Tag: Guest Post Page 5 of 8

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had one of these to share, but long-time readers know that I love a good infographic. The friendly people over at Siege Media dropped by the other day with a post and an infographic for me to share with you that’s timely for me as Mrs. Reader and I are settling into our new digs and taking on a few home improvement/maintenance projects. Check out the nice intro they provided and then follow the links to their longer piece and the full infographic (I’ve provided a snippet of it below).

How many books can you say really changed your life? A handful, maybe? While mysteries and science fiction novels may be a great way to pass the time, they are likely only a few on your bookshelves you’ll return to time and time again.

One genre you can’t really say that about is non-fiction hobby books. Books that break down a complicated topic for you and help you master it, including categories like home improvement projects and organization hacks. And if you are a homeowner, or you’re a renter who doesn’t like your landlord, you may be looking to learn how to fix your home yourself.

The following books are catered to those looking to get into new hobbies at home, to pass the time, or improve their day-to-day lives. You can learn how to garden, become a plant parent, organize your stuffed pantry or decorate your messy bedroom all while getting to participate in your favorite hobby: reading. What can be better than that?

Check out the infographic on best books for the home from the team at Hippo below.

Once again, the link to the full graphic.

GUEST POST: Making Peace With My Face by Samuel Moore-Sobel

By HCNewton

On July 24, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

Earlier in the week, I threw a spotlight on Can You See My Scars by Samuel Moore-Sobel, and now Moore-Sobel is stopping by with this guest post. Give it a read and then go check out his book.

Making Peace With My Face

I used to hate my face.

As a teenager, I was in a painful accident involving sulfuric acid. The accident left me with scars on my face and arms. Gone was the smooth skin, replaced by rough, red, seemingly foreign objects covering the part of me most people see first when I come into view. As a result, looking in the mirror became a painful act.

I, like so many others, had something that I wanted to change about my physical appearance. I wanted my face to revert to its previous state. I looked back at old family pictures and longed to resemble the image of my previous self. I didn’t know how to adjust to my new appearance. All I wanted was to don a different face.

I liked the one with which I emerged from my mother’s womb. I liked the way my face grew during my childhood years. Even as a teenager, I enjoyed growing facial hair, only to shave days later, returning my face to its most natural state. During those days, I wanted to share my clean-shaven face with the world.

Motivated by pain and hurt, I spent years attempting to come to peace with my face. Foolishly, I believed some measure of success would drive the feelings of insecurity and inadequacy away for good. Achieving good grades in college, securing a job after graduation. Making a good salary and buying a home. Surely such drastic and positive changes in circumstances would bring me the sense of peace I so greatly desired.

Until such realities did nothing to change what I felt inside. So instead, I turned to relationships, eager to invite a woman into my life in order to have her tell me what I needed to hear. To have someone fall for me, despite my appearance. To love me even though I was unable to offer them a perfect face. I wanted a woman to smooth out the edges of my heart, and inject a sense of attractiveness into my soul.

Whether or not we have endured a traumatic accident, we all do these things, don’t we? There are a myriad of ways to self-medicate, to wish away the pain of the past in order to gain some semblance of peace in the present. So alluring can these forms of distraction be that they carry us away from being able to fully unpack the baggage we inevitably collect as we make our way through life.

Circumstances can so easily rule our existence. Dictating the way we move forward, the decisions we make, the relationships we enter, the life we pursue. Our deep longing and desire to be whole can lead us towards embarking upon life-altering courses. Sometimes, making peace with ourselves is the only way to break free from destructive patterns of thinking and behavior.

For me, it meant I had to make peace with my face. Reframing my experience from one of loss to one of gain. To identify the pieces of myself developed in the wake of trauma, instead of focusing on the many things that evaporated in its wake. To realize I am more than the way I look, or the imperfections of my body, or the scars on my face.

