Being an author is not easy... Rant

Rant on: Writing a book is the easy part, marketing your work is the hardest bit... Made harder by mindless morons who openly critique, generalise and on the whole, degrade any work by trying to hide behind their social media profiles!

Having just written and published the fourth Melvin The Hairy Frog story, I mistakenly posted something on a couple of Facebook groups that are full of these small minded little people, brave in insulting my efforts being safely tucked behind their keyboards.

However, the lesson has been learnt... Don't post anything to instigate these morons, after all, that's what makes them happy, makes them replicate their cowardly behaviour. Like the Borg in Star Trek, they aren't able to think for themselves and work together... Safety in numbers, though they remain cowardly.

So what was the issue? The use of AI to produce the drawings.

I had written Melvin The Hairy Frog many years ago but delayed bringing it to market because my illustrations were not matching the story line.

Once I used AI to produce the illustrations how I liked them, I was happy and readers were happy. 

Well suddenly, I am the devil incarnate according to these US based group of illustrators... Wow, talk about fanatics!! They can't be that confident about their abilities if they puke up this sort of thing aimed at potential collaborators. 

These Trolls hide in Children's Book Author groups! They aren't authors, so if anything, why are they lurking?

Anyway, free speech and all that is fine but do not hurl abuse at people you don't know!

Anyway, rant done. No, there's still a little more:

AI still produces damn good illustrations and I will continue to use AI for my illustrations. I certainly couldn't work with these horrible trolls on anything!!

Here's something AI produced earlier.. 

Cold, rainy days and dark evenings are back

The summer seems to be over, at least it feels this way in the UK.
The warmth of the day is less obvious as the temperature seems to have plummeted by a few degrees.
The evenings have drawn in as we now contend with the questions 'do we turn the heating on'?
Well with every cloud, there's a silver lining... I will now be more determined to finish the book I am writing.
What is it!?
Well it's the third part to the Mental Dental (MBP) series.
Yes, more thrilling adventures for Dr Jessie Stack as she faces the dangers of wrestling with psychopathic killer dentists.

So I hopefully will be able to complete the task I have set ahead and will publish in the coming months.
In the meantime, the summer may not be a distraction anymore but I have paid work, family and especially my gorgeous grandchildren to keep me from pen and paper.

Onwards and upwards

My creations

They may not be perfect but they are mine.
They have been written with the intent to make the reader think, drift away, engage with the plot and characters.
They are being read and this is what matters.
They are being enjoyed and this is important too.
Most of all,  they exist!

Having the guts to write down your ideas, the strength of conviction to follow your project through from inception to delivery.. Bravery to dare.

If you have a book in you,  write it.

The critics only encourage and the plaudits help to expand our efforts.

Being Author

Write, inspire, keep going....

What's your poison?

I'm a nurse and fledgling Author.
Having published a range of books,  all in English and one also in Spanish. I am pleased to offer a range of novels to entice many a palate.
They are works of fiction as my none fiction writing is reserved for work...  I have never published a technical book but have published research and articles in my specialist field.
My first ever published article was in the 1990 's and it was a piece on environmental psychology.
It was based on the patient's experience influenced by environmental factors affecting patient stress in an accident and emergency department.
It inspired me on...

I write because I relish and love to tell a good story. The best medium to tell them to a wider audience is through a book.

These books range from Legally Lucky that has been likened to in pursuit of happiness, ghostly short stories with the Phantasms series,  a comedic recollection of a disastrous vacation with Hilarity in the Hills. Mental Dental (Murder by Proxy) and Phobic Wars are based on 2 of my dislikes... Cockroaches and dentists.

Having written these,  I am so proud of them.  Yes they aren't perfect and there may be some editing irregularities but they are readable and more importantly, they capture the imagination and make the reader turn the page.
I don't actively promote them, despite some publishers constant attempts at enticing me with Paid For promotional packages.

I want people to read them,  share their thoughts about the stories, tell others about them and create some noise.
Getting the stories to wet the appetite for more.

So if you want something different, something entertaining, something that will take you to a place outside of yourself for a while... Then click on the link below. Especially as some are on special offer on Amazon Kindle UK and Amazon.com. 

Enjoy

Self publishing with creative minds

Having a creative mind is liberating and fresh however it can be a bit of a bind too.
I try to remain present and engaged with the otherwise mundane, whilst constantly thinking about doing the same differently and better.
I work in the health sector and I am always striving to make a difference, to administer quality to those under our supervision and care in the best possible way.
The same goes for my writing.
I am forever thinking of new stories and inspired to write "differently"
Yes the books may have a few editing issues in them and they may never make a "classics" list but that isn't why I write.
I write to enjoy the moments of creativity, constructing these thoughts, to share my ideas which are firing in my synapses and put them down on a shareable format and words are the tool.
Being able to publish these to the world is a big plus in this day and age without the rigmarole of publishing contracts.
One can quietly develop a story and be able to make it available for public consumption and enjoyment without the stressors that formalised contractual agreements can have.
The converse of this is that there are millions of books out there so how does one make it to a readable list without promoting it with book signings and support of the publishing giants infrastructure?
Well this is hard work, in relative terms.
My hope remains that the books are read and word of mouth / electronic shares / recommendations and reviews make these books I have created, a must read.
Having published eight books now, one remains hopeful that the creativity will continue and more will follow. The portfolio increases and the stories are being read and enjoyed.
So hats off to all of you in the same boat... keep writing, enjoy what you do and continue to inspire new books.

