Jul 3, 2024 | Audio Book, Editors' Blog, Interviews, Non Fiction
Today, we’re talking with Evan Soundwell about his book,
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
I am a holistic sonic therapist, not a professional writer. My expertise lies in the field of sound. With a robust academic background as a music teacher, performer, conductor, composer, and musicologist, I represent the new holistic sonic modality “Sonic Consciousness.” While my primary language is music, I have ventured into writing to communicate my discoveries in sound therapy.
Why do you write?
In today’s segmented world of knowledge, sound healing remains a field that ordinary people have limited awareness of and often rely on so-called experts. I aim to bridge that gap, educate people, and help them form their own judgments to avoid misconceptions and fraudulent claims in the realm of sound healing. Writing allows me to share my discoveries and insights, documenting the profound impact that sound and frequency can have on well-being. It provides a comprehensive answer to the general question of whether sound can heal.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
The inspiration for “Sonic Consciousness” came from the gaps I observed in the existing literature on sound therapy. Many materials I encountered lacked either musical depth or scientific precision. This motivated me to share my comprehensive understanding in a structured and accessible way, addressing important questions that have never been fully answered, such as the true nature and clear definition of harmony, among many others.
What do you enjoy the most about your genre?
I enjoy the holistic health genre because it allows for a comprehensive approach to well-being, integrating physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects. It’s rewarding to see how alternative therapies can complement conventional medicine and provide relief to those in need.
How would you describe your writing process?
I discovered that writing and composing have a lot in common; they are just different languages. While everyone possesses the ability to understand the language of music naturally, writing is another skill I have developed to share my insights. My process is methodical and intuitive, starting with a broad outline and delving into detailed research and personal anecdotes to make the content relatable and engaging. This audiobook is designed with numerous sound examples to allow listeners to experience firsthand every claim I make.
What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?
Social media offers authors a platform to connect directly with their audience, receive immediate feedback, and build a community around their work. It is a valuable modern tool that makes it easier and more cost-effective for authors to gain recognition and engage with readers.
What advice would you have for other writers?
With my limited experience, I can say: Stay true to your voice and message. Be wary of relying too much on editors; your authentic voice is what matters most.
How do you select your books’ titles and covers?
I choose titles that encapsulate the essence of the book. For “Sonic Consciousness,” the title reflects the book’s focus on music as a language for our DNA. The cover is designed to visually represent its themes and invite readers to delve deeper into the book.
What’s your next step?
My next step is to deliver on my promises to readers by creating sonic therapy sessions that align with the concepts presented in the book. Additionally, I will soon introduce the world’s first sound homeopathy modality, which will be announced on my Facebook page. So stay tuned.
What book do you wish you’d written?
I wish I had written “The Tao of Sound” by Fabien Maman. It’s a comprehensive exploration of how sound affects the body and mind, aligning with my interests in holistic health and the transformative power of music and frequency.
How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?
I haven’t yet received any public reviews, but my colleagues among musicians have shown interest, as many parts of the book have been revelations even for them. This makes me proud to present concepts not previously discovered. My colleagues in holistic health, even without prior knowledge, find it very valuable and educational. The feedback I have received gives me confidence and satisfaction.
FIND EVAN’S BOOK ON AMAZON
Jul 3, 2024 | Interviews, Action & Adventure, Editors' Blog, Fantasy, YA
Today, we’re talking with Wayne D. Kramer about his book, Heroes of Time Legends: The Healer
Why do you write?
I love the concept and feeling of creating my own world, series, and brand that can be shared with readers everywhere. It’s extremely gratifying to tell stories that people can relate to, with lovable and relatable characters that people want to keep reading and want to keep writing.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
My entire Heroes of Time series takes inspirations from books like Redwall, Mistborn, The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, The Name of the Wind, the video game Chrono Trigger, and a variety of individuals and experiences encountered in my life.
What do you enjoy the most about your genre?
There are virtually limitless boundaries in fantasy. Epic fantasy, in particular, appeals to me because I love that deep sense of adventure, discovery, and complex interwoven plot-lines that tend to come with it.
How would you describe your writing process?
Thorough and meticulous. I tend to be a bit slow, unless I really push myself, and because I consider every word so carefully, I don’t usually achieve large word counts in a single day/session.
