Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Thursday, February 13, 2014
My First Single!!
About a year ago, when I was surfing YouTube I stumbled upon a song, “If We Fall” by SHE SAID SAVE ME, and instantly fell in love with both the lyrics and the male vocal. I put the song on my writing playlist and looked up the Toronto-based band on Facebook… and liked their page. A while later, I received a PM from Joe Vercillo, saying that if my books were ever adapted for film or TV I should feel free to use his music. I had no idea who he was, but looked him up. Imagine my fan girl sqee moment when I discovered that he was the lead vocalist for SHE SAID SAVE ME! We have been Facebook friends ever since.
The Portal Chronicles starts off with a serendipitous meeting in a London pub, which propels the lives of the characters into a time warp of what-ifs. During the prologue, which is the key to the story, Rupert is humming a song in that London pub where Olivia and he seal their fate. I always wondered what he was singing. Until late one night, when I closed my eyes and “heard” it. I wrote the lyrics and SHE SAID SAVE ME put it to music. What better day than Valentine’s Day to release this song that defines the romance that is PORTAL?
Enjoy!!
Download Link: https://soundcloud.com/imogen-rose-6/portal/s-z348x
iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/portal-soundtrack-single/id819625242
SHE SAID SAVE ME
Joe Vercillo - vocals, guitar
Randy Lee - violin
Mike Olsen - cello
Ryan Granville-Martin - producer, engineer, arranger
Mastered by Nick Rawson
Cover art by Najla Qamber
Lyrics by Imogen Rose
GIVEAWAY
LYRICS
Tonight you wished upon our star
I had this feeling
Releasing dreams into the dark
Starlight revealing
A shooting star of promises
No delusions
Fades into the lights below
A spark of illusion
It’s fantasy, unwritten destiny
A portal to a secret wish
Is this real, or is this just a midsummer night dream’s what-if
Is this a dream of you and me
Is this a dream of you and me
Is this a dream of you and me
What if you’re not real, just hallucination?
An imaginary fixation
What if we escape to a new dimension?
Through a time warp in a broken constellation
It’s fantasy, unwritten destiny
A portal to a secret wish
Is this real, or is this just a midsummer night dream’s what-if
Is this a dream of you and me
Is this a dream of you and me
Is this a dream of you and me
LINKS
Imogen Rose Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImogenRosePage
Website: http://www.imogenrose.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ImogenRoseTweet
Instagram: ImogenRoseGram
SHE SAID SAVE ME Links:
Website: www.shesaidsaveme.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shesaidsaveme
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shesaidsaaveme
YouTube: www.youtube.com/shesaidsaveme
PORTAL BOOK LINKS:
Kindle: http://amzn.to/YQ8H16
iTunes: http://bit.ly/VLA0qL
KOBO: http://bit.ly/1l50C0U
NOOK: http://bit.ly/1e8ZR0p
Paperback: http://amzn.to/1lFNXoP
German, French, Japanese, Spanish language editions: links on Imogen Rose’s website
Audiobook Sample: https://soundcloud.com/imogen-rose-6/portal-prologue-mp3
RELEASE PARTY BLOGS
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Interview: Harvey Chute
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Harvey Chute.
Harvey is the founder of the web's largest independent Kindle user forum,
KBoards.com, which is popular with both readers and authors. It is, in
fact, a
forum that has been a library, a directory, a brainstorming oasis, and
sanctuary for me as I embarked and continue on my journey as an author and
publisher. But we are not here to talk about this invaluable resource that
Harvey has created. Today, we celebrate yet another achievement in Harvey's
illustrious career as he publishes his first work of fiction–Stone and Silt, a young adult historical mystery.
Harvey, I am thrilled to
have this opportunity to interview you. First of all, can you tell us what
inspired you to write a novel? Is this something you have always wanted to do?
Were you influenced by the KB forum?
Thank you so much for having me! It’s an honor for me as a
new author to talk with someone like you, who has written such an extraordinary
collection of successful books.
I have always loved writing and, in fact, drafted the first
scene of Stone and Silt over twenty years
ago. It’s where Nikaia’s native Indian mother gives her a lesson in
perseverance over adversity. Over the years, I would occasionally pull out that
chapter and revise it in longhand – just doing it for the pleasure of writing.
Then, last year, I decided to get serious about writing a
full-length historical novel. It was a long-held dream for me, and I was
definitely motivated by the authors who participate in the KBoards forum. I was
also inspired by my three daughters, all of whom read passionately. I wanted to
write a story they could identify with. My younger (twin) daughters are the
same age as the book’s lead character, Nikaia.
Pitch your novel to the average high school Twilight and Hunger Games fan in less than 30 words.
A half-native girl in the 1860s accidentally causes her
father to be suspected of murder. With the help of a neighbor boy, she races to
find the killer.
Which contemporary books
would you liken Stone and Silt to? If you loved x, you will enjoy Stone and
Silt.
One of my beta readers said that Stone and Silt was a mixture of Agatha Christie and Laura Ingalls
Wilder. That’s a huge compliment.