So, while I may never be a male model, I’m not sure that was ever in the cards anyway. And, while my face will never fully be restored to its previous state, I’ve chosen to embrace the marks I carry as indications of survival. To see myself for more than the physical attributes of my being, and instead adopt a more holistic view of my personhood in a world so eager to judge others by how they look.

So to those of you struggling with body image, take heart. Your physicality, even perceived imperfections, help make you unique in a world clamoring for conformity. The scars you carry or the physical characteristics you wish you could change are an inherent part of your humanity. For better or worse, they are a part of you. And the world needs you, all of you.

Even the parts of yourself you wish you could change.

Samuel Moore-Sobel is the author of Can You See My Scars? His book is available for purchase through Mascot Books and on Amazon. To learn more about the author, visit www.samuelmoore-sobel.com

GUEST POST: GenTech in the Workplace: A Fresh Perspective Employing Generations

By HCNewton

On March 25, 2020

In Book Tour, Politics/Current Affairs

GenTech in the Workplace: A Fresh Perspective Employing Generations

by Guest Blogger Dr. Rick Chromey

The Millennial is creative but lazy and entitled. The Gen Xer is hardworking but rude and disloyal. The Boomer is reliable but old and out of touch. It’s a generational cocktail that produces derision and indecision, doubt and depression.

So, let’s say you’re a 35-year old and you lead a diverse team of three different ages. You have a worker who’s 18, another is 56 and yet one more aged 65. Traditionally, you view them as Gen Z, Gen X, and Boomer, but you could also see them from a different perspective.

Recast them through their generational technologies, to bring out the best performance.

Let me show you how.

The 18-year old

The 18-year old was born in 2001. She’s part of the Net (1990-2010) and iTech (2000-2020) generations. She’s been coming of age since 2011 and will reach full adult maturity in 2026. She’s known only a digital, cyberculture. The internet is like electricity. Her first technology was the smartphone and the iPad. She’s been baptized in social media. As a young employee, she is fluid in digital media, embraces diversity and is constantly connected. She doesn’t do email nor Facebook but enjoys Snapchat and Instagram. She wants to be a YouTube entrepreneur. The Gen Zer likes long breaks and often calls in sick.

The 56-year old

The 56-year old was born in 1963. He’s part of the Space (1950-1970) and Gamer (1960-1980) generations. He came of age between 1973 and 1988. His whole life has been like a video game and a rocket ride. He’s seen revolutions and recessions, a man landing on the moon and a teacher dying at takeoff. He remembers Nixon’s resignation, Reagan’s near assassination and Clinton’s impeachment. He grew up on rabbit ears, snowy channels, and black and white television. Consequently, he’s a bit jaded. He’s a realist. He struggles with newer tech. He still prefers old-school letters but has fully embraced email. He got hit hard by the Big Recession and has little saved for retirement. He’s working for every last penny. The Gen Xer has had five jobs in twenty years.

The 65-year old

The 65-year old was born in 1954. She’s part of the Television (1940-1960) and Space (1950-1960) generations. She came of age between 1964 and 1979. She watched JFK’s assassination, the Beatles and Walter Cronkite on television. She had an 8-Track in her car and a stack of records on her bedroom floor. She’s an idealist with a bit of hippie in her. She doesn’t mind the tech but thinks it’s over-rated. She prefers to talk face-to-face. She’s worked for the company for thirty years. She’s Ms. Reliable and she struggles with the team at times.

You – the 35-year old

And then there’s you. You were born in 1984. You’re part of the Cable Television (1970-1990) and Personal Computer-Cell Phone (1980-2000) generations. You came of age between 1994 and 2009. You grew up in a modem, flip phone, desktop culture. You watched the 9-11 terrorist attacks on CNN and suckled on an MTV cribs reality culture. You are computer literate and tech-savvy. You’re confident, verbal and view the world differently than older workers. You don’t mind email but prefer texts.

Your team is a reflection of their “coming of age” technology. One travels life (and work) like a video game while another freely swims in social media. One prefers texts and another wants face-to-face. One is company-loyal and another works to play.