What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?
With the way algorithms are these days, it seems to be a place of diminishing returns. In the broad scope, I suppose some people do better with certain platforms than other. Social media is one of those things I would rather not have to spend so much time on. I enjoy being able to engage with fans, but I also get frustrated at how suppressed some posts and content can be.
What advice would you have for other writers?
Focus on content as much as possible before getting too deep in the weeds of marketing and promotions. Understand that it’s a long haul, over 2 million books are published every year, and it will be difficult to gain visibility. But, if your content is strong and you learn to be an enthusiast about it, you can get traction. Be ready for the long haul if you want to make a business or career out of it.
How do you select your books’ titles and covers?
For the title, I look at the overall premise of the book and try to think of catchy words that properly reflect the plot and character of that book. For the cover, I determine a scene from the novel that is the most visually stunning or catching to the eye.
What’s your next step?
As in my author career? I continue to build the Heroes of Time fantasy series as well as the Penny Pangolin children’s picture book series, and that’s what I’ll be doing for the foreseeable future.
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
I try to play basketball with a group of guys every week (whenever I’m not traveling). As for travel, I’ve been to nearly 40 countries and almost 30 US States.
What book do you wish you’d written?
Harry Potter. This series hit all the right notes to become a cultural phenomenon. I love how fans are able to engage with the content of this series in a way that has blossomed such creative merchandising, iconic films, theme parks, and ways for people to feel a part of the world with things like magic wands and the Houses of Hogwarts. Plus, I love the success story of J.K. Rowling going from nothing to one of the most successful authors in history. The idea of my own world becoming even a fraction of that kind of franchise is very exciting to me.
How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?
I’m thrilled to see positive reviews and wish I could thank everyone that leaves one.
FIND WAYNE’S BOOK ON AMAZON
Jun 11, 2024 | Editors' Blog
This may be the only rule that has close to a hundred-percent effectiveness virtually immediately. While explaining the rule to parents in my office, I go into the waiting room, take my doctoral diploma off the wall, and hand it to them. I vow that if the method doesn’t work, I will give them my diploma the next time they come in.
The diploma still hangs on the wall.
The instructions in the family meeting are for parents to tell the children that fighting, yelling, and complaining in the car are a distraction to your attention and to safe driving. Therefore, the rule will be: “The car will not move during fighting. If you start to fight, yell, or cry while I am driving, I will pull the car over as soon as it is safe to do so. The car will not move until there is silence.”
When the children are quiet, the car moves. It is nearly a fact of nature that children do not like to be in a vehicle that is not moving. Rarely will children continue the argument for more than one or two minutes. As part of the conflict, one of the children may start kicking the back of your seat to gain your attention. Pull over, turn off the engine, get out a book or magazine (always have reading material in the car), and start reading.
Guinness World Records reports that the longest period recorded that children will tolerate the car not moving is three minutes and twelve seconds. (I made that up, but it sounds believable, doesn’t it?)
Dr. Pressman is a board certified family psychologist. For several decades he has been helping parents who are concerned about their children. He also enjoys treating young children and teens, doing research and writing books to help parents. See his latest guide for parents available here.
May 7, 2024 | Editors' Blog
Alfi flies down from the tree and lands on the path next to me. I don’t need to hide anymore, so I come out of the trees and join him on the road. Alfi’s magnificent scaly armor glitters in the moonlight. I kind of like him when he’s not giving me anxiety attacks. I think he’s a little thinner than the last time we met, but it’s hard to tell because it was quite a while ago.
“Tell me how you are doing,” I continue. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
“I am pretty good, all things considered. There is something I wanted to ask of you, but first, tell me about the important matters you mentioned.”
That is something I’m more than happy to talk about. I tell him about my plan and what is expected of him: to set fire to army camps, to burn a village or two. Or twenty. Stuff like that. The idea is to create an effect of fear and shock. I end with a brief reminder of all the dishes Sakaro planned to prepare from Alfi’s body for his victory feast, a cruel fate from which he was saved thanks to me, of course.
I finish and wait to hear that he agrees so I can return home and go to sleep in my big, soft bed next to my wife, Nilia.
“Well?” I nudge him after a few moments pass, and I don’t seem to be getting any closer to my bed or Nilia.
