Nicholas C. Rossis

I was talking to my friend, Keith Robinson, about his successes and failures marketing his horror novel “Skeleton Wreck,” and asked him for a guest post explaining what he’d done to achieve this. Here’s his post on the subject. The Story Is Not Enough When I published my horror novel “Skeleton Wreck,” I knew that simply having a thrilling and engaging story wasn’t going to be enough in today’s…

If, like me, you regularly need to edit PDFs, you may recall that I’ve written about Adobe Acrobat alternatives in the past, so I thought I’d share another favorite today: UPDF. And not, this is not a sponsored or affiliate post. I just wanted to share finding a useful tool. You see, until now, I’ve tried out PDF Elements, ToolRocket, and PDF Escape. It lets you convert, edit, insert, review, and…

Back in 2014, I self-published my first book on Amazon. I was confused by a few forms that involved tax-related issues, but in the end decided it was far simpler for me to be taxed at source (US) rather than deal with the Greek tax authorities. This decision has helped me avoid a big headache for a small income.  I was reminded of this by a guest post by Edrian Blasquino on taxes. While they…

Today, I’m hosting a fellow Story Empire member, Liz Gauffreau, who talks about her latest release, The Weight of Snow and Regret. Happy book birthday, Liz! Introduction Thank you for hosting me on my blog tour for The Weight of Snow and Regret, Nicholas! For today’s stop, I’m providing an example of the Vermont accent that the characters in the book would have had (to a greater or lesser…

I recently wrote on Story Empire about NaNoWriMo being canceled. Now, I’ve received word that it’s back with a new name! After 25 years of fueling millions of writers with the encouragement needed to finally finish their novel, in early 2025, NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, shut down. That left half a million writers around the world without a home. Now, a new organization, alongside…

Thanks to AI, we now have a new tool to play with that may help us connect with our audiences and generate excitement: video. Yes, I know that it’s been around forever, but we now have image-to-video AI apps and other goodies that make it simpler than ever to create eye-catching videos for our books.  A short, compelling clip can convey your book’s tone faster than text alone, put a face or voice…

I’ve mentioned a few times in the past how AI can help write books, including my latest, Everyone Hates This Restaurant. But sell them? How would that work? And yet, every bit would help, given how many books are published every year in both digital and traditional formats. So, how can AI help? One way is through social media. Yes, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook provide direct…

Those following my blog will probably have read how I keep a dream journal on my bedstand. Besides dreams, it contains all sorts of ideas for when inspiration runs dry. So, why do I do this? And what other ways are there to journal? Journaling is a powerful tool that many of us don’t use to its full potential. With memory fleeting and time passing in the blink of an eye, taking the time to jot…

Last week, I spent a few days at our summer home in Evia suffering a dreadfully slow Internet connection. So, this guest post by regular contributor Edian Blasquino felt very personal indeed, as I learned firsthand that a slow internet connection does more than irritate; it disrupts the creative flow writers depend on. From sluggish research pages and failed cloud saves to glitchy calls with…

Working as a full-time writer sounds great, but there are times when it gets exhausting: in May, my team of 2 writers and I wrote over 300,000 words for our clients. At the end of the day, when I’m done writing and editing, the last thing I want is to read or write another line. Unsurprisingly, my fiction writing has taken a hit, to put it mildly. So, how do I keep my love of writing alive? First…

Literature has long been a mirror to society, reflecting its triumphs, tensions, and taboos. But sometimes, the stories behind the books stir more conversation than the pages themselves.  From censorship battles to scandals involving celebrated authors, the literary world has not been immune to controversy. These moments often ignite fierce public debates about freedom of expression, cultural…

September 1863. Fyodor Dostoevsky sits at a roulette table in Wiesbaden, convinced he’s finally cracked the code of gambling success. He writes confidently to his sister-in-law about possessing “the secret of how to win,” claiming it’s “merely a matter of keeping oneself under constant control and never getting excited.” Within a week, he’s penning desperate letters to his brother: “I was carried…

This is a guest post by Edrian Blasquino, a college instructor turned wordsmith, with a passion for both teaching and writing. With years of experience in higher education, he brings a unique perspective to his writing, crafting engaging and informative content on a variety of topics. Now, he’s excited to explore his creative side and pursue content writing as a hobby. Find him on LinkedIn I…

This is a guest post by Savannah Cordova. Savannah is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. She loves science fiction and fantasy. 3 Fantasy Tropes I Love — And 3 I Avoid at All Costs As an avid fantasy reader, I’ve seen my fair share of different tropes that work well… and those that don’t. While many of…

Book marketing has undergone far-reaching changes in the past few years. While in-person events and long-form interviews were once the staples, modern book marketing strategies now stress social media and phenomena like BookTok.  Promoting books might seem like the antithesis of literary creation, but it’s the only way to reach audiences and cut through the noise. What happens, though, when…

A new magazine was just launched in the UK, and I’m mighty pleased to say it includes one of my short stories. Published by Chris Wade, Peculiar Tales is sci-fi/horror magazine aimed at those who love weird stories. But I’d better let Chris introduce his magazine. Over to you, Chris! Chris Wade on Peculiar Tales I’ve been an obsessive reader, music listener, and film geek for decades now — for as…

This is a guest post by Edrian Blasquino, a college instructor turned wordsmith with a passion for both teaching and writing. With years of experience in higher education, he brings a unique perspective to his writing, crafting engaging and informative content on a variety of topics. Now, he’s excited to explore his creative side and pursue content writing as a hobby. Connect with him on LinkedIn…