Quote of the Day: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss
This year, 2018, has been a fast year for me, pretty much. I’ve written two books and published one. My latest mystery-thriller will be released early 2019. And, you’re in for a BIG surprise! I can’t wait to tell you more about it. Keep watching for the cover reveal and blurb about the novel.
Mystery Novel Reviewers/Bloggers Wanted
If you’d like an advance ebook copy, complete the info below so I can email your gift code. Thank you!
Quote of the Day: “Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” ― Laura Ingalls Wilder
It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Thank you for following my blogand connecting on social media. I appreciate your support. Carolyn M. Bowen
Let’s Connect on Social Media!
These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!
Quote of the Day: “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” ―Hamilton Wright Mabie
Are you counting down to celebrating this holiday season? Excitement is in the air as we approach Christmas Day. Families’ traveling home for the holidays makes me feel warm and fuzzy. What are your Christmas plans?
How are you traveling this season? Whether by train, plane, or automobile always carry a great mystery read with you. Look no further than books by Carolyn M. Bowenfor entertainment.
Mystery Book Reviewers Wanted
Are you a book reviewer or blogger? Here’s a chance for the first glance of my new mystery available for pre-order after the New Year. Sign up here to receive your free ebook.
From my house to yours – happy holidays!Carolyn Bowen
Thank you for following my blogand connecting on social media. I appreciate your support. Carolyn M. Bowen
Let’s Connect on Social Media!
These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!
Quote of the Day: “Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to makes speeches. Just believing is usually enough.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Most authors live for those high-five moments when readers make you proud you’re a writer. I am no different and social media provides the perfect backdrop for hearing from your fans.
Earlier this week one of my fans tweeted about Cross-Ties novel making a connection between Onedin Line and Hornblower, exciting books, series, and movie.
Needless to say, I’ve been on cloud nine – or higher since then. Being compared with some great writers is an experience you’d want to have again, and again.
I want to say a special thank you to my fans. I appreciate your reading and reviewing my novels. For those of you who haven’t read Cross-Ties, this weekend you can download it for free from my website. I ask that you follow my blogso you’ll be the first to know the latest news and leave a review on your favorite platform. Carolyn Bowen
Quote of the Day: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Photo credit: Pixabay
Yes, I’m hyper anticipating my new mystery novel coming out soon. So – I read – and read more to make my jittery nerves relax.
This book got my attention – maybe because I love Hemi trucks – they can pull a boat so I can ski on any lake/river/ocean accessible by land. I think you get it – crazy about water sports. And, I love knowing the latest marketing news! But, can I do what’s recommended? Stay-tuned.
Today’s book world is about learning and using the right communication and tools to reach your audience. The creative process and techniques for delivering the best marketing campaign to boost book/s to the bestseller list is a long and curvy road. I have been fortunate – just plain lucky in some instances in the past. However, going forward I will be on a steep learning curve to develop innovative ways to get my stories to be read and reviewed.
I’m old school with Hemingway influence where if you write a great novel everyone should want to read it – right? Times have changed and my writing reflects the current state of affairs in the criminal world. I think people still want to know the interworking of a character’s mind. And, that I can deliver. Maybe market – we’ll see.
Back your Hemi right on back and fill your truck bed with the best information for promoting your book. This book gives you the nitty-gritty about marketing both fiction and non-fiction.
It’s the equivalent of having your personal marketing expert working for you. The downside – you’ve got to learn the ropes and do it yourself.
I’d love an app that embodies everything this book describes but we all know advertising isn’t stagnant, always moving forward. Yet, you can benefit today from using these carefully researched and proven marketing techniques. Get ready for a mind-blowing experience! Follow this author to keep abreast of the changing marketing environment. Thanks, Penny!
If you’d like to be an advance reader for my upcoming new mystery, complete the information below and an ebook will be made available for your reading pleasure. Thank you!
Quote of the Day: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. Norman Vincent Peale
I can’t believe it! I’m in the Christmas spirit right after the Thanksgiving holiday. Go Figure! This is early for me. The first of December is when I normally get in gear for the holiday celebrations. What about you? What sights, sounds, and aromas draw you into the holiday season?
Here’s a new recording made by singer-songwriter and business leaderDiane Michelfor Christmas this year! In her own words: “My thanks to my long-time friend Chip Martin for producing this and bringing it all together! And special thanks to Shay Watson for asking me to write it with him for the Hallmark Channel a few years ago. We got a good one that day. It felt really good to sing again today….been a long time. Merry Christmas everybody!”
From my home to yours – Happy Holidays!Carolyn Bowen
I hope you’ll follow my blogand connect on social media where I post daily. Here are a few of my favorites places. Drop by and say hello!
Quote of the Day: “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” Edward Sandford Martin
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Day in the USA is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. A United States Congressional declaration officially designated the date in 1941. Throughout November we also celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The mutual trust and collaboration of Native Americans and the New World English colonists played a significant role in U.S. history. Today we reflect and share our bounty with family and friends in the spirit of the first Thanksgiving.
Background
The history of the celebration dates back to November 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared their first harvest festival at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. The autumn harvest celebration lasted three days and is considered the “first Thanksgiving.” According to attendee Edward Winslow, there were 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims participating in the celebration. Wikipedia
The Attitude of Thankfulness and Gratitude Benefits
Family Time – Together as an extended family
Strengthens family bonds
Improves our self-esteem
Reduces depression
Increases our energy
Helps develop a stronger immune system
Decreases blood pressure
Increases sleep quality
Reduces negative stress
From my home to yours – Happy Thanksgiving! Carolyn Bowen
I hope you’ll follow my blogand connect on social media where I post daily. Here are a few of my favorites places. Drop by and say hello!
