Tag: books

Book, Book, Book!

Why haven’t I posted in awhile? Read this press release to find out why I’ve been so busy.

Stay tuned for more, and yeah, I’m excited!

Tears of Min Brock Slated for September Release!

Fantasy novelist J.E. Lowder has signed with WordCrafts Press for the release of his four-volume, epic fantasy series, The War of Whispers. The first installment, Tears of Min Brock is set to release mid-September, 2012.

Dark and brooding, Tears of Min Brock follows a young girl of 14 summers, named Elabea, who hears a whisper calling her to the shining land of Claire; a kingdom that was supposedly destroyed in the devastating Dark War. Outcast from her family and village, and guarded by her childhood companion Galadin, Elabea sets out on an epic quest to become one of the most powerful beings in the world – a storyteller.

Tears of Min Brock ends on a cliffhanger, but fans won’t have too long to wait. The second volume of The War of Whispers is set for release on November 1, 2012.

Although Tears of Min Brock is Lowder’s debut novel, he is no stranger to the creative arts. A professional musician by trade, Lowder has played bass for some of the biggest names in the music industry, including country superstar Shania Twain. He credits his time as a musician with giving him the inspiration and stamina to embark on a career as a novelist.

“Both music and creative writing are crafts that take time to hone, and if you’re truly dedicated, you realize there’s always something new to learn,” Lowder says. “They both require hard work, lonely hours, little or no pay, and virtually no recognition. If you choose to persevere through such difficulty, family and friends will look at you like you’re insane (which maybe you are!) but because being an artist is in your DNA, you persevere, concluding they’re the crazy ones.”

“Perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned from both music and writing is that just because you’re successful, financially or commercially speaking, doesn’t mean you’re good. And just because you’re good doesn’t mean you’ll be financially successful. Insightful? Perhaps, but being able to apply that on a daily basis is another thing.”

For more information on J.E. Lowder or WordCrafts Press, visit WordCrafts.net.
To schedule an interview with J.E.Lowder, or for review copies of Tears of Min Brock, contact:
C.E. Edwards
Publicist, WordCrafts Press
pr@wordcrafts.net
©2012 WordCrafts | 912 E. Lincoln St. Tullahoma, TN 37388

Still Alive

I blinked.  At least that’s what it feels like.

Life this summer has been crazy which is why I haven’t posted in some time now.

The primary reason is that I’m focused on the notes from my publisher per Tears of Min Brock.

Say good-bye adverbs.  Say hello “show don’t tell.”  Add some back story here.  Toss in character depth there.  New cover to ponder, proof, tweak…

I hope you’ll be patient as we remodel; it’s taking a wee bit longer than anticipated.  I’m biased, but I think it will be well worth the wait!

Gotta go…characters are calling!

I’m Getting a New Look!

A friend recently asked me, “So how do you re-release your book?”

It was a great question, so I thought I’d take time this morning to explain.

First, per my new publisher’s recommendation, I re-visited Tears of Min Brock.  I edited it to make it read and flow faster, sprinkled in some description, and added a bit more expressiveness with the characters.  I finished this portion last week and now the publisher and editor are going through it.  Once done, they’ll pass it back for me to tweak.  I love the fact that I get the opportunity to make my writing (and storytelling) even better.

Next, we’ll meet to discuss the cover.  Now to be honest, I like what I currently have, so it’s difficult for me to “see” anything else.  But I’m going to the meeting with an open mind and hoping to catch the vision.  After all, this is to discuss the plan for all four books, all of which are written (but unedited.)

After that, it’s in the hands of the publisher and I do the most difficult of tasks.

I wait.

I’m hoping we’ll have this turned around by end of summer, maybe sooner.  But I know how life can bog down the most prudent of plans.

So there you go!

I’m excited to get a new look and hope you will be too!

 

Perception, Reality, and the Eagles.

Back when I was a touring musician out of Nashville, I had a funny experience in which perception wasn’t reality.

Our custom tour bus was parked one morning in a shopping mall.  Needing breakfast, I donned shades, ball cap and joined a fellow musician for the short jaunt across the parking lot to McDonald’s.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a couple making a bee-line for us.

“Please!” she waved, “Can we get your picture in front of your bus?”

We hadn’t showered, were groggy and thus were totally bamboozled why this woman would want a picture of two scraggly  musicians.  Nevertheless, we shrugged and posed arm-over-shoulder as she snapped away.

Thanking us profusely, she jogged off with her husband, giddy with excitement.

“What was that all about?” my friend asked.  I glanced over my shoulder at our tour bus.  Air brushed in large letters across the back side was, “Hotel California.”

I burst out laughing.  “She thinks we’re the Eagles!”  We laughed all the way to the golden arches.

In marketing one’s product, whether it’s a book or an idea, you want the public to “see you” (perception) in a way that makes you larger than life.  After all, you need to stand out from the pack.  Take the story I just shared.  The fact that this poor woman has our picture pasted & labeled in her scrapbook as, “The Eagles: On Tour!” isn’t our fault.  It’s actually hilarious!  Does she point me out as Joe Walsh?  Don Henley?  But I digress.  The point is this: We didn’t lie to her (she never asked us who we were!) nor did we falsely promote ourselves.  She merely perceived us to be someone else based upon our image (i.e., tour bus, logo, etc.)

So as you begin the process of selling and promoting, don’t worry if people misunderstand or perceive you as someone you’re not.

It may be the very thing that will help you succeed.  Who knows, maybe you too will be an Eagle!

 

 

Book Store Grand Opening

Quick plug for an Indy bookstore, Back to Books, opening tomorrow in Colorado.

Oh, and did I mention Tears of Min Brock is on its shelves?  And did I mention the owner is giving a bonus to the author who sells the first book?  And did I ask you to help spread the word?  Okay, yes, and “THANKS!”