Now you have a good picture of who’s on your team. How will you now delegate workflow? What will change?

The people working for you are the products of their generation’s technology.

We are giving away GenTech for free for one hour on AMAZON

GenTech is having a best-seller party, Thursday, March 26, 2020, 7-8pm EST and the book will be free for 1-hour on Amazon. Join us, and please share!

Want to learn more about GenTech? Go to www.mygentech.us, and we are on Facebook: @authorrichchromey, Twitter: @MyGenTech2020, and Instagram @MyGenTech. You can reach Dr. Rick Chromey at rick@rickchromey.com.

GUEST POST: The Poop Diaries: How a clogged toilet turned into a book by Abby Ross

By HCNewton

On February 6, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

The Poop Diaries

How a clogged toilet turned into a book

I never expected to write a book. Of course, I have always loved to write. When I was a child, I wrote poems, short stories, and filled in the pages of those blank books designed for kids to put their imagination into words. Writing has served me well throughout my career. I worked as a television news reporter for six years where every day I wrote stories. I then transitioned into public relations where I wrote bylines, press releases and pitches. Today, I work in marketing where I write blog posts, client-facing and sales enablement content, and website pages. Writing is and has always been my favorite part of every job. Again, however, I never expected to write a book.

“The Poop Diaries” started as a side project. My toilet clogged on a Wednesday evening. I could not sleep without a working toilet, so I called a plumber – Jon. He showed up within an hour and unclogged the toilet almost immediately (as I embarrassingly cowered outside the bathroom door, like many people do). Jon also suggested I buy a new toilet, which he had in his truck ready to go. An hour later, the new toilet was installed, yet Jon did not seem to want to leave. He was a really nice guy who had that kind of magnetic personality where you hung on his words, curious what he would say next. I asked him to share his “greatest hit” stories, those service calls that he would always remember.

The minute he started sharing them, I began laughing and could not stop. I had no idea plumbers dealt with so much crap! And I do not mean literal crap. I mean the people they meet, things they find, and experiences they encounter. At that moment, I knew I had to write a book about Jon. After interviewing him and writing his diaries, I knew I had landed on something unique. So, I searched for more plumbers across North America.

The toughest part about the interviewing process was finding plumbers who would speak to me. As I mentioned earlier, I am a published writer in the sense of blogging and ghost-writing articles, but I am a “no name” in the book world. How were the plumbers supposed to know I was not a scammer? I found most of the plumbers through friends. Everywhere I went I told people I was writing a book about plumbers. I could not believe how many people in my inner circle knew a plumber! And I do not just mean a plumber who worked for them at one point in time. My friend’s uncle is a plumber. My other friend’s brother-in-law is a plumber. My friend’s friend is a plumber. Suddenly, plumbers were popping up everywhere.

Two of my biggest “finds” were women plumbers. Plumbing is still very much a man’s world. Women, however, are increasingly working in the business. The two women I interviewed own their own plumbing companies. My husband found them online, and fortunately, both agreed to talk to me. While I love the men’s stories in the book, the women’s stories are their own breed. For example, one of the women accidentally broke up a marriage because of what she found while on the job.

Writing this book made me come to a few realizations:

Plumbers know so much about us, yet we know so little about them. They see us in our most private moments, sometimes because for whatever reason, we do not feel the need to “clear the cabinets” when a plumber comes over. Or, like one case in the book – get out of the shower. This book shows you those personal moments from the eyes of the plumber. It will definitely make you think twice about your trade worker etiquette.
The stereotypes about plumbers – that they are blue-collar workers, who cannot pull up their pants, and are not educated – are FALSE. Plumbers are engineers. They spend years in school and/or working as an apprentice to learn the trade, which entails so much more than unclogging toilets. As one of the plumbers I interviewed stated, “Plumbing is like playing with a Tinkertoy set every day.” Plumbers also make good money. Many of the plumbers I interviewed have second homes and boats. No matter the state of the economy, the world will always need plumbers. It is a steady career that provides the opportunity to live well. Plumbers are also insanely patient and open-minded. Some of the stories they shared would make me want to run in the other direction. They all, however, stayed put, making sure they got the job done correctly, no matter how awkward the encounter. They also never made the customer feel embarrassed. All of the plumbers I interviewed said they are very careful with their reactions to situations because they never want a customer feeling uncomfortable. Oh, and that plumber’s crack stereotype? Most plumbers wear one-piece jumpers.
Finally, I actually can write a book! All it took was finding a good story idea, and then dedicating the time to research, write and pitch (I pitched more than 100 publishers and agents. One said yes – Black Rose Writing). I believed in the idea from day one, and through the many rejections, I persisted. I knew if I could find just one person who believed in my idea as much as me, I would succeed. Persistence is the key to achieving an unexpected dream.