He looks somewhat pensive. There was always something irritating about this Alfi. Why is it so hard for him to say: “Yes, that sounds like a great plan, and I’d be happy to help. Have a nice ride home?” What’s so complicated about that?
“Say, Sorin,” he asks after what feels like five hours. “What is the point of that? What do you need it for? You are a good king; the people love you; is it worth risking all this? I’ll tell you something else. I’m not sure it’s such a bargain to be the emperor. I have a feeling you will not enjoy it at all.”
That is precisely what was missing in my life, a thinking dragon.
“Forgive me for asking, but why does your highness think I will not enjoy it?” I ask.
He ignores the sarcasm. “First of all, it’s a lot of responsibility and stress. Much more work than you have as the king of Aragonia,” he says. There may be something to this argument, but it misses the point. “Besides,” he continues, “you’ll never have peace. You will live in constant fear of someone else trying to oust you.” Okay, that’s not untrue, but it’s still not a major consideration in the overall picture.
“And what about the honor of being emperor?” I snap at him. “And what about the revenge for my father? What about the fact that Sakaro planned to turn you into a soup and a variety of other dishes for the victory celebrations, including desserts?”
“Look,” he says. “Personally, I am not going to live my life according to what Sakaro planned to do to me eight years ago. Revenge is your business, but I am willing to help you.”
Thank you very much, that’s all I wanted to hear. It’s a pity we couldn’t have gotten there without him scaring the hell out of me or sharing his uninteresting, irrelevant, and unintelligent thoughts.
“I just want you to know that I have a problem with some of the things you are asking me to do.”
“Like what, for example?”
“Like burning villages. The people who live there have nothing to do with the quarrel between you and Sakaro. Think of the women and children in those villages. And the men, too, haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t want to hurt them.”
This conversation is getting weirder and weirder by the minute. “Are you serious? Where did you get that from? Since when do you care about humans? You used to enjoy burning them.”
“Look, I had a lot of time to think in the last few years, that’s pretty much all I had to do. I thought about the meaning of life and why we’re here, and what we should do while we’re here. Killing people who haven’t done anything wrong to anyone is not one of the things I think we need to do.”
I don’t even know how to begin to respond to this incoherent sequence of words. Nor am I required to because it turns out that he has more to say on the subject.
“I don’t understand why you want to kill these people. They didn’t do anything to you,” he adds.
“Who said I want to kill them? Where did you get that stupid idea from?”
“From you,” he replies. “You asked me to kill them.”
“That doesn’t mean I want to kill them, Alfi. It’s not the same thing. I’m not a monster, I’m just not that dramatic about them dying in case it’s necessary for my plans, that’s all.”
READ THE BOOK ON AMAZON
Apr 23, 2024 | Editors' Blog
There are so many favorite annual traditions (Christmas, Girl Scout Cookie sales, the first blockbuster movie of summer, …), and it’s now time for one more—the next Writers of the Future volume to be released! The 40th annual volume will be available on May 7th in paperback, e-book or as an audio book.
The Writers of the Future is an international writing competition that has been running for 40 years —that’s right 40 years!
Science fiction legend and best-selling author L. Ron Hubbard founded this contest. Here is a quote from the very first introduction:
“A culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists. The artist is looked upon to start things. The artist injects the spirit of life into a culture. And through his creative endeavors, the writer works continually to give tomorrow a new form.
“In these modern times, there are many communication lines for works of art. Because a few works of art can be shown so easily to so many, there may even be fewer artists. The competition is very keen and even dagger sharp.
“It is with this in mind that I initiated a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.” —L. Ron Hubbard
He brought on board the leading science fiction and fantasy authors of the time, including Frank Herbert, Anne McCaffrey, Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, Andre Norton, and Hal Clement.
Soon after, a sister contest was started for illustrators, bringing these two strong story elements together.
This competition has discovered and nurture hundreds of authors and illustrators over the last 40 years.
HOW IT WORKS
Every quarter, this free writing and illustration contest receives thousands of entries. The judges pick the top three from each quarter for collection into the annual anthology, while the winning artists are then assigned one of the stories to create an image for.