If you like cozy mysteries like Sue Grafton’s “Alphabet
Mysteries” and historical fiction like P.B. Ryan’s “Nell Sweeney” series,
you’ll likely enjoy Stone and Silt.
And the novel has a coming-of-age element to it that should appeal to readers
of YA.
This book is written from
the POV of a sixteen-year-old girl. How did you tap into her mindset?
It helped me to think of the girls and women I’ve been close
to: my wife, my mother, my sisters, and my daughters. Each of them in their own
way has deep character and strong will, and I tried to picture Nikaia’s
thoughts and decisions through their eyes. Nikaia’s voice – as well as her
compassion and determination - was influenced by the impressions left on me by
the strong females in my life.
I was also helped immensely by my content editor, Michelle. She
helped breathe life into Nikaia’s character and kept me from straying from her
point of view. Because of that, the novel reads as though you’re witnessing the
story from right behind Nikaia’s shoulder.
Your book starts of with a
scene that would be categorized as bullying now. Do you feel that the
anti-bullying measures schools have now put in place helps curb those scenes
from taking place?
Yes, I do. With two daughters in high school, I appreciate
the efforts that schools and communities are
The writer part of the KB forum is very
indie-author oriented. However, you chose to publish through an independent
publisher rather than self publishing. Many KB authors would question the
wisdom of that decision. Can you tell us
what factored into you making that choice?
The indie publishing revolution is an amazing transformation
for writers. It’s exciting to see the journey of the many authors who pursue
that route.
With this being my first novel, there were certain things I
felt were important. I wanted to have my story professionally edited, proofed,
and formatted. I wanted an expertly-designed cover, and some assistance in
publicizing the book.
I could have paid for those services, but thought I’d try
submitting my manuscript to publishers first. Thankfully, it was accepted by a good
publisher, and as a result those services are provided for me.
The indie-vs-publisher decision comes down to personal
choices about things like money, control, and marketing. In working with a
small publisher, I feel very involved in the production of my book, and it
feels like it has been the best of both worlds for me.
Did you consider submitting
your novel to the big six? Or to Amazon?
No, from the start I wanted to go with Red Adept Publishing,
based on what I’d heard from other authors about them. If they had not accepted
my manuscript, I probably would have shopped it around to other publishing
houses.
Does being the founder of
KB open up any doors for you that are perhaps closed to other new authors? If
so, have you taken advantage of any special opportunities?
KBoards has been a wonderful experience for me, and my
involvement in it did lead to my being approached by Wiley Inc. to help write
their series of Kindle For Dummies
books. My experience as co-author for five Dummies books was a great
introduction to all the effort that goes into a published book.
For Stone and Silt, I’ve felt a high level of interest from
KBoards members. They are generous with their support and encouragement for the
book. That being said, we have well-established rules in the forum about book
promotion--and unfortunately I’m not exempt from that! So for the most part I’m
on even ground with the other authors on KBoards.
The biggest challenge for
an author is marketing. It is one of the main reasons to aspire to be signed by
one of the big six or by Amazon. Neither indie authors nor publishers have
access to the same marketing power. Do you have a marketing plan in place or is
this something you leave for your publishers to put in place?
I’ve also been asked to speak about the book at high
schools, libraries, and museums, particularly in British Columbia where the
story is based. It takes work to market the book, but I’m thoroughly enjoying
that part of the book-writing experience.
What will Harvey do next?
I’m outlining a follow-up novel that involves many of the
same characters in Stone and Silt. It’ll be another stand-alone mystery taking
place in the pioneer days of British Columbia. After that, I want to write a
contemporary mystery. And of course, I’ll be keeping up with the growth and
activity of KBoards.
Thank you very much for talking with me today.
Check out Harvey's new book!
Harvey’s page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/harvey-chute/
Harvey’s blog: http://harveychute.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Now on Tour: Die Portal-Chroniken - Portal
Die Tour: 10. September 2012 - 10. Oktober 2012
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STOPS: 45
Montag - 10.09.2012
Books more than passion
Schmoeker-Welt
Dienstag - 11.09.2012
Bookaholics For Life
Alicia’s Wonder world of books
Mittwoch - 12.09.2012
Schlüsselreiz
Freitag - 14.09.2012
Miss. PQ
Sonnabend - 15.09.2012
Lesegluck
Cinema in my Head
Sonntag - 16.09.2012
Mandy’s Bücher- & Hbbyecke
Montag - 17.09.2012
Crazy-Julia
Dienstag - 18.09.2012
Steffis Bücherblog
Hanna’s Lovelybooks
Mittwoch - 19.09.2012
Schnuffelchens Bücher und Co
Angel’s Books
Donnerstag - 20.09.2012
Filos Bücheruniversum
MeyLus Buchgeflüster
Freitag - 21.09.2012
Bines Bücherparadies
Lesen und Mehr
Sonnabend - 22.09.2012
FANTASTICBOOKS
Montag - 24.09.2012
Monis Buchblog
Dienstag - 25.09.2012
L Wielesen
Stories. Dreams. Books. by Cityrella
Mittwoch - 26.09.2012
Memories
MoiMee
Donnerstag - 27.09.2012
Bella’s Wonderworld
Partir avec un livre
Freitag - 28.09.2012
The emotional life of books
Sonnabend - 29.09.2012
Nici’s Books
Angel s Blog
Sonntag - 30.09.2012
HEARTBOOKS
Buchmonster
Montag - 1.10.2012
Katrinheartsbooks
TVSC’s kleine Welt
Dienstag - 2.10.2012
Magische Welten
Mittwoch - 3.10.2012
Angels Bücherecke
Books’ Dream
Donnerstag - 4.10.2012
Book-Challenges
Freitag - 5.10.2012
Tintenhain
Xallaya
Sonntag - 7.10.2012
Let’s Talk About All + Nothing…
MERLINUNDPAULAS BüCHERWELT
Montag - 8.10.2012
Flyingwords
Dienstag -9.10.2012
Deborahs Bücherhimmel
KaDis kleine Bücherwelt
Mittwoch - 10.10.2012
Melanie Stoll // Volturi Blog
TOUR GIVEAWAY
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Getting the Most from Beta Readers (Guest Post by BigAl)
What is the biggest difference between a book produced by an Indie author and one produced via traditional publishing?