I hope you will enjoy reading “The Poop Diaries” as much as I enjoyed writing it. You can purchase it on Amazon.com and on BarnesandNoble.com

GUEST POST: The Ultimate Print On Demand Guide for Nonfiction Authors by Bennett R. Coles

By HCNewton

On October 24, 2019

In Books, News/Misc., Writing

I linked to this piece this past Saturday, but it’s good enough to deserve a little focus. It’s directed toward Nonfiction Authors, but you novelists can profit from this, too.
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Prior to the development of high-speed, print-on-demand digital presses, the only way to produce print runs cost-effectively was using the more traditional offset presses. But the only way to get low costs per unit was to commit to a high volume of books per print run.

Now, when it came to authors with an existing following and sales history from previous books, print runs were quite easy to predict. But when it came to new authors, this printing technology resulted in a huge waste of book stock, as publishers were required to print too many copies without having clear sales forecasts.

With the popularity of the nascent self-publishing industry in the early to mid-90s, as well as the increased profile of smaller indie presses, equipment manufacturers realized that a new solution was needed. Today, digital technology has improved to the point of being able to produce high-quality images that are cost-effective at low volumes and nearly indistinguishable from the quality standards of offset printing.

The Ultimate Print On Demand Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals.

GUEST POST: A Cunning Plan by Andrew J. Harvey

By HCNewton

On June 10, 2019

In Book Tour, Fiction

As usual, I can’t hear that phrase without thinking of Baldrick and Blackadder…which, actually, is kind of fitting given where Andrew J. Harvey goes with his. I enjoyed this, hope you do to:

A Cunning Plan

It was during the process of developing the trailer for my Alternate History novel, Nightfall, the first book in my Clemhorn Trilogy, that I was shocked to discover how badly I had underestimated the general public’s knowledge of history.

I have always been interested in history, even taking one unit at University when I was studying there, and had perhaps foolishly believed that like myself, people were interested in the past. Particularly given George Santayana’s warning that: “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Given the myriad mistakes and failings that humans are so susceptible too, the blindness to history’s lessons seems particularly dangerous to me.

I was realistic enough to understand that it was unlikely that most people would have, as I did, entire bookshelves filled with history books, and the occasional alternate history novel, but I did at least expect that one or two history books would be displayed somewhere. As I said, I was quickly disabused of this while testing the book trailer for Nightfall, with the following teaser:

In 1884 the world stood on the verge of war. Once again the Russian and British Empires faced each other across the Mississippi.

And discovered that the person I was speaking to had no idea that in our own history the Russian and British Empires had never, ever faced each other in America, let alone across the Mississippi.

This resulted in the following rewrite:

In 1884, in a history very different from our own, the world stood on the verge of war …

As an aficionado and writer of Alternate History this was particularly disappointing given that Alternate History is a genre of fiction where stories are set in worlds in which one or more historical events unfold differently from how it did in our world. It is better appreciated with at least some modicum of how the historical event the author is writing about actually unfolded in our own reality.