Quote of the Day: Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence. – Mourning Dove Salish
“Sovereignty, Trust, and Resilience.”
November is Native American Heritage Month and we pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
Background
The first America Indian Day was established through the leadership of Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, N.Y.
The first formal appeal for recognition of Indians as citizens was declared September 28, 1915. The annual Congress of the American Indian Association meeting in Lawrence, Kans., formally approved a plan concerning American Indian Day with observation to be the second Saturday of each May.
New York was the first state to observe American Indian Day. The governor declared the second Saturday in May 1916 as the beginning of the proclamation.
Many years later, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Additional proclamations have been issued since 1994 under the names “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian Month”.
Here are some of the events scheduled for this month honoring the American Indians.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Recollections from days gone by…
Interview with a half-breed: What’re your favorite memories growing up in a mixed culture?
Looking out the window and seeing headlights from automobiles coming up the lane to our home stuck in my memory. I knew it was a significant moment.
Word spread and people lined up at our front door to seek alternative herbal healing from my grandmother, a medicine woman. So much it became a problem and my first generation English grandfather stopped it.
She was never the same again. You’re probably thinking I can help you with the insights she provided. NO! According to her, the Native American medicine, what some folks misunderstand as magic, is passed down through the opposite sex.
She shared her knowledge with a male she’d helped. However, she did tell me who to talk to. It was way too complicated for my mind and at the time – honestly not interested. I wonder who the young man passed the secret to for keeping it in his family. Be what it will be – the young man she shared her secrets with had two sons who became M.D’s – medicine men in their own rights.
You’ll be very lucky if they’re you’re attending physician. For a secret has to remain a secret – Native American Heritage protects those who are called to help their fellow earth walkers.
May you soar with eagles in your quest to learn more about Native Americans. The American Indians saw the Eagle as a symbol for great strength, leadership, and vision.
Recommended reading
Native American culture is explored in Cross-Ties, a fictional coming of age novel. You’ll meet Nokuse and his family in this classic novel.
Thank you for following my blogand connecting on social media. I appreciate your support. Carolyn M. Bowen
These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!
Quote of the Day: Everyone lives by selling something. Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo Credit: Pixabay
The art of marketing is solidified when you have identified your target market, folks who are interested in your products and services and provide a means to communicate. Today, social media plays an important role in connecting with like-minded people – talking and listening. But, how do you choose which platforms to use for finding your audience and potential customers?
When you are able to see the overall picture and plan your business future, you’ve just become an author, the business end of being a writer.
Answering the Question
For me, as much as I enjoy creating and sharing photos/videos when posting about mybooks, I’ve got to be aware of the conversion rate. As an author, you need to know how and where to get your books in the hands of interested readers. I asked the question, where are my potential readers hanging out and what site delivers the best return on my investment?
Having lots of followers on social media isn’t the point. Having people interested in what you say and your offerings are important and play a key role in building relationships.
Many new small businesses rush to share on most or all of the social media platforms. Take your time. Begin with two or three of the major ones and expand from there, if desired.
I would suggest sites, in the least, where everyone who follows can see your posts without advertising. I’m not saying don’t advertise, you can pick a post that’s performing well within your community, tweak it and monitor the results.
My favorite social sites for some time have been Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.
As mentioned in an earlier post, Google+ is phasing out this platform as currently operated. I’m sad. Second, Twitter has always been a great site for me although the news feed moves quickly. Your post most often has a shelf life of 30 minutes max. The good news is your posts are shown to everyone and advertising is affordable if desired. And, third, Pinterest is a fun place to show-off both personally and professionally. It is a behind the scenes kind of thing that allows followers to get to know the real you.
If you enjoy photos and following the trends for just about anything life has to offer, you’ll love this site. Me, I especially love the cute kitties, travel, fashion, and meeting book lovers!
I’m trying out a new site, MeWe.com, the next-gen social network. I like the idea of a site engineered with privacy in mind and the ability to connect with like-minded folks. I’m learning the ropes and will share more about my experiences in a later post.
Do you have favorite social media sites? I’d love to hear from you about what works for your business. Note: I’m on other social sites for various reasons – business and personal.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Latest Writing News
There’s a new mystery/thriller release coming up in my near future. If you’d like to become a part of my advance launch team and receive a free copy, sign-up below. Thank you!
Quote of the Day: “A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” William Styron
Today’s post is a book review of Enemy of the State by Kyle Mills. You will find it exhilarating and possibly exhausting following in the steps of Mitch Rapp.
Mitch Rapp pushes the limits in fighting terrorism wherever and however is necessary. Forced to change directions with the president’s approval, he quits the CIA.
Rapp assembles a group of independent contractors to get the job done. They had just begun infiltrating the Saudi government and ISIS when the new head of intelligence discovers their efforts and puts a stop to the plan by threating to go public with the post 9/11 agreement between the two countries.
Concerned about his political career and an international incident, the president turns his back on Rapp. The American intelligent agencies were ordered to join the Saudis’ effort in finding Rapp.
Rapp and his band of mercenaries become the center of a manhunt orchestrated to stop his mission. Who will win? Will Rapp vindicate himself and turn the tables on the Saudis and come out alive?
Kyle Mills has picked up the gauntlet from where Vince Flynn left off and has stayed true to his voice while expanding the old, and creating new characters to move the series forward.
