Category Archives: Writing Musings

Musings from author Denise Turney on writing, including freelance, marketing, self-help, nonfiction and journal writing. Here you will find book marketing tips as well as advice on places where you can go to sharpen your craft and network with other writers, including novelists. You’ll also find places where you can network with readers, editors, publishers and literary agents.

Loving the Right Man, Loving the Right woman

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By Denise Turney

While listening to Virginia Beach, Virginia’s radio station 95.7 FM as I conduct research for various writing clients, every now and then a commercial will cross the wire. During the commercial, teens speak about undesirable behaviors their boyfriends or girlfriends engage in. Some teens talk about their boyfriends/girlfriends getting jealous simply because they spoke to another person. Other teens, on the commercial, talk about their girlfriends/boyfriends hitting them because they “love them so much”. The driving message of the commercial is that love doesn’t hurt. Love doesn’t harm.

Love Never Fails

Purpose of the commercial is to make parents aware of signs of domestic violence, painful events their growing children might be part of. It’s a message teens and adults may benefit from hearing repeatedly. This may be due, in part, to the fact that a wealth of emotions are typically a part of explosive, violent relationships. These high emotions can be intoxicating, pulling us in, promising positive emotional highs we may never come down from. Hearing love songs may increase our emotional highs, making it hard for us to break away from these unhealthy relationships, cause us to feel as if a love spell has been placed on us. Rocky, dysfunctional relationships might feel good for awhile. However, love doesn’t hurt.

If relationships don’t involve physical violence, they may involve sexual, financial, emotional or psychological violence. This isn’t love. Even if people we’re in relationships with send us poems about love or quotes about love, that doesn’t mean they love us. Love doesn’t hurt.

It’s not love when we search for (actually look for) faults, errors, wrongs or mistakes in others. That’s not love. It’s not love when we broadcast or highlight mistakes others make, as if talking about someone else’s mistakes wipes our mistakes clean. It’s not love when we try to control and/or manipulate others by force, guilt, fear, discomfort (ever perform the silent treatment on someone) or embarrassment.

Love is Patient, Love is Kind

As I Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

Contrary to what some who choose to abuse claim, love never failing doesn’t mean that we should stay in abusive relationships. We were created by love. We were created with love. We were created to love. We were created to be loved. As Raymond Clarke learns early in the new book, Love Pour Over Me, we are here to awaken to love. And we have the strength to do that.

Love stands up against the toughest storms. Love conquers all, or perhaps better put, true love remains in its natural state despite all attempts to change it. Even when we think love is gone or buried, it remains. All we have to do is open our eyes and awaken. Sometimes life brings a certain person or specific people, like good friends and a soul mate, into our lives so we can awaken to love. For Raymond, these invitations to accept and receive love come in the form of Brenda (the love of Raymond’s life) and three good-good friends.

Violence, though all around the college students to the point of bloodshed, doesn’t become a part of their relationships. Considering the harrowing and mysterious experiences Raymond has with NFL star, Anthony Thompson, it’s eye raising that the friends never turn on each other. Considering secrets in Raymond’s family’s past, it’s a wonder Brenda continues to love Raymond.

It’s also eye raising that Raymond doesn’t give up on love, his childhood being anything but ordinary. Then, love does not fail. Regardless of twists, turns, challenges and doubts – love simply does not fail. It also never hurts. And when we’re loving the right man or loving the right woman, relationships fill our lives with goodness.

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Love-Pour-Over-Me-ebook/dp/B007MC0Z2C

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-pour-over-me-denise-turney/1109600654

Treasuring African American Love Novels

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By Denise Turney

Classic African American love novels like The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Beloved by Toni Morrison and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston celebrate love and romance shared between African American couples, while, at the same time, they probe the intricacies, challenges and triumphs of everyday life. Eras the novels are set in enhance the stories, help to make them all engrossing, intriguing. Because historic events are captured on the books’ pages, the stories are often taught in secondary and postsecondary schools.

After all, a classic African American book is more than entertaining; it’s also educational. For example, stories like Richard Wright’s, Native Son, and Ann Petry’s, The Street,  illustrate the lifestyles, culture, economics, politics and family mores dominating local, regional and national landscapes during the periods the stories are set in.