Eight books

Following the publication of my latest novel,  it takes my tally to eight!

Who'd have thought that a few years ago?
I published Legally Lucky, anxious about making the decision and with lots of stories to tell, I made the leap of faith.

True,  they will probably never make the classics list but they are entertaining and fun.
All available on kindle and paperback.
One in Spanish.
A trilogy. 
All with potential best selling qualities...

Now there are eight ....
Legally Lucky
Phobic Wars
Mental Dental (Murder by Proxy)
Phantasms in the Infirmary
Phantasms in the Infirmary Vol II
The Ultimate Phantasms in the Infirmary
Fantasmas en el Hospital
Hilarity in the Hills

So why write?
Simply because I enjoy the construction,  development and publishing of the stories to share with others.

Knowing that others find them enjoyable is good enough for me. It's not about the money, not a lot to be made up to now!

My aspiration is that one day I'd like to do this full time.

For those of you thinking of publishing,  my advice : go for it.

He who dares wins

New Book - Hilarity in the Hills

Ladies and gents, I am glad to share with you that my new book will be out on Createspace and Kindle in the next couple of days.
It is called "Hilarity in the Hills" and it is a comedic recount of a hoiday we had a few years ago.
It is a light hearted tale that is based on an actual holiday that we as a family did experience some years ago.

The inspiration, need to recount and write this is simply because this probably may have been the most disastrous holiday our family ever had but on reflection, it turned out to be one of the most humorous and fun vacations ever.

It is a bit of “National Lampoons” meets a nightmare review on “Trip Advisor” as the holiday progresses and the experiences become more surreal and comical.

Why?

Well simply because no travel agency or website would advertise this on their brochures... 

To find out more, you will just have to read it and enjoy the capers and incidents that ensue.

So get downloading it and reading a copy, available extremely soon - You may learn something to help you avoid similar situations.

The Ultimate Phantasms in the Infirmary

THE ULTIMATE PHANTASMS IN THE INFIRMARY
ISBN-13: 978-1518652295 (CreateSpace-Assigned) 
ISBN-10: 1518652298 
BISAC: Fiction / Ghost

As planned, "The Ultimate Phantasms in the Infirmary" is about to be published and available on Kindle and Paperback (CreateSpace).
Phantasms Galore will be available in time for All hallows Eve - Halloween.

The paperback has a nice matt finish and the black and white theme really suits it...

This is an amalgamation of both Vol I and Vol II resulting in "one hell of a book of ghost stories"
I am really pleased with it and so will you.

It is not just another book, it is several different theories put into practice too.
The stories have been developed from tales shared in many hospitals by many health care workers.
They have been spiced up for the delectation of the reader - You!
Two authors have contributed to it plus the Facebook page has produced an extra story that is included within it.
The third difference is that reader contributions have been added.

A Special Thanks goes to Pete Woolgar (Sussex,UK).
Pete was instrumental in adding in the seeds of the extra story and the results... Genius!

What happens now?
Well, I am just awaiting the review process to be completed, then after this, it will be available.
Next, get the book read and make it a top read around the world... Nothing wrong in dreaming big!

Be patient my friends, it is coming soon....

Writing books - Challenging

Writing books is an ongoing hobby for me.
The story teller within me has loads to impart.
Ideas flow and I try to capture these thought bubbles into words.
The next step is to arrange the random plethora of words and ideas into a rational and flowing stream.
Once this is done, review the flow and see if it makes sense, is it engaging? Is the story working as well as it did in my head?
Next steps are getting the editing done, the cover work, the publishing and all the rest of the stuff that goes with it.
In-between all this, there are several interruptions to the work flow... the phone, work, life!!!

My aim is to one day write a book in a few days. Something contemporary in a genre that will lead to more sales but more importantly, more readers getting familiar with my work.
I think I have written 4 pieces that are contemporary and innovative. Four books that will challenge the readers imagination and novels that will stand out.

Having written and published 4 books (Legally Lucky, Mental Dental, Phobic Wars and Phantasms in the Infirmary .. all available on Amazon by the way..) the challenge remains marketing them.
As a self published author, the demands on my time are many.

I cannot seem to spare the time to go on book signings, tours and more time on social media promoting them!

Here is the link to them.... RPG Books
I hoped that the books would be discovered and enjoyed by many more people than what the results are.
Disappointing as it can be, its a labour of love and not a business.
I remain resolute that they will be seen, read, enjoyed and shared among many people.
One aspires to getting a book into film... and from these, there are possibilities that could one day become film... especially Mental Dental (Murder by Proxy). This was an exhilarating ride to write it and a blooming good read
In the meantime, I continue to writ more stories, have more ideas and even more interruptions!!!
Such is life eh!