But I now have a cunning plan, and hope that anyone reading Nightfall will be interested enough to investigate how some of the alternate histories I portray in the novel actually played out in our history (hint in Nightfall the Mainline split from our own when in 1451 the Serbian Emperor Uros III captures Constantinople, triggering a Serbian rather than Italian renaissance). And of course if they continue to read the series, they continue to meet other alternates, and with fifty-four lines making up the Cross-Temporal Empire there’s more than enough to keep a reader delving into all sorts of histories for quite some time.

Along these lines I leave you with a paraphrasing of George Santayana’s words, that is: “those who cannot remember the past may be brought to appreciate it by the ‘what ifs’ posed by alternate history.”

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Read the novel that’s part of this cunning plan, Nightfall by Andrew J.Harvey.

My thanks to iREAD Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

GUEST POST: About THE RUSSIAN LIEUTENANT by Peter Marshall by Peter Marshall

By HCNewton

On May 17, 2019

In Fiction

This is a story about Marina Peters, whose grandparents, Vlad and Marina Petrov, emigrated to England from Russia in the 1930s. She is a likeable and quietly ambitious single young woman working in the Communications Department of the Royal Navy’s Portsmouth Base.

Nikolai Aldanov is a handsome 35-year old widower and a Lieutenant in the Russian Navy who has been corresponding with Marina through an online dating site. The pair have been sharing details of their lives, common interests and histories. But when his ship visits Portsmouth and Marina arranges to meet her Russian Lieutenant in person, she has no inkling of the unexpected consequences of her date, as she is introduced into the ruthless world of international espionage

This is a first novel by a former journalist and broadcaster, Peter Marshall. Since his retirement in 2002, he has written or edited a dozen books on subjects including satellite communications, space flight, international travel plus two biographies. But he explains that after a career in the world of news and information he often thought about trying his hand at fiction!

Peter said: “It was the Salisbury novichok incident which focused my mind on a story bringing together Russian spies and my past experiences in both journalism and the Royal Navy – I also served as an RNVR officer in the 1960’s. Once I started writing, I found it was a really compulsive activity to create my own narrative. One chapter quickly led to another and before long I had 50,000-plus words – without knowing quite how it would end! Then after completing it with a dramatic finish, and finding a publisher, I have now embarked on writing a sequel involving some of the same characters.

“I suppose words have always been my fascination from my early days as a reporter with local and national newspapers, and then ten years with BBC News. I moved into international TV news with a subsidiary of the BBC and Reuters and became involved in developing the use of satellite communications for global news coverage and distribution. This took me to the United States, where I was involved in satellite broadcasting until my retirement when I moved back to the UK and my native West of England.”

Peter was elected as Chairman of the Royal Television Society in 1986; and during his years in America he became President of the Society of Satellite Professionals.

“The Russian Lieutenant” is available from www.amazon.co.uk as a paperback or e-book.

GUEST POST: 16 Bedtime Stories to Inspire Young Girls

By HCNewton

On May 14, 2019

In Books, Fiction

I’m very happy to have this guest post today — I don’t talk about kids’ books nearly as often as I could, but I do know some of these titles — most of them look pretty good. It’s good content and a spiffy looking picture, what more could you ask for?
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For parents who struggle to get their kids to sleep at night, there isn’t anything quite like a good bedtime story. That relaxing time together is a great way to transition into sleep, while instilling in your child a lifelong love of reading. Many bedtimes stories teach great lessons and values, as well. Kindness, bravery, and perseverance are all often on display in children’s books. However for many little girls, there are a few important lessons missing from the classics. While the modern woman knows that women don’t have to be princesses, and the damsel can save herself, the lessons in children’s literature are still catching up.

That’s why Sleep Advisor created this visual round-up of children’s books to inspire the young girl in your life. With lessons from real life female heroes, to fairytales with a modern kick, each one of their selections is designed to empower young girls.

For the princess-lover, there’s stories of princesses taking their own destiny in their hands. To instill positive self-esteem and acceptance for others, there are children’s tales that help them learn to love and appreciate their own and others’ differences.

Pick one up today, or check a few out from your local library to empower your daughter or niece to live up to her fullest potential!

