Vol. #33: Showcasing (3) More Awesome Gang Authors!!

Photo Credit: https://awesomegang.com/leslie-jasper/ Hello Everyone! Let's get through this Friday morning so we can start our weekend. Did anyone say TGIF!?! The weather is currently chilly yet decent here on the streets of New York City. I shall take it! How are you doing today?! My illustrator Anastasia and I, from Tad_Art on Fiverr, are almost finished with Not All Girls Play With Dolls!!! I'm trying to figure out the free way to set the book up for free since Createspace tools are now gone!!! I'm so annoyed with that!! I have to hunt down some YouTube videos in order to figure this out real soon. The goal is to have my children's book released and live on Amazon by April 2022! :) 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've even submitted #ConstructionTales to both Awesome Gang and Book Reader Magazine recently. I shall also submit my children's book real soon to Awesome Gang and other avenues once it goes live. I'm actually getting excited for the release of this project!! My first children's book #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls is intended to empower young kids to pursue their passions even if it is not normally the tradition in their society.

Photo Credit: Front Cover Of Not All Girls Play With Dolls- illustrated By Tad_Art 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.) Matt Hiebert Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. Book of Days is my second published novel. My first book, Blackhand, was a fantasy published my New Babel Books back in 2013. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? Book of Days: Thirty Years after the Apocalypse was inspired by the novels True Grit and A Clockwork Orange. I loved the narrative voice of True Grit. Clockwork Orange, well, that was a different kind of inspiration. I’ve been a zombie fan since seeing Night of the Living Dead at the midnight movie in Panama City back in 1977. I always wanted to write a story about what life might be like decades after the zombie apocalypse. No fortified houses or malls. Nobody trying to figure out “what’s going on.” I wanted to write about a society that had adapted to the living dead. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I’ve never had writer’s block. I used to outline intensely but now I’m kind of a pantser. I’ve completed NaNoWriMo twice and writing those novels was a joy! It was like reading them rather than writing them. What authors, or books have influenced you? Doc Savage by Lester Dent, Shibumi by Trevanian, Nine Princes in Amber by Zelazny, World War Z by Max Brooks, Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance. All of Tobias Wolff. All of Raymond Carver. True Grit by Charles Portis. What are you working on now? A sword and planet fantasy. I wrote an 82,000 word first draft in November for NaNoWriMo. Revisions will take longer…… What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? Amazon. Hopefully Awesome Gang! Do you have any advice for new authors? Writing is your only goal. Produce! What is the best advice you have ever heard? Lawrence Block’s books on novel writing. Stephen King On Writing. John Gardner’s On Becoming a Novelist. What are you reading now? Kolchak the Night Strangler and a Western called Deadwood that has nothing to do with the awesome HBO series but is a lot of fun. What’s next for you as a writer? A movie deal or Netflix series. 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? Collected Raymond Carver. Collected Harlan Ellison. Lord of the Rings. Author Websites and Profiles Matt Hiebert Website: https://www.magogpublishing.com/ Amazon Website: https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Hiebert/e/B00C4Y3RSM/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1 Showcased Author- 2.) Gboyega Ogundele Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. I am a lawyer and writer, I have written over 4 books. Some of my books have been translated, whilst some have enjoyed best selling status. I write both Fiction and non fictions. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? My latest book is titled Case Over. I was inspired by the way the average person in the society lives. The ups and downs, the need to take up responsibilities and fight for one’s rights at critical times. Further, the government attitude to these prevailing issues. Do you have any unusual writing habits? No I do not. What authors, or books have influenced you? John Grisham’s Books. Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie, Wole Soyinka. What are you working on now? The title of my upcoming work is “A time as this” Do you have any advice for new authors? Yes. New author’s should be persistent and go after their goals. What is the best advice you have ever heard? Always be truthful What are you reading now? The Rules of Wealth by Richard Templar What’s next for you as a writer? I hope to start receiving much recognitions for my works. 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? Holy Bible, Things fall apart. Gboyega Ogundele’s Social Media Links Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/gboyegry Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/case-over-gboyega-ogundele/1141020457 Showcased Author- 3.) Sandra Bass Joines Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written. Some say I’m a storyteller, scene ​weaver, truth stretcher. I say I’m a wife,​ mother, grandmother, friend. Storyteller. Lover of beaches and dancing souls. I tell stories of wounded women in ​seemingly hopeless situations. Stories that sometimes frighten me to tell. I believe all women are remarkable and strong. Warriors who find the courage to escape. To take back their lives. When the time is right.