protects me from the silence! I also enjoy editing my first draft more than the initial writing process! What authors, or books have influenced you? As a write of historical fiction I must credit Bernard Cornwell, particularly his Sharpe series, and Conn Iggulden’s Emperor series. As Needing Napoleon has a time travel element, I must also acknowledge Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. As an aspiring fantasy writer, I am a big fan of almost anything by Raymond E Feist. I was captivated by Stephen Donaldson’s The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, particularly the first three books. Finally, I must admit to a penchant for science fiction, where Isaac Asimov and Iain M Banks are my favourites. What are you working on now? I am editing the third instalment of The Richard Davey Chronicles, which has yet to be named. I am currently writing a fictionalised biography of a real individual who led a controversial life straddling cultures and continents between 1763 and 1805. The book deals with issues of cultural appropriation, racism and the challenges of confronting the past from a twenty-first-century perspective. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? Nothing beats meeting people in person whether speaking at a school or visiting a book club. Thanks to technology, some of this can be achieved virtually when geography gets in the way! Do you have any advice for new authors? Despite the temptation to launch in full of enthusiasm (doubtless driven by a shortage of time), plan first. I spent years rushing new ideas onto the page and inevitably, within a hundred pages, I had tied myself in knots. In contrast, my first published novel, Needing Napoleon, only took three months to write, with barely a misstep, thanks to a similar length of time planning and plotting, developing characters and considering their interplay. What is the best advice you have ever heard? If you write in the evening, edit in the morning, What are you reading now? 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne What’s next for you as a writer? I am planning the fourth instalment of The Richard Davey Chronicles and a fantasy novel, tentatively entitled The Mountain Kingdom, partly inspired by my home on the Isle of Skye. 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? The Collected Works by William Shakespeare (my grandmother’s leather-bound copy won as a school prize in 1911) Collected Poems by Clive James (no apologies, he is my favourite poet) The Old Man and the Sea by John Steinbeck (to remind me how simple words can convey powerful stories) The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (the paperback compendium first published in 1968 which I read under the covers as a child) Author Websites and Profiles Gareth Williams Website: https://www.whatifalternatehistory.com/ Gareth Williams Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Needing-Napoleon-Richard-Davey-Chronicles/dp/1914913213/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645709887&sr=1-1 Showcased Author- 2.) Courtney Lillard Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I am originally from Wisconsin, but traveled around the Midwest with my husband for school and am currently in Nebraska. I earned both my B.A. and M.A. in Communication Studies and began writing shortly after. The Dark Angel series is my first adventure as an author. I currently have three books published, Book One: The Shadow’s Grasp, Book Two: The Guardian’s Deception, and Book Three: The Puppet’s Blight, which released this month. I am currently writing the sixth book of this series and plan to publish them all over the next two years. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? On February 22nd, I published The Puppet’s Blight. It is the continuation of The Dark Angel series and follows a mage as she loses her magic and follows a demon and its creatures around the country to get it back. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I prefer to write in the mornings when I wake up since that is usually when I’m more active. Other than that, I can sit down and write for hours straight when the story is figured out. In order to make that happen, I spend time listening to certain music that sets the tone for that point in the story. That’s usually how I come up with specific plot points or action scenes. What authors, or books have influenced you? Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valdemar series is probably my favorite when it comes to fantasy because it was my first encounter with the genre. I also enjoy classics like Jurassic Park and A Tale of Two Cities. I find a lot of inspiration outside of books as well, including in fantasy and action/adventure movies and JRPG video games, such as the Final Fantasy series. What are you working on now? Currently, I am at the beginning of the sixth book in The Dark Angel series. There may or may not end up being a seventh, but once this is complete I would like to start on something new that I’ve had in mind to write for a while. I’m also learning how to get online ads and market myself as an author since nowadays that’s what you sort of have to do. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? This year, I began a newsletter with updates, behind the scenes information, and featured authors. You can sign up at lillardbooks.com and get access to a free short story. I also created a brand logo to use so my social media and website are consistent. I believe the best way to market yourself is by continuing to write and publish. One or two books from an author doesn’t spark up much traction, so it’s important to establish yourself through a website and social media, continue to write and publish, and then focus on paid ads, bloggers, events, etc. Do you have any advice for new authors? Write for yourself, first and foremost. In any art form, there will be people who don’t like or don’t understand your work. That’s okay! If everybody liked everything, there wouldn’t be any variety. Because of this, it’s important for authors to know who they are and what they want to create. You’re not going to please anybody and you only have control over yourself. Write the story that you want to write above all else instead of caving into what’s popular, what gets readers, and what pleases the majority of people. What is the best advice you have ever heard? Motivation is sparked by action. If you want to write, write. Once you get started, you’ll find it easier to continue than if you remain lying down wondering how productive you could be later. 