on Just Publishing Advice: Should you add a comma before and in a list of three or more items? Yes, because it eliminates confusion in a sentence. The comma before the word and in a list of three or more things is the Oxford comma. It’s also called the Serial comma. Writers use it to […]

The Comma Before And In A List Avoids Misunderstandings – by Derek Haines… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

This is a guest post by Bella Williams. As an Assignment Expert, Bella delivers online sessions at Expert Assignment Help, helping students with writing essays and assignments. She is the co-founder and education consultant at Top My Grades. Beyond work, you can find her baking a fresh batch of cookies in her kitchen. 7 Easy […]

7 Easy Tips to Craft the Perfect Story — Nicholas C. Rossis

From Amazon: Babblin Brooks is a story of a man who overcame several tough barriers in his personal and professional life to become successful. Despite making history and knocking down the Heavyweight boxing champ of the world, he got knocked down by life, but kept getting up. I hope you enjoy reading about the Rollercoaster life of former Television Newscaster Ron “Bab-blin” Brooks. He wound up being a Broadcaster, Deputy Sheriff, Corrections Officer, and Preacher before retiring.

My Review: What a wonderful short story memoir with a complete Christian feel to it throughout. Amazing what life can throw at a person and how things can be overcome with work and faith. The people who come in and out of our lives enrich us in many ways, and I am impressed with Brooks’ challenge to men.

Please welcome Kirsten Welsh to my blog. Hello Kirsten! Welcome to my blog. Shal we have a chat about your first book, Phantom Dog Show?

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Hello, this is Kirsten, I’m 16 years old. I enjoy writing, playing the violin, music, dance, art, cooking, reading, learning and much more. I love dogs, wolves, and animals. I am fond of adventures and mysteries and find them both to be very exciting.

• Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

Writing I haven’t always been interested in, however, I have had an enjoyment with storytelling, though in seventh grade, I think, it was when I got interested in writing. I wanted to start writing this book after seeing the play The Phantom of the Opera, which I enjoyed, with its super cool special effects.

• How difficult was it writing your first book?

I don’t think it was difficult, I do know though that it was fun.

• Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

No, I just took it nice and easy, taking breaks here and there.

• Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

God and my best friend Jesus, for God gives each one of us special gifts and talents and He encourages us to use what He’s given us, for not just ourselves, but for others and for Him. And my mom and sister have helped me during writing and through getting my book published, and my friends for also helping me with ideas, and Mary Schmidt for helping me greatly with getting my book published.

• Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

That God loves you greatly, He’s very fond of you, and no matter how many times you mess up or what you mess up with, He loves you, and He wants to be your friend.

• What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

I’ll have to say that all the people I have met, all the people I know, or have seen and heard all have had an effect on who I am, and what I have experienced also makes me who I am, for God places you and people in certain places and at certain times so that we can all learn something. And this is also how we’re all special, because we all have a different story, we all have different experiences.

• What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

When I wrote this book, I didn’t really think about who would be reading this. This book I think can be read by people through the ages of 8-13, however I think this book can be for everyone.

• Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

I came up with the pictures by myself after looking up different breeds of dogs and the way they look.

1. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

Awesome ideas, here are just a few little peeks at my ideas:

            Theater Holiday

            Sickness of Fear

            The Prince and the Phantom

            Superheroes and Supervillians

What do these words mean?  Find out in the books where these ideas are connected to.

1. Any last words before we wrap things up?

God loves you, and all that truly matters is having a relationship/friendship with Jesus.

I’m a 16-year-old writer and illustrator from the USA, and this is my first published book. I enjoy
mysteries and adventures. I love learning about who Jesus is, and the love that He has for me, and even if I doubt His love, it always feels great when He reminds me that He loves me, even when I mess up and do wrong. I enjoy writing, playing the violin, music, dance, art, cooking, weather, reading, and more. I love dogs, wolves and animals.

on Anne R. Allen: If you Google author bios you will find a million different articles, each with their own recommendation. Be short and too the point. Use the third person. Simply say who you are, and give your publishing credits. Be formulaic. A lot of this advice is good, but I also think it […]

The Six Online Bios Every Author Needs – by Nate Hoffelder… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

In my last post, I explored some ways in which a new language is born. This post examines one of the best-known historical examples (at least for anyone in the West): the way that Latin became modern Italian. As Luca Guala explains on Quora, the road taken was neither simple nor straightforward. High Latin vs. […]

How Latin Became Modern Italian — Nicholas C. Rossis

#HowNotToWinFriendsOrInfluencePeople Help Humanity!

(*If you offend easily, STOP reading!)

Reading about a CEO helping out the nurses of a hospital by emptying trash and running a vacuum as being helpful is wrong. That is NOT helping and thus it is wrong. Especially when it is wrong!

How to Help Nursing Staff:

Volunteer to don PPE and sit with a patient, (not on work time nor being paid for this at all), for two hours. That will give the staff a true break, allowing them to catch a breath, eat, and help other patients.

I encourage all employees of ANY hospital to volunteer their time, when possible, to help the nursing staff and to help humanity. ESPECIALLY HUMANITY!!

#covid19longhauler #Covid19survivor #COVID19 #helpnursingstaff #onceanursealwaysanurse #onceateacheralwaysateacher

on CMOS Shop Talk: When you write a book to send to an agent or editor, you are preparing a manuscript. And even if your ideas, characters, and plot twists are colorful and creative, your manuscript format should not be. Agents and editors almost always require submitted pages to be in a standard format free […]

How to Format a Novel for Submission – by Carol Saller… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

From Amazon and book Link here!

A very stubborn, bored, and uninspired cow is steadfast in her determination not to try something new. She is amusingly invited to join one animal after the next in an adventure with them, but sticks to her old habits. It is not until a chicken encourages her to jump over the moon that she decides to change her ways.

All in rhyme, and all with a smile, this story is one to delight every child, and subtly spark the spirit of adventure within them. It emphasizes the importance of trying something new — being adventurous and in the most whimsical way.

Charmingly illustrated in bright and happy colors.

This children’s picture book is part of the wonderful collection of children’s books by Sally Huss.

My Review:

Huss has done it again. A wonderful children’s rhyming picture book that gives out a message to all kids, that if they put their mind to it, they can do things they thought they couldn’t. Five stars.

This is a guest post by Nisar Ahmad, a digital marketing expert for Media Hicon. As you know, I put most of the blame for the current condition of the publishing world on traditional publishers, whose policies Amazon has cleverly used to its advantage. Nisar instead makes the case for the view that several Amazon […]

How Amazon Plans to Conquer the World of Publishing — Nicholas C. Rossis