​ When they can. I’ve written four books, three fiction and one non-fiction. My protagonists are strong women, sometimes they don’t know it yet, who face controlling mothers or spouses with mental or physical abuse issues, substance addiction, or sex addiction. My books explore family secrets, sometimes dark, which not only affect the lives of the secret keeper but also their succeeding generations of daughters and granddaughters. I grew up along the Forgotten Coast of Florida. That’s most likely why my books are set in small towns in that intriguing area. Although my stories address series issues, my Southern humor pops up quite often. What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it? My latest book is “Bed, Breakfast & Bedbugs.” I can’t tell you what actually inspired it. Typically some crazy book title flashes through my mind, and I write a story about it. I think that’s how this book came about. The story changed several times during the writing process. I thought of a quaint bed and breakfast and the crazy people who were permanent residents—each one with a unique quirk. In this book, one has Alzheimer’s and drifts in and out of reality. One is a retired preacher who misquotes Bible verses. A third is a young artist with absence seizures who freezes into a statue without warning. Each character helps the protagonist’s journey. (There are none of those nasty little bed bugs that bite in this story) Do you have any unusual writing habits? I don’t think I have any unusual writing habits. I prefer to write in my office, sometimes with music—depending on the scene I’m writing. It’s often difficult to sit for long due to back issues. My husband gave me a wonderful Christmas present, however, and the recliner allows me to write for much longer periods. We set it up in my office, and I would be lost without it. What authors, or books have influenced you? I probably should refer to one of the great classic authors like Virginia Woolfe or William Faulkner, both I love, but one author who has influenced me significantly is Jean M. Auel, author of the Earth Children’s series (Clan of the Cave Bear) set in prehistoric Europe. It’s not that I love reading about the interactions of the Cro-magnon people with the Neanderthals. It’s her incredible command of storytelling, her dedication to researching, and her ability to write that had a great impact on me and definitely encouraged me to be an author. Three of my favorite authors who inspire me are Kristin Hannah, Diane Chamberlain, and Elin Hilderbrand. What are you working on now? Currently I’m working on “The Blossom Inlet Series.” The series simply happened. I was writing a standalone, “Bed, Breakfast & Bedbugs,” when I realized each character had his or her own dark secret, so why not tell those stories. Ivy Jane was the first Lady Van Leer, who came to America in 1908 and the one who built the Blossom Inlet estate. I’m offering a free novella, written in journal style, about her struggles and how she felt her actions caused Blossom Inlet to be cursed. “Ivy Jane’s Journal: The Beginning of Blossom Inlet.” I have four other books in the series in different stages from first draft to editing stages. These characters live in my mind, and I can’t wait to get their stories on paper. What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books? There are so many wonderful promotion sites—like Awesome Gang. Some are free and many have reasonable costs. I think it takes a lot of research to determine the best places to promote our genre. Landing a BookBub spot is one of the best for actual book purchases. It’s all about finding what fits our book and being consistent and persistent in promoting. Do you have any advice for new authors? Getting the story from your head to your computer or paper. Without the words, you’ll never have a published book. Learning the craft. There are a great number of informative workshops and classes to help you develop your skills. With the proper understanding of how to write, those words you typed into your computer will come to life. Not allowing that nasty imposter syndrome to control you. Instead, tell yourself you are not a fraud. You have talent. You have skills. You can write an amazing book. Not one successful author achieved success without putting words on a page. Most all successful authors will tell you they have, at one time or another, experienced the effects of imposter syndrome. Be consistent. Form a habit to write every day. Lastly, avoid comparing yourself to other writers. What is the best advice you have ever heard? Just write. What are you reading now? “The Last House on the Street” by Diane Chamberlain. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Highly recommend it. What’s next for you as a writer? Getting this “The Blossom Inlet Series” completed and moving on to writing other books. 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? I don’t know about what books I would take with me, but I surely hope one would be a book about how to survive being stranded on a desert island. Author Websites and Profiles Sandra Bass Joines Website: https://sandrajoines.com/index.html Sandra Bass Joines Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Bass-Joines/e/B00792VV5A Thanks for offering your time to this post 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. It is low key at work today so I'm able to share with you my blog posts. Enjoy your Friday and be safe now that we are super close to launching another amazing weekend. 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