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? My favorite book is Jurassic Park, followed by A Tale of Two Cities, then Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey. It’s a weird trio, but I have fond memories associated with each. Author Websites and Profiles Courtney Lillard Website: https://www.lillardbooks.com/ Courtney Lillard Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Courtney-Lillard/e/B08XMTWRHX?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000 Showcased Author- 3.) Evan Camby Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I am a horror-obsessed Midwestern wife & mother who writes scary stories and atmospheric suspense/mysteries. I’ve loved Halloween and the horror genre since I was a little girl, and I grew up watching British mystery shows. I wrote short stories as a kid but fell away from it as I got into my teens. After starting a career as a lawyer, I realized I missed it and got back into writing in my mid-twenties. Since then, I’ve written and published 5 books, and I won an award for my debut book in 2014. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? “Hollow Spring: A Detective Cal Brennan Novel” was inspired by my fascination with cold cases and dark, atmospheric mystery/suspense series. There are a handful of cold cases I follow closely that provided inspiration, but not in the way you’d probably think. What I most wanted to write about was how the family members of the victims manage to get on with their lives without ever getting any answers. Of course, the details of the crime are important but the human cost is what most interests me. The setting is small-town Indiana, something I know well from my work as a “country lawyer.” The protagonist is a detective whose family member was a victim of a cold crime in the eighties. Now an adult still haunted by those events, his life’s work is to solve crimes before they become cold cases, to prevent anyone from suffering the way he and his family did. This will be a series with at least four books in it, and I hope to have even more. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I write during my toddler’s nap time, usually with a cup of microwaved coffee by my side and some kind of “ambient cafe music” playing on Youtube. I try to cram in as much as I can during that two-hour window. I prefer to be facing a window, as our lot is wooded and the woods have always inspired me. What authors, or books have influenced you? My first writing influence was Edgar Allan Poe. My mom got me an antique book of his stories, and I was hooked. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also come to love Shirley Jackson, Washington Irving, Susan Hill, Edgar Lee Masters, Ernest Hemingway, Emily Dickinson, and Vladimir Nabokov. Poe and Jackson are my horror idols, and Susan Hill is my mystery idol. I’d love to have a career like Hill, as she writes both horror and mysteries. My dialogue idol is Hemingway. He really understood how people talk to each other. What are you working on now? I’m currently working on the third installment in my “Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween” series. Ten more tales of horror and suspense, set on or around Halloween. Perfect to get in the spirit of the holiday, or any time you need a creepy fix. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? I love the members of my newsletter/mailing list. They are my biggest fans and their word-of-mouth promotions are most effective. I truly appreciate them! I also love Instagram, I’m a visual person and it is the most fun for me. Do you have any advice for new authors? Don’t be afraid to write badly in the beginning. You have to be bad before you can be good. Just get the words on the page! What is the best advice you have ever heard? “This too shall pass.”–originally from the Bible but my Grandma said it a lot. Also: “Write hard and clear about what hurts.” –Ernest Hemingway What are you reading now? “The Woman in White” by Wilkie Collins. What’s next for you as a writer? Becoming a mother in 2021 really gave me the focus and confidence to start promoting myself more. I am building my platform and working on new books as well as fun content for my Patreon audience. 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? So hard to choose! “Lolita,” “The Exorcist,” the Bible, and (this is cheating a bit) but my compendium of Edgar Allan Poe works. (If I could take a 5th, and I WOULD find a way, I’d sneak in “The Haunting of Hill House.” ….Also, my Hemingway collection. Sorry! No way I could only choose 3 or 4.) Author Websites and Profiles Evan Camby Website: http://evancamby.com/ Evan Camby Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Evan-Camby/e/B00O47F71W/ref=aufs_dp_mata_dsk Thanks for carving a slice of your time in order to check out all of this great author content that I have shared with you today. Hopefully, you enjoy learning about some new authors that are out on the market. Perhaps we have found a future best seller? Let me know, in the comment section below, if you either like or dislike the author showcase content? I'm also sharing my latest (8) 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. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm multi-tasking being at work while sharing with you my blog posts. Enjoy your Wednesday and be safe now that we are in the middle of grinding out another work week. I wish you a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Photo Credit: Call To Action Marketing Logo- John Collazo, CEO 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 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 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 Verbally Disastrous Podcast! S#2, Ep. #47: Part A- Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qWhf4lGmcXo Verbally Disastrous Podcast! S#2, Ep. #48: Part B- Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wO8nXSRw7sU I recently 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 #11 entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. I share the various challenges I faced and lessons learned along the way. The previous short story is entitled: #10: "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". I decided to write about some 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. I hope you learn something from this short story. There are more to come. These short stories are now also available as Verbally Disastrous podcast episodes. Construction Tales- Told By A Woman: (11) 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. #CTAMarketing, #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