It may be the rich history these and other classic African American books capture that keeps readers returning to libraries, bookstores and e-book readers to purchase the books generation after generation. Characters like Celie, Nettie, Lutie Johnson and Bigger Thomas are complex. As readers turn the pages of these classic novels, they witness these complex characters transform. Some characters, like Celie, go from feeling insignificant, weak and insecure to learning their worth.

These character transformations inspire readers. Challenging circumstances in classic African American books ring true, are believable. Yet, the circumstances are often so hard that they are painful to revisit. One can only imagine how difficult it may have been for the authors to put the stories on paper, cementing the stories in history. It’s in witnessing the triumphs of the books’ characters that readers are pushed, if you will, into inspiration, deeply encouraged. It’s also why readers feel as if they are getting much more than entertainment each time they pick up and read a great work of art like the volumes of classic African American novels.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com ($3.03 – lowest price I’ve found so far) and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Adapting Christian Books to Real Life

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By Denise Turney

Adapting Christian books to real life is becoming increasingly popular. That’s a good thing. People who read Christian fiction books want to believe that the events in the novels could actually happen. Widespread media coverage of traumatic events and trends like hard divorces, child abuse, pastoral indiscretions, poverty and domestic violence have alerted readers of Christian books to more of what goes on in the world.

Empowering Christian Books with Realism

If an author writes a Christian book that depicts characters as flawless, that doesn’t take on any of the above and other challenges inherit in the world, readers are quick to notice. After awhile, readers might start to feel as if they are being cheated. Why? Readers want to easily connect with characters in Christian books; they want to be able to see themselves in scenes depicted throughout the stories. They don’t want to feel as if they are being forced to believe that the world is spotless, that the world has no struggle, disappointments or frustrations.

Another thing readers look for in Christian books is real language, the type of language that people spoke at the time stories are set in. For example, if a story is set in the 1920s, readers appreciate characters using slang and dialect that people actually used in the 1920s. They don’t want to have characters using terms from the 2000s.

To adapt Christian books to real life, inspirational authors could:

  • Develop storylines that mimic real life stories trending in the news
  • Interview area residents, asking them to reveal the top three things they would like to see change in their lives, then adapt their Christian fiction books to those top three things
  • Write Christian books that align with scenes that consistency show up in their dreams
  • Read non-fiction books, picking out the strongest character, research and historic traits in the books
  • Think about their own life experiences, as well as experiences their relatives and friends have had, then have characters in the Christian books they write deal with similar events

Fortunately, it’s possible for authors to pen Christian fiction books without abandoning the moral fiber of their stories. Authors don’t have to line the pages of their books with profanity or explicit sex scenes. That’s not what it takes for a story to feel realistic. It’s also not what readers love. Readers love an entertaining and inspirational Christian book; they also love a book that mirrors their own life, a story that feels real. As authors start writing these types of books, the more they might attract the attention of Christian and non-Christian readers.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Disadvantages of Reading Free Books Online

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By Denise Turney

Convenience and environmental conservation are the top two benefits you could receive when you choose electronic books over print books. With the click of a button, you can search through thousands of books, including free books online, while sitting on your sofa, riding the train or relaxing in bed. You can also download and start reading free books in seconds.

Electronic Books vs. Print Books

For many people, these benefits are unbeatable. However, not so fast. Free online books don’t offer all of the same benefits that print books do. Buy a print book or check a print book out from the library, and you could get:

  • Rare and classic books that increase in value over time (not sure that the value of electronic books will go up 10 to 20 years from now)
  • Opportunities to share great stories with friends without your friends having to get an ebook reader
  • Ability to enjoy your favorite stories absent the need to hunt for WiFi
  • No need to recharge or plug in electronics before you start treasuring great novels
  • Chance to gift loved ones with print books that you wrap so you can enjoy watching loved ones open their literary gifts with surprise

Sure. You can save money by downloading free kindle books and other free online books. However, if you surveyed everyone who downloaded free books online, you might be surprised to discover that not all of these people actually reads the dozens of free online books they download. It’s almost as if some people download free online books simply because they don’t want to miss out on a chance to get something without having to pay for it.

Readers Want Quality Books

But, do you really want folders of free books online that you’re never going to read? Where’s the benefit in that? Yet, let’s say you plucked down several bucks for an outstanding print book. Think you’d take the time to read and savor the book? Or do you think you’d rob yourself of the chance to enjoy a rare piece of literary work?