Enjoy your day and if you need a break from the mundane or a challenge to your day, download a copy of one of my novels and read on.

When you do, please share your reviews and thanks in anticipation.

All the best
Ram

Increased readership

It's fabulous to see that the books are being downloaded and read.  It's inspired.
Working hard in the day job is keeping me from focusing on the books I'm trying to complete.
The drive is to write the most perfect book I can and I'm getting there I'm pleased to say.
One of them has taken me a couple of years but I'm seeing the complete work to be ready in a couple of months.
It's a thrilling twisting read....
I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer.
In the meantime there is  a collection of books available already under the RPG Books brand!

When you read and enjoy the tales,  please leave your review.

All the best
Ram

Quality or quantity

As a self published author, iit's vital to be able to attain essential information on how the fruits of one's pen are doing.
Distribution of the books and Reviews are important.
Distribution will mean increased readership and reviews will allow potential readers to engage with ones portfolio of novels.
However,  are readers clicking on the reviews or making an assumption on just numbers?
Quality or quantity?

What are your thoughts on this?

Writing Horror fiction

As a wacky experiment, it would be really cool if we could all write a short story to feature in Phantasms in the infirmary Vol II?
The theme is Hospital Horror.
I'd like to start this off and then add in as and when, but if the result works, could we include it in as a short story written on a Blog?
Has this ever been done before?
It certainly is Blue sky thinking / innovation so here goes...

'Another day, another dollar' was the greeting from Tom at reception as Julie walked briskly in for yet another shift on the Orthopaedic ward.
She smiled as she rushed past, eager to get into the ward in time for the handover from the evening shift.  
The prospect of her fourth night shift with a grueling twelve hours ahead of her was making her feel quite resistant but she had a job to do.
The preceding three nights had been so busy and these had been punctuated by very little sleep as her youngest daughter, Natalie, had not been well and was off school. Her nursing role had blended in with Motherhood somehow. She felt like she had been on call for 24 hours, with every effort zapping more of her precious energy out of her.

Although she had been on this ward before, the last three shifts had certainly made a big impact on her confidence, she had mastered new procedures and as the nurse in charge, was enjoying the responsibility. Everything had run smoothly and to plan.
Well almost everything...

I would now like to open the floor to you to add a paragraph or two to this multi-layered / multi-authored story..

Shall we set a deadline for a month and see what happens?
Its a bit of fun and the chance to have part of your invaluable contribution published with the rest of the book of short stories.

Powerful publishing

Mental Dental (MBP)
Read it!
Why?

Simply because you have never read anything like this, ever.

It's a blend of murder, mystery, good and evil. Intrigue and fear, twists and turns galore.
People are dying and innocent people are being blamed.

One person dies and another destroyed.. Two for the price of one.
The recognition of a pattern is overlooked by law enforcement agencies until one of the accused stumbles on the truth.
Join Dr Jessie Stack in her quest for truth.  Her life and those of others depend on it.

This stylish killer thriller is a must read... Link

Find it on Amazon Kindle, paperback or on the Lulu.Com website.... You will be thankful for the recommendation.
😉

Publishing

I read an article about publishing today...
Great quote to paraphrase :

The daily business of publishing hasn’t changed: It is about discovering talented new writers and introducing them to readers.

Self published author... It's not easy

Writing books is easy in comparison to all the promotion and marketing of the end product.
It doesn't matter how good the writing is or the stories if no one is aware they are there for the taking.
Blog, Google +, #twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn groups, websites etc.  It's a big ask.
Especially when you also have a day job...!
The efforts are tremendous,  the returns are meager in comparison.  However one is like a dog with a bone,  I won't let go.
I know the novels are good,  they will succeed and be good sellers. 
Blood, sweat and coffee!!!
All that is left to do is persevere...  Wish me luck 😎

Createspace submission

Phantasms in the Infirmary
Edits,  graphics and all avoidable issues addressed.
The book completed,  files including cover submitted. IBM obtained.
Pricing structure and distribution..  Checked

Files are now under review and this means that the book is soon to be published in both paperback edition and Kindle edition.

The process takes a little time but it should all be ready for reading just before Halloween..  Deadline achieved!

My co-author,  Julie,  My wife, has worked hard to accommodate the deadline.

My one worry,  will it link directly to my existing author page?

Now we wait with a view to updates on this blog...

Exciting.....

Phantasms in the Infirmary preview

The preview of the new book has been very constructive.
There have been very honest and positive feedback.
172 views
14 comments... 12 are ☀☀☀☀☀
& 2 are ☀☀☀☀.
Great help in who and how to target the book at.
Sources have come from Facebook, Twitter, blog, Google+ &  LinkedIn.

I've acted on the feedback and the book is ready.

Just awaiting final tweaks and it should be available next week!!!

Exciting

Pre-Launch Research for Phantasms in the Infirmary

Dear all
Your help is greatly appreciated.

As you are aware, I am just about to publish book 4.

Phantasms in the Infirmary.
It will soon be published so in the meantime as part of the pre-launch research, please complete the following few questions..See link

Pre-Launch

Your help would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Ram