You can be guaranteed to read some of the best science fiction and fantasy cutting-edge stories out there because the judges who pick the winners are some of the biggest names in these genres. Authors such as Orson Scott Card of Enders Game, who is the only author to have a won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years. Hugh Howey known for Silo series. Brandon Sanderson who wrote Mistborn and created the universe called Cosmere where most of his works take place. Nnedi Okorafor, who has won so many awards I can’t even mention them all here, and her first novel, Zahrah the Windseeker won the Wole Soyinka Prize for literature. Rober J Sawyer, Sir Sean Williams, Jody Lynn Nye, and Larry Niven, don’t even round out the complete list of famous and award-winning authors who judge the contest entries. (judges🙂
The awards event will be held on April 25th in Hollywood. You can tune in live on their home page:
For the 40th Anniversary, you can receive special bonuses by pre-ordering the book, such as wallpaper images and early access to a story. Find all of the extras available here:
This year’s volume features a fantastic collection of stories which magically intertwine the world we currently live in, along with the future world we are heading towards. Stories of virtual companions who race across the digital world to find us; and stories of an astronaut shutting her body down in space when oxygen is getting low.
There are stories of spirits, alive and a daily part of villagers’ lives they help, and of more evil spirits used to rid a girl of the sinister human ruining her life. Stories of conquering new planets and the unexpected hardships the pioneers encounter.
There are stories which address social media and the current blurred boundary of how much can another person find out about you. And even a love story of a dead couple coming back to life every spring through the fall, addressing the issue of how much would you be willing to pay to bring back a loved one.
One of my favorites is about the value of having a strong team, and why a crew of various, smart and very logical extraterrestrials would keep an overly-friendly, overly-curious human of average intelligence on their team. This story was a very fun read!
The commonality between all of the stories is that they bring about a sense of what it means to be truly human, living and alive today. A non-fiction article from L. Ron Hubbard is also included which points out that science fiction points a direction for man, because it does advocate a future for man. That’s a great message when many in our current society tell us there is no hope for the future and the non-stop news blaring into our homes threatens to overwhelm us. Science fiction brings hope!
CONCLUSION
All in all, Writers of the Future Volume 40 is a great read for anyone looking for something fresh and new!
Order your copy today so you can start reading May 7th!
And, don’t forget your 40th Anniversary preorder bonuses!
Enjoy!
Quick Links for the contest and anthology:
Enter the Writing Contest
Free Writing Workshop
Writing Podcast
Writers Forum
Writing Contest Rules
Contest Judges
Contest Blog
List of Writers of the Future & L. Ron Hubbard books
Social media links (to follow this year’s event use #WOTF40):
https://twitter.com/WotFContest
https://www.facebook.com/WotFContest
https://www.instagram.com/wotfcontest/
https://www.pinterest.com/RealWotF/
https://www.youtube.com/user/WritersoftheFuture
https://www.tiktok.com/@wotfcontest
Apr 18, 2024 | Editors' Blog
A good part of my life has been spent packing boxes to move house, often from one country to another. My children were trilingual from a young age, having Spanish and English at home and learning to read and write in Italian. The advantage was that they acquired new languages easily. It was tough on all of us at times, but in the long run our peripatetic lifestyle was to our benefit. Being a teacher I was able to work in international schools, which led to writing school text books. When this workload increased, I gave up the day job to write full time.
One of my projects was a re-telling of Norse myths and legends for Penguin. This was subsequently cancelled, but, like other upheavals it worked to my advantage. I turned part of my background notes on the Norse Volsung Saga into a fantasy novel.
Important detail #1: Never delete early drafts of anything. One day those words may come in very handy. I am currently using material I created fifteen years ago in the sequel to The Doomsong Sword (2017).
Becoming a fiction author is one of the best and worst things I have ever done. On the one hand, it’s enormously satisfying, despite all the editing and re-writes, but for me there is a lot of stress once the final draft is complete. After the editing and proofreading stages of my textbooks, the publisher’s team took over cover design, promotion and marketing. This is something I didn’t take into account when I was looking for a fiction publisher. I assumed they would do the same: edit and proofread, give me time to make corrections, and my story would go into the sales channels without me being involved. Wrong!
Important detail #2 Traditionally published authors are expected to promote their work and themselves the way self-publishing authors do.
