Tag Archives: Books

Books, personal, Promotion

Day 30 #MarchoftheWriter

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  People to follow.

FOR READERS:

There are so many great books out there, I can only name so many and sorry for the ones I have left out.

Follow on Goodreads or Bookbub. And if you can find them on social media.

Vanessa Giunta – paranormal thriller/suspence/fantasy

Ron Lahr – humourous fantasy/scifi/newadult

Wesley Britton – sci-fi/non-fiction, Bond and TV, film and lit spies.

Micheal Scott – dark fantasy/horror

JD Estrada – poetry/dark/fantasy/horror

JD Blackrose – contemporary fantasy/paranormal romance/new adult

Victoria Saccenti – Fantasy/romance /adult romance/historic

Joe Compton – political thrillers

Teri M Brown – historical thriller/epic

Paul White – flash fiction/thriller/children’s stories

Sephe Haven – memoir/humorous

Alexia Kantas – illustrated children’s book.

(Yes, I know she’s my daughter, but she’s also my partner in crime when I need help with covers, graphics, trailers.)
Oh, and she had her first book published when she was just 8.
Please support.

FOR AUTHORS:

Go Indie Now – A HUGE media platform that showcases and promoted indie artists. that’s authors, filmmakers, musicians….

The Writing Tribe: Friendly, knowledgeable, cheerleaders and motivators. They have regular sprints and zoom chats.

Story Origin – Everything an author needs to not only run their newsletters, find cross-promoting authors, find reviews, beta readers,… A huge platform. This list goes on.

Author Assist – Can help authors with every aspect of the writing, publishing and marketing of their book. A distinction when it comes to trust, work ethic and knowledge. The Testimonials don’t lie.

Books

Day 28 #MarchoftheWriter

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Book you’ve read the most.

I would love to grab all the covers of my favourite books, but that would be going against the copyright rules. And although I love breaking them, won’t be doing it this time.

So let’s start with the woman who inspired me to become an author. I didn’t just go to one book, as I have and love her full series of rebel teen, books.

S.E.Hinton

Mr J R R Toilkien For Lord of The Rings, the Hobbit and his smaller shorts stories and novellas.

My fantasy, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Phillip%20Pullman and his trilogy, His Dark materials

A lady not as well known, but what an amazing tetralogy Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. A MUST for fantasy PNR books.

You’ve all heard or seen the movie and then TV adaption of Cassandra’s Claire’s, The Mortal Instruments. But it’s her other series that stood out for me. Check out the trilogy of His infernal Devices.

Then there are the Best-selling authors that have written hundreds of books – slight exaggeration there. lol

Dean Koontz books have pride of place on my bookshelf. Door to December– has never left me, Totally chilling. Short stories in Strange Highways

Some of James Herbert’s books have become classic horror films, such as Rats and The Fog. But the book I have and has stayed with me is this one

And although I’m not a true fan, his book Neverwhere showed me the true meaning of Fantasy.

personal

Day 27th #MarchoftheWriters

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  Writer habitat

Nothin exciting to see. I moved out of my office because I wasn’t comfortable and when you suffer from chronic pain 24/7 you have to find the most comfortable place to sit. So from a fully functional office to the living room and a leather convertible chair. Hubby made a rolling 3 shelves box, so I could put all my files and books and I have it close to the chair.

Now, to this day. I have been working in my bedroom my set-up is a small wooden fold away desk/table for my computer and my books beside me, legs resting and pillow behind my back keeping me comfortable.

Yep, I bet you weren’t expecting that. All my writing, my author services, even my podcast and live radio show are all carried out in my bedroom.
I get on with life the best that I can. Keeping busy makes me forget about other things.

audio

Day 24 #MarchoftheWriter

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Why do you write?

What a loaded question. I ask my guests on my YouTube show, Radio show and podcast, this question and it comes with a barrage of different reasons, yet one is always the same. Which one do you think it is?

Art, audio, Books, Music, new release, podcast, Promotion, Radio, YouTube

Day 15 #MarchoftheWriter

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 How do you social?

On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Linkedin… actually that’s not what this is about.

How do you connect with other writers, with your tribe and with potential new readers?

I have two answers for you.

The first; Go Indie Now.
Yep, you’ve seen me mention the media platform Go Indie Now and the workaholic, Mr Joe Compton.
Joe has created a platform where the indie community can meet, chat have heated debates, get drunk at Joe’s bar (Just kidding) – no I’m not!

Find out about new indie films, books and what’s hot in the gaming community. These shows, panels, interviews, and reports are entertaining for the public and the indie community.
Authors, there is so much you can learn from those that have done it all. We’ve all made mistakes so learn from those that have tried and failed but don’t give up. Get tips and get the inside scoop on what’s going down in the indie world.

Have you always wondered what’s inside a writer’s mind? How do they build these magical, dangerous and extraordinary worlds? How do they come up with the characters you love, with the plot twists and write stories that will keep you turning the page and gasping for more?