I’m willing to venture that you, like many other people, read to be entertained, educated, inspired or motivated. So, why would you magnetize toward electronic  books simply because they are free? Free doesn’t guarantee greatness. In fact, something tells me if a car dealer was giving away free cars, you might think twice before you test drove one of the cars, because you’d probably think something was wrong with the cars. Otherwise, why would the dealer be giving the cars away for free?

Don’t we pay for what we value? Don’t we make time for what we value? I can’t be the only book lover who looks for books that are written with a tone, voice and style I appreciate, books that are developed with memorable characters I won’t soon forget versus looking for free books online because I want to save a buck.

Oh. The joys of reading great books, rare books you don’t come across every day. Make those books available in print, and I’m in. . . . Gotta use my makeshift bookmarks. Gotta curl up with a great book, and my bookcases love holding shelves of literary gems. Yes; there are so many advantages to reading compelling books, stories that help change lives for the better.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in my new book, Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

How to Sell Profitable Ebooks Online

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By Denise Turney

Although writing and publishing ebooks is an achievement that may leave you feeling hopeful and excited, if you plan on selling your ebooks online you’re going to have to learn how to market and promote your titles. To do this you can start taking steps to find and connect with your book’s target audience online, people who enjoy reading the types of fictional or nonfiction books you write. Some authors use the Internet to help sell a million or more copies of their ebooks.

Write Quality Ebook Material

Write a quality e-book. To do this consider working with a professional editor to review and make changes to your book to improve features such as character dialogue, setting, pacing, plot and character development. You can also get your book edited to ensure the grammar and sentence structure is accurate.

The Association of Authors Representatives, Poets and Writers and the Literary Market Place are some resources you can use to find reputable book editors. Do your homework. Ask editors for references of other book authors they’ve worked with. Follow up with these book authors, asking them how satisfied they were with the book editors’ work. Also, ensure that you create an intriguing title and cover image for your ebooks online. If you write your book from a different angle, you can also cause your book to stand out. This is what happened with the classic book, Portia.

Market Ebooks Online Using Social Media

Sign up for social media network accounts and post an image of your e-books on the main pages of your accounts. Provide a brief overview of each of your e-books and a URL where visitors to your social media accounts can purchase your books. Also post items like book reviews, upcoming interviews where you’ll discuss your ebooks online, ebook blog tour dates and press releases about your e-books at your accounts. Major social media networks include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, Digg, Pinterest, Floost and ScoopIt. The more you market, the more book sales you might notice you’re receiving, so get out here!

creating bestselling ebooks

Blog About Your Ebooks Online

Create a blog for your books and for yourself. Include search engine optimization (SEO) keywords in your ebooks blog posts to increase the numbers of visitors you receive at your blog from search engines. On your blog’s main page include items like your books’ covers, links to your ebooks related videos and links to your social media network accounts so visitors to your blog can follow you at other online locations, like your social media networks. Free, easy-to-follow blog platforms include WordPress, Blogger and Posterous.

bestselling ebooks

Media Outlets and Ebooks Online

Write press releases about your ebooks online and distribute them to media outlets like newspapers and magazines. For example, you could write and distribute a press release about an upcoming writer’s conference you are speaking at. When writing press releases mention the title of your ebooks and where readers can purchase or learn more about the books online. You can also schedule online radio interviews with talk show hosts and book blog tour hosts to discuss your e-books.

Ebooks Online Giveaways

Giveaway copies of your ebooks as a part of a contest or quiz. Announce ebook giveaways in press releases and at your social media networks. If you go on a book blog tour you can also giveaway copies of your e-books to readers who participate in your blog tours. To get the word out about your ebooks so you sell more copies, also consider giving away copies of your e-books to online book reviewers and book club presidents.

Build an Ebook Website

Build an ebook website that includes features like your biography, ebook synopsis or overview, book cover, free excerpts from your e-books, book reviews and a book order page. You can also include a photo of yourself and a cover image of each of your e-books at your website. Consider setting up accounts with companies like PayPal or you can direct readers to purchase your books directly from resellers like Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Google Books and iTunes. Promote your website in search engines and book directories.

