"Miles to go.."

Connect with Readers: Knowing who you’re writing for helps create stories that resonate emotionally. The story becomes more relateable. Guides Your Writing: It influences your tone, language, themes, and even the structure of your story. The story has a more complete style and does not feel like a first draft. Improves Marketability: Agents and publishers are more likely to pick up stories…

The Kindle Vella library will be closing soon. Maybe because it did not do so well on Amazon or some other factors. But either way, I wrote a short story that I had to download and transition over to a Kindle eBook. The download was easy enough and when the zipped file is opened all the documents along with the cover photo is there. The next part was “creating” it on the Kindle Direct Publishing…

I recently wrote a short novel to enter the KDP vella contest. For anyone interested in checking out this story here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0D96X52Y7 I would love to have some followers to like and follow this story. Thank you!

As of March 2024, I gathered this list form Lime Light Publishing’s blog, and searched each publisher to see which are still open for unsolicited submissions. Out of the 15 there are still a few that are open. ABDO is not accepting submissions along with Black and White Publishing, Tor/Forge, Quirk, and Seven Stories. Most of those not accepting want represented authors. What you do with this…

Let’s be honest and admit we all need a little (or a lot in my case) help with our writing. Whether it is in the form of line by line editing, or using spellchecker, or if we are needing a new perspective from a critical eye. It’s okay to admit it. In the past, authors had no spellchecker, no editing, and sometimes no one to help them with a plot. Writers were on another level. There was…

The Ultimate Guide on How to Improve Your Writing Through Reading: How is your reading and writing going? Choosing the Right Books to Read to Enhance Writing Skills: Some of the books an author should be reading is the genre they are writing. But it can become somewhat tiresome. I enjoy many different genres to read and feel that learning should be ever ongoing. I will read fiction and…

“Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk, was such a sad story that I had a hard time reading this to my school children. It was sad and depressing and did not give you any hope in humanity. Yes, there are life lessons in it. Yes, it is more realistic with the ending. But how are these books judged? Do they get an award because of how much they make you feel or cry?

“Hello Universe” by Erin Entrada Kelly, is another story that leaves you feeling a little sad at the ending. Yes, again there were life lessons. It had a better ending than the other books but you feel the innocence is gone from these children.

“Pax” by Sara Pennypacker, is a story that you just cannot stop reading even though you have guessed the ending before the last three chapters. Another sad story of loss and a young boy having to grow up and face the reality of war. It breaks your heart.

Now, these are only the books I have read in the last year that have gotten rave reviews and won awards. I have read other books that were good and uplifting.   But there is a universe of sad books that have received awards like, “Old Yeller”, “Shilo”, “Holes”, “Beyond the Bright Sea” (Another book by Lauren Wolk. You can see her pattern of style.) and “Inside Out and Back Again”.  And they all have a sad tone to them.

So what makes these books so loved by critics or literary scholars? The harsh reality in them? The fact they bring grown men to tears? Who knows?

I think we need more good books for children where they can feel happy about the ending. We need beautiful books that show that the world is not all ugly. We need books that children can escape into for a while. Children are already seeing the ugly side of the world it is time we give them books that encourage them to see the bright side of things now.

Do you ever feel you are a seasonal writer?

Okay not everyone can be like Mary Faulkner and keep pumping out books. Some of us (especially me) like to write when the season is right. At the beginning of the year I feel excited to start fresh to tackle my goals of writing, then somewhere during the year life happens and my writing goals get forgotten.

Some of the time I hit a slump in writing that…

Taking a break in the summer from writing does not mean to stop reading.  I have challenged myself to read more books this summer.  If you want to challenge yourself and need to keep track too, then try the challenge on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/

This helps me to also keep track of my reviews of the books.  Sometimes I can read so many books that after a while I lose what I read.…

There are times when every author must wait for a response from an agent or publisher about a query.  We sit on pins and needles.  Weeks go by and even months on end. Then we might get a form rejection letter. That is not what I received recently. I have gotten glowing remarks in rejection letters and even well-wishers for my book to find a home, but never a slap. I mean a cold, Doc Martin crass…

I have a wonderful book review of MY book! The author, Aimee Ann, gave my book five stars and a glowing review.  FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN has been self-published for a few years now and I have been needing more recognition for the work. I have had great popularity with my book when it is free but because there are no other reviews on Amazon or other seller sites, there are no sales.

If anyone would…

A Look Back at the Top 2018 Children’s Books

Reading children’s books has to be a priority for writers in this genre. We need to know what children want to read or why a book is selling. Some of the best books I read this year did not make some of the lists. But here are a few that did.

The NY Times top-selling children books had only one book I have read this year: “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by Kelly Barnhill.