You will find these answers and more on the media platform Go Indie Now. So please support Joe and all the hard work he does for the Indie community. Seriously, this man just never stops.

The reason I mention this in my article about being social, is I have made some wonderful connections and long-lasting friendships with indies I’ve met while being a guest on the shows. This then takes me to their safe place. Their group, where I’m welcomed and treated as one of the family. Thus creating more connections and friendships, thus learning more from my peers.

Please subscribe to The Go Indie Now YouTube channel and take a look at the shows he hosts. Watch and be entertained, leave a comment and like the videos.
Thanks, and remember, it’s always time to Go Indie Now

And my other way to socialize is not knowing who is Behind The Pen. (Did you see what I did just then. lol)



Podcasts, Zoom interviews, Radio shows, they are so hot right now. If you want to find new readers, you have to step up, show your face, and let us hear your voice. There are thousands out there waiting to hear about exciting new books and authors they have never heard of. The world is yours to conquer!
Okay – maybe I went a little too far with that last line. But I’m sure you understand what I’m trying to say. People don’t know you. They don’t know your name, they don’t know your books, and now you have a chance to be seen, heard and noticed.
If you’re camera-shy, contact podcasts and radio stations. If the camera loves you, get on some pannels, shows and interviews. Your readers are out there waiting.

Behind the Pen is a YouTube show and audio podcast where I chat with all artists; musicians, authors, illustrators, writers, editors, anyone who uses a pen for work.


Books, Promotion

Day 14 #MarchoftheWriter

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Return of the pitch

So a pitch is just like being a salesperson. You have maybe 5 mins to sell your product to that manager of the shop, factory, office. A story is no different. The first line has to be the shocker, the lead line; Leading the agent or publisher to read the next part.


The rule of pitching SHORT BUT SWEET. But then you all know I like to break the rules! 😉

So without further ado here’s my pitch.

What do you do if you’re stranded in a barren land and the sky turns red, a sign that the acid rain is about to pour down on you and melt your skin and bones?
Bez is thrown out of Mount Elta for having a big mouth. Kyte for being an instigator and disturbing the peace. The Committee, are the law inside what was their home. No one would dare stand up to them in fear of being cast out.
Now with a backpack containing an acid-proof tent, a little food and medical supplies all created from the precious Terra Plant, the two hunt for the OutCasts; those that had somehow survived. There was proof of their existence but not of their habitat. Can they find them in time, and more importantly, will they be welcomed?

So how did I do?
Does it make you want to know more?
Can you work out what genre of fiction this book is?

Books, films, personal

Day 12 #MarchoftheWriter

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Filmspiration

Ooooh, this is a good one.

Tolkien’s, Lord of the Rings, inspired me to write my YA fantasy duology, Illusional Reality.
However, you will not find elves, trolls, hobbits, dragons or wizards in my books. They are unique in name and character no stereotyping for me.

Did you know I was one of the managers of the UK Lord Of The Rings fansite?
I knew everything you needed to know about the books and films. And I can tell you that even though LOTR is the best movie EVER made, the fans were not happy. They believed that essential scenes were left on the cutting floor or never even filmed. Me, I was happy with how much they could fit into the movies.

The OUTSIDERS by S.E.Hinton was the reason I became an author. It was the film ( and book) that inspired me to write my own novel. In Times of Violence. I had a story to tell and I wanted to get my novel on the reading curriculum at schools. (That never happened) but my book, which was once my bestseller, was the one that started it all.


The film stared the brat pack, Emilio Estevez, Rob Low, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dylan and the rest of the greasers. Many of those actors played the next main roles, in her other book-based films, like Rumble Fish and Tex and That was Then This is Now.

You have heard me mention his name once or twice in these #MarchoftheWriter blogs.
Yes, it is my man Mr Quentin Tarantino. I must have watched every film he directed ( and acted in) but it was the film Death Proof, that inspired me to write Lawless Justice.

So they are just a few films that I have admired, loved and helped me as an author.
Special mention to West Side Story, Basketball Diaries, Drugstore Cowboy, Wild Ones, The Godfather trilogy, Goodfellows and Romeo & Juliet.

Books, Promotion

Day 11 #MarchoftheWriters

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Writer Wisdom

Gosh, where do I start? This is what I do so I could go on for hours but I’ll list the most important lessons. (I will be tough.)