As a reader, I think the answer should be, “no difference.” At least not a difference I’d detect from reading the book unless it is something I’d perceive as a positive, like being in a favorite genre underserved by traditional publishing.
An author would probably define the biggest difference as having to deal with everything that comes after writing the book through a combination of doing it himself or herself, hiring professionals, and recruiting volunteers to help. These steps include cover design, marketing, and several editing and proofing steps. Many authors, especially Indies, use beta readers as part of this process.
Defining what a beta reader does is problematic, because different authors use them in different ways and at different places in the process. A definition that fits most is that a beta reader is someone, typically an unpaid volunteer, who agrees to read a book at some point during the process of editing and polishing, and give the author feedback from the perspective of a reader. This feedback can be high level (“I hate the protagonist” or “I didn’t believe the premise of the story”), low level (“you’ve got a typo here” or “I don’t understand what you’re saying in this sentence”) or somewhere in between (this scene didn’t work for me or I felt like there was something missing in this part of the story). Ideally, an author will have multiple betas so that they’ll receive feedback from readers with different tastes and skills. In his Seven Tips for Writers, K.D. Rush mentions several areas where his beta readers have helped him.
I’ve been a beta reader for several authors who each use their beta reader teams in different ways. Imogen Rose, the author of two successful indie-published young adult paranormal series, has built a process that’s the best I’ve seen. The process begins with steps that are close to what you might see from a traditional publisher. Content editing (by a former editor for a New York publishing house), followed by copy-editing and multiple proofreads (also done by hired professionals). Last, a team of beta readers review the book and it receives a final round of proofreads. Rose says, “Putting my books through an intense scrutiny like that makes me feel confident that I am putting out a product I can be proud of.”
With the exception of the numerous rounds of proofreading, this process might sound like what many of you do. However, Rose adds two significant improvements to this basic template. The first is that her process is iterative. When a change is made later in the process, it goes back to the people who performed earlier roles for review. The skills and points of view of those with different roles (beta reader, author, and editor) mean that each are focused on different things. The iterative process insures that any changes seem correct based on each person’s focus.
The other difference is that, rather than working in isolation, Rose sets up a private Facebook group with herself, editors, proofreaders, beta readers, and others as members. This group serves several purposes. First, status updates on the process keep everyone informed and builds anticipation among the rest of the team. Second, by interacting with others involved rather than working in isolation, it gives everyone a sense of being part of a team, with all the positives of that. (If you don’t know what those positives are, thousands of business management books explain them in excruciating detail.) Last, and possibly most important, it gives a vehicle to discuss things someone isn’t sure about. If one of the beta readers feels a particular scene doesn’t work, but the author isn’t sure whether to change it or if the change she’s considering will do the trick, she’ll throw it out to the group for input. If a beta reader is unsure about a particular section, but can’t decide if it is “just her” or she is having difficulty articulating her concerns, she can ask the group what they think. Often someone else will respond, “I wondered about that too, but didn’t mention it.” Then everyone can discuss the section and together determine why it wasn’t working for them. Allirea Brumley, one of Rose’s long-time beta readers, feels this helps make “a better book, and makes the process a whole lot more fun … Imogen has this talent to make her team feel special. I think that makes the team want to do great work for her.”
Traditional publishers have to use a process that is clearly defined, generic, and that will work with multiple books in the pipeline at once. Indie authors can gain a competitive advantage by building and improving on the basic process. Innovative uses of beta readers are one of those improvements.
A version of this article first appeared on Indies Unlimited on 9/05/12. It is used here with the permission of the author, BigAl.
About BigAl
BigAl (who insists he only has one name, like Cher and Madonna) spends his days writing computer programs that are full of typos, homonym errors, and incorrect verb usage. During his evenings, he writes reviews of indie books for BigAl’s Books and Pals and has recently taken over The IndieView, a website founded by indie author Simon Royle as a resource for indie authors, indie reviewers, and those who read either.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Die Portal-Chroniken GOODREADS Giveaway
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Die Portal-Chroniken — Portal
by Imogen Rose
Giveaway ends October 04, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
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