I gave this book 5 stars…

Dry Spells in Writing

I hate dry spells in writing. I feel guilty that I have not written in a while. This guilt then turns me away from writing which is the exact opposite of accomplishing anything productive. So what did I do during this period of “no-writing”? Well, I read some great literature, took a couple of college courses and I vegged in front of the TV. Not a lot of writing. When you have to write lesson…

When we look at all the places we could shop for a book thirty years ago the choices were slim. Today, because of all the different formats of books there are hundreds of places to shop for books. Here are the most go to places for self-published and even traditional published authors to have their books sold at:

  https://www.amazon.com/Flight-Raven-White-Book-ebook/dp/B06Y6C8687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=…

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

“Definitely energizes! If writing ever exhausts you then you might be doing something wrong (maybe working on the wrong project? wrong genre?). I feel empowered when I write. I do it first thing in the morning (I wake up at 4:30am well before the kiddos get up) and it really starts my day off on a high note.”

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

“The biggest one is comparing yourself to other writers. We’re all on different levels. Some writers can crank out book after book, month after month, and some seem to trudge along at a snail’s pace maybe finishing one manuscript in a year or two. Both are great! Both are writing. Never compare yourself to others. Write at your own pace. Write the way God intended you to write. He meant you to be YOU, not someone else.”

If you could tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?

“Just write, Mikey. And write what you love!’ I could’ve saved myself years (and thousands in tuition) if I’d just headed these words back then instead of writing to please my professors. It doesn’t take a degree in creative writing to write creatively. I’m not saying school is bad, but universities have a tendency to try and make you the type of writer they think you ‘should be’, instead of allowing you to be the writer you are meant to be.”

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

“It didn’t change it much. I mean I had deadlines, which I never had before, but I pretty much wrote the same way. I’ve tried different approaches to try and speed up my writing process but I always go back to what’s familiar.”

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

“I’d have to say, The Stone of Valhalla. It’s a standalone so it doesn’t get the hype that some of my other books get because of their sequels. It’s my favorite because it was actually the first story I ever wrote. I started it when I was 17 and it was written as a YA fantasy. After finishing it, I sent it out to several publishers but never got any offers (except some interest from Harlequin Romances who was disappointed in the lack of adult themes—yikes!). I put it in a file and forgot about it for ten years or so before I pulled it out, rewrote it, and published it as an MG book.”

What’s the best way to market your books?

“The best way to go directly to my readers, which are kids, so I do a lot of school visits. My favorites are to do classroom sizes because it’s a little easier to keep them involved, but I also enjoy doing large assemblies. Visiting schools is the best part of my job as an author. I love kids. I love working with them and seeing how reading can bring magic into their lives.”

How many hours a day do you write?

“I’m a stay at home daddy and work part-time as an illustrator and cover designer so I have to really make time to write. I get up super early and get about 2 hours a day, Mon-Sat. I take Sundays off to sleep in (if you call sleeping in until 6:30-7am sleeping in). Sometimes my wife will take the kiddos to their grandma’s and I can get more writing time in then.”

What is your favorite childhood book?

“I’m super jealous of the kiddos nowadays—they have so many awesome children’s books to choose from. When I was a kid there wasn’t a middle-grade genre (oh, how I wish there would’ve been). The first book I ever read cover to cover was Stephen King’s Eyes of the Dragon, which is a YA fantasy and probably as “children’s book” King ever got. It was illustrated and I was drawn to the pictures in the book. It was that book that gave me my love of fantasy books.”

Could you give us a list of your books?

                    The Dream Keeper         The Dreamstone        The DreamMakers

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The Stone of Valhalla

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The Gates of Atlantis: Battle for Acropolis (book 6 in the Atlantis series written by 6 other authors).

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Museum Adventures: The Maya Mystery    Museum Adventures: A Night in Nottingham

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The W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza

“I also have picture books. 3 which I author/illustrated and 9 more I illustrated for other authors. Ice Cream USA won 2016 Best of State as well as a finalist in the 5th Annual Beverly Hills Book Awards. Princess Pricilla Enough is Enough took finalist in the 6th Annual Beverly Hills Book Awards.”

What can your fans look forward to next?

“I have several projects in the works and one book with my agent right now. As of now, I don’t have anything scheduled to release this year but I hope that changes soon. I am transitioning from an indie author to a traditional author and I have come to find the traditional route a lot slower than I’m used to. Don’t worry, everyone, I have books coming—I promise!!”

For more information on Mikey Brooks and to see his complete portfolio please visit his website at http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/

Writer’s Conferences – which ones are best for you?

I love to hear other authors ideas about writing or publishing. In a setting where you can bounce ideas of each other and get great feedback, there are many places to do this. There are writing forums, writing critique groups, and of course writers conferences.  So which one is right for you?

Do you like to get together with large or small groups? If you answered large groups than a writers…

Agent Monday: Fix those Pitch and Query Mistakes! | Marie Lamba, author

A great source to help all those tricky problems with queries and pitches.  Read on and start polishing your work.

  Source: Agent Monday: Fix those Pitch and Query Mistakes! | Marie Lamba, author