  • Write about what you know.
  • For example, this is your first book and you’re writing a detective mystery about a body being found on an archaeology site. Why would you do this to yourself? Do you know how much research you would have to do? What do you know about police procedures? What do you know about archaeology?
  • Write about what YOU know. When you write about something you’re passionate about, something you’ve actually experienced. That will come across in your writing. Giving it depth, realism and valid description.
  • Remember the three essentials.
  • Editor (No, not your mum or next-door neighbour)
  • Formatter ( No, not a converter. A formatter makes it pretty inside, adds the chapter and front and back matter.)
  • Cover Designer (No, not Canva or Fiverr)
  • These three essential cost a lot of money and if you don’t have that money, then you are not ready to publish.
  • Don’t cut corners.
    Your book has to be polished before it goes out to the public. It needs the three essentials and a kick-arse blurb. Your book has one chance to be a success, if you send it out after writing the first draft, not having it edited and using a cover you did, I can guarantee failure. And that’s a word we authors DON’T want to hear.
  • Have that first line ready.
    The tag line is what you will use on your promos, graphics or posts. It’s going to be the first thing a potential reader sees when they look at the blurb. That one line has to have power, it needs to pack a punch so that the person who reads it will then continue to read the rest of the blurb.
  • Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for – Catch 22.
  • Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same – Wuthering heights.
  • Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now he’s writing to stay alive. – Misery.
  • They are feared, hated, hunted down and destroyed….and yet they are mankind’s last hope. -The Aldoron Chronicles.

Serving authors since 2015

Books, personal, Promotion

DAY 7 #MarchoftheWriters

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Author Tribe

Gosh, there are so many people I should thank for helping me to get where I am today. 

I certainly wouldn’t have as many books published if it wasn’t for a group on Facebook, which at this time I can’t remember the name of, but I do remember it was run by Marjory. 
We would trade fake money to buy a service. Such as, say I would beta read someone’s short story and was given $1000 trading bucks by the author. I need a new cover but I don’t have enough trading bucks to pay for it so, I will trade a cover from a designer, in return for a book trailer. She gets the book trailer, I get my cover and we’re both happy. This went on for years. Huge shout out to Sharon Lipman from Fantasia Cover Designs. 
We traded, we swapped services, and we were able to get our books finished and ready for publication without it costing us anything. I know I didn’t have the money back then to afford an editor, let alone a book cover. 
Sadly as life moves on, so does your tribe. I can’t remember what the group was called as it was so long ago, but I know I still have around 140,000 trading bucks in my bank. lol

Next, I want to shout out to all the members of the Authors-Professionals Co-op on Facebook. The group has now almost come to a standstill, which is sad. But I know how much the regular, active members got from this group. I’ve made lifelong friends. I met my co-author, Karen J Mossman, with who, I wrote Toxic with. And an amazing man who helped get my daughter, Alexia’s, first illustrated book published. He’s the brains behind the EE branding Electric Eclectic, and he’s an amazing author, Paul White. There are more members, but I can’t remember names, so thank you for your support and for helping me along on my journey. 

You’ve heard me mention his name several times already in posts. He’s an advocate for indie artists, owning and running one of the biggest media platforms for indie artists such as authors, directors, actors, musicians and more, And he’s an author himself, with books you all need to check out called, Amongst The Killing and We The Moral Majority. So big thank you for all you’ve done for me Mr Joe Compton and on behalf of all indie artists that you have helped promote, with Go Indie Now, we salute you.

And, recently I met a wonderful lady who runs The Writer’s Tribe Facebook group. I haven’t been a member here long, but I’ve been welcomed into the tribe and then practically forced to write by Venessa Giunta and her sprints, lol. So, shout out to our cheerleader, who is inspiring, bubbly and always encouraging the tribe.

So many other people have played a part in helping me on my journey. Please forgive me if I haven’t singled you out that doesn’t mean I think any less of you, it just means my memory, which I have problems with, couldn’t remember you at the time I wrote this post.

I am just a little cog in the indie writing community but you are MY TRIBE.

Dark grey background. Two hands toasting with champagne glasses. Text in white underneath Cheers to my tribe

Art, Books, Narrations, personal, podcast, Promotion, Radio, YouTube

New Challenge

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You know me I love a good challenge and when I take on something, I don’t back down.
This one is called March of The Writers and every day, we are given a prompt and it could be to write about a book, introduce myself, write flash fiction and so forth. I will be given a prompt and see if I can do one every day through March. This will be fun.

From the crazy mind of Author and YouTube addict, JD.Estrada. You can follow his blog and journey on https://jdestradawriter.blogspot.com

DAY ONE.

 New month, who dis?

Well, hello world. I’m Karina Kantas award-winning author and filmmaker. I have 15 books published, some independently, some under publishing contacts. I write in most fiction genres and I go through binges. Right now it’s Dark Romance.
I’m from the UK but I live on the Island of Corfu.

I’m a BookTuber, YouTuber, Podcaster and Radio Host and I also run Author Assist which offers affordable assistance to writers, authors and those in the publishing business. I’m a VA , Author Manager, Publicist, Book Trailer Creator, Designer of Graphics, Social Media Consultant, Marketing and Promotion Manager and Narrator… plus a few more I haven’t mentioned.

I’m the host of the Author Assist Radio Show. Which has just celebrated five years on the air. My YouTube and audio podcast is called Behind The Pen and I get to chat and have a laugh with many in a business where they use a pen such as Illustrators, writers, musicians, and so forth.

For all links for my social media ( I’m everywhere) and for the podcasts and my YouTube channel go to

https://linktr.ee/karinakantas