Becoming a hybrid fiction author happened more by chance than good planning. Having spent most of my working life teaching and writing about Literature with a capital L, I was dubious about my own narrative skills. Was I really good enough to be published? I’d been scribbling ideas for stories, bits of purple prose and snappy dialogue in notebooks since I don’t remember when, but finishing a full-length novel, and believing it was good enough for publication . . . That stayed my hand. I’m not gifted with self-belief and still suffer from imposter syndrome.
While we were living in Holland during the 1990s, I finished a full-length contemporary literary novel and sent it off to an agent, who told me what needed adjusting for publication. I set about doing this, but then we moved again, I lost focus, and the agent lost interest. The MS went in a drawer, then into an attic. My second attempt was historical fiction. It incorporated my lost agent’s advice, and my experience of living in Holland and Spain. The MS went through numerous drafts and eventually became The Empress Emerald.
It is said that a first novel is always autobiographical: this is largely nonsense, but we obviously draw on personal experience, and in this case, I was putting family upheavals to good use. My fiction incorporates aspects of my travels: I’ve either lived and worked somewhere, or been on an extended visit to just about every location. Plus, I do a lot of research and background reading for each epoch.
After the Empress Emerald (set 1900-1940), I started a linked trilogy about the protagonist’s ancestor, a wily Genoese rogue known as Ludo da Portovenere. The Chosen Man trilogy took years to complete, but I had a supportive publisher, who didn’t hassle me over deadlines, and perhaps more importantly, liked what I was writing. This makes a difference. Many outfits treat their writers as copy-suppliers and their novels as products.
The first Bob Robbins Home Front Mystery emerged from an early draft for something quite different (never delete anything) set in Cornwall. My MA dissertation was on WWII Home Front propaganda so I had accumulated knowledge to deepen the plot, but this story needed a local detective. In those days, retired police officers were called back into service to replace younger men who’d joined up. Fortunately, my grandfather had been a ‘Special’ during the war, so I had some anecdotes to work on. This is how dumpy, grumpy DS Bob Robbins came into my life – and decided to stay.
After the first in this series, Local Resistance (about the ultra-secret British resistance groups), I decided to go solo, in the hope of getting more for my writing than standard publishers’ royalties.
Important point #3: Fiction publishers cover editing and book design costs; some do more marketing than others; some pay an advance (which may have to be paid back if the book isn’t a success). Self-publishing can get expensive. In my experience, choosing between trad or indie is a question of preference. After fifteen years as a full-time novelist, I’d say it’s largely swings and roundabouts. Other authors may disagree, of course.
My current w.i.p is historical fantasy. I’m stretching beyond my popular genres, but the writing skills are much the same. Skills that require practice, dedication and a degree of perfectionism. Among the useful things I learned while writing school books was how to be clear and succinct, and that editors should not be ignored.
Important point #4: self-edit until you are 100% satisfied, then accept what a professional editor says needs changing. It can hurt, but in my experience editors are wise. After editing, proofread very carefully, better still, get a professional to do it.
Whether you are a younger unpublished author or an older person wanting to write, be aware that every stage takes time, and it can be hard work. It can also be a wonderful journey from first ideas to tweaking your cover blurb.
If you are aiming for a traditional contract, barring a stroke of luck in finding an agent quickly, and then a publisher or a smaller indie press (no agent required), it could be up to a year before you hold your book in your hands. Traditional publishing involves an annoying fast and slow paradox: the writer must meet deadlines quickly, which means working late into the night, missing family weddings etc, but then, once your copy is in, it may be a good while before the book goes to press. Be aware there may be a few bruises along the way. If you plan to self-publish, budget for a good editor and cover designer, and be prepared for some other bumps along the way.
Whichever route you choose, whatever your background, whatever your age, if you have always wanted to write, get started. As I say, it can be seriously hard work, but the reward and sense of satisfaction makes it all worthwhile.
J.G Harlond: Award-winning author of The Bob Robbins Home Front Mysteries, The Chosen Man Trilogy, The Empress Emerald, Dark Night, Black Horse and The Doomsong Sword
Find Jane on https://www.jgharlond.com/
Blog – Reading & Writing: https://wp-harlond.jgharlond.com/
Penmore Press: www.penmorepress.com
Find JG on Facebook
Read J.G. Harlond book at Amazon USA.
Read J.G. Harlond book at Amazon.co.uk