GUEST POST: My Writing Day by Patricia Dixon

By HCNewton

On April 26, 2019

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I feel very lucky to be a full-time writer. My day is my own and I have unlimited access to the telly, the internet and the fridge but nevertheless I stick to a routine which doesn’t allow for lazy lie-ins.

It would be so easy to meander through the day in my slippers and dressing gown but I still have a house and business to run, and a dodgy ticker that I’m determined won’t pack in just yet. This is why I am up at 7.30am and during two cups of coffee (nothing happens before that) I check emails and messages before heading downstairs to the gym. Depending on how enthusiastic I’m feeling, I exercise for at least thirty minutes while watching Sky News – I like to know what’s going on in the world.

Once this task is completed I embark on another – my housework. It has become something of a ritual because I truly cannot function in an untidy house or room. After that I usually prepare dinner (or defrost something) as this way I can write straight through and my husband doesn’t starve because I often lose track of time. Before you ask no, he doesn’t cook, he’s terrible at it and makes a big mess!

I try to be at my desk by 10am and here, I have another self-imposed rule – abstinence, which is applied to social media. Facebook is a curse and it only takes one peep to lure me in and then I’m hooked, chatting and commenting.

Once I’ve clocked off for the evening which is usually around 7pm I catch up on the day’s events and chat with my booky friends.

Over the years I’ve been quite nomadic in my choice of writing-space. I began up in the attic and although it was peaceful, I felt rather isolated. It’s a very long way from the kettle and human life. My next choice was the kitchen but here, despite being within arm’s reach of the biscuit tin I was disturbed by visitors who had the same effect as Facebook, coercing me into chatting and drinking cups of tea. After extracting myself from the room of many temptations I tried the lounge but the comfy chair and the open fire made me nod off so now, I’m firmly ensconced in the dining room.

My husband also works from home and my desk looks onto his workshop so I can keep an eye on him. I’m his secretary and bookkeeper, bringer of brews and biscuits and the harridan who bangs on the window and tells him to come inside for food, put a jumper on or take the bins out.

Occasionally I’m on school-run duty and I look forward to a break in routine and a few hours with Harry, our grandson. At some point during the latter end of the week I escape to the supermarket where I take absolutely ages – it’s like my big day out. I’ve been going to the same one for thirty years and know most of the lovely staff so have a good natter.

I rarely write on Saturdays because our grandson is here for the day. I sometimes take Sunday off, unless I am editing or on a roll. The only downside to this writing lark is sitting still, especially in winter because we live in a rambling Victorian house that can be very cold and I frequently get cramp and frostbite (a slight exaggeration) so I’ve been known to write wearing a bobble hat, woolly socks and UGG boots, and two jumpers.

Now you know what goes on in the unglamorous world of Trish the Writer and although it’s not exactly rock and roll, for me it’s the best job in the world ♥

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Read the novel that was produced by these days, Rosy and Ruby by Patricia Dixon.

My thanks to Bloodhound Books for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

GUEST POST: Highlighting Shakespearen Women

By HCNewton

On April 23, 2019

In Books, Calendar Items, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, News/Misc.

I’m very happy to have this guest post today — I just wish I’d set the schedule correctly. I love a nicely designed (and informative) infographic, and this definitely fits that. When I was asked if I’d be interested in posting this, I jumped on it. It’s a great way to commemorate the Bard’s birth.
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April not only marks the start of warmer temperatures and a new pile of spring reads, it is also the month of the birth of legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. The writer was born on April 23, 1564, and to celebrate, we’re highlighting some of his most strong-willed female heroines. Invaluable created a neat visual [N.B.: the image is much nicer if you follow the link than it does on the left there] that showcases a handful of Shakespeare’s most influential female characters, and explains just how each of them was given their memorable names. From Ophelia to Juliet herself, browse through these wonderful female characters and relive some of the most electrifying plays written by the celebrated, William Shakespeare in honor of his birth.