Use Video to Promote  Ebooks Online                                                                                                         

Set up an account with online video companies. Upload videos of you reading excerpts from you e-books and/or conducting interviews about your e-books with members of the media. Also consider creating a trailer for your book. If you do not have experience creating book trailers, you can work with marketing companies that develop trailers for authors. To get the word out about your videos, add links from your videos to your social media accounts. In addition ask your family and friends to tell people they know to view your videos. Be sure to include the title of your e-books and the URL where people can purchase your books on each online video.  

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-arogundade/10-steps-to-ebook-success_b_1571095.html (Huffington Post: 10 Steps to Ebook Success)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/john-locke-donovan-creed-_n_1317237.html (Huffington Post: John Locke, Donovan Creed, Author, on Selling a Million Ebooks)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jun/06/become-an-ebook-superstar (The Guardian: How to Become an EBook Superstar)

How to Choose the Right Ebook Publishing Company

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By Denise Turney

Technological products like computers, mobile devices and e-book readers make it possible for book buyers to download and start reading novels and nonfiction books with the click of a button. This convenience has seen e-book sales rise by as much as 117 percent for 2011 according to Publisher’s Weekly. It’s a growing market that authors and people with a story to share may want to get into. After all, publishing e-books can allow writers to receive benefits like royalties, media interview requests and fans. However, not all e-book publishing companies offer the same benefits, some e-book publishing companies even charging higher formatting costs than others.

Publishing e-books can turn you into a bestselling author within a matter of months.

Read Reviews

Search for e-book publishing company reviews and ranking reports. While reading reviews and ranking reports consider factors such as how long the company has been in business, the number of books the company publishes each year and the types of files the publisher accepts from authors to convert into e-book format.

Ask Published Authors

Contact authors who have already had digital books published and ask them for e-book publishing company recommendations. For example, you can email authors, tell them that you are considering publishing an e-book and ask them to tell you who they think are the top three e-book publishers to work with. Let authors know if your book has illustrations and/or charts and graphs as some e-book publishers may be more experienced at formatting books with illustrations, charts or graphs than others.

Distribution

Ask the e-book publisher for a list of resellers they distribute books to. Types of resellers include Amazon.com, Google Books, Ingram Books and Barnes & Noble.com. Also find out if e-book publishers have distribution contracts with companies that service libraries as, generally, the more distribution channels a publisher has the more books you may sell. For example, Portia, a classic book about an African American defense attorney dealing with breast cancer, is available to libraries through distributors like Baker & Taylor.

E-Book Readers

Find out the different types of e-book readers the publishing company formats e-books to be read on. Kindle, Nook and Kobo are types of e-book readers. Also check to see if your e-book will be formatted and for sale in portable document format (PDF) format so book buyers who don’t have e-book readers can purchase, download your book to their computer or mobile device and read it off a PDF. Available through Ebookit.com, Love Pour Over Me, can be read in each major electronic format. Keep in mind, that the more formats electronic books are available in, the more book buyers and readers you may gain.

Services Offered

Look for e-book publishers that offer a range of services, including cover design, marketing and copyediting. Although you may not choose to use all of these services as soon as you publish your e-book, you may want to use more of the services after your book has been on the market for a few weeks. In addition, you can save yourself money by finding out how much it cost to format your e-book before you sign a contract with an e-book publishing company. Compare prices and services offered at e-book publishing companies before you sign a publishing contract. Also be prepared to market your own books as an author.

Royalties

Learn the percentage of royalties you will be paid on each book sold. For example, some e-book publishers may only deduct 15 percent off the sale of each book it sells direct to consumers, while other companies may deduct a larger percentage. Also, find out if you can sell your e-books on your own website or blog to increase sales.

Considerations

Traditional print book publishers are starting to publish e-books. You may be able to sign a book deal with an established book publisher and get your book published in print and digital format. Also, remember to market and promote your book after it’s published by taking steps like writing and sending press releases about your e-book, scheduling radio interviews, creating accounts at social media networks and telling your social media account followers about your book and participating in book blog tours.

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/your-money/the-rise-in-self-publishing-opens-the-door-for-aspiring-writers.html?pagewanted=all (New York Times: Options for Self-Publishing Proliferate, Easing the Bar to Entry)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50921-baker–taylor-in-deal-with-smashwords.html (Publishers Weekly: Baker & Taylor in Deal with Smashwords)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/50805-aap-estimates-e-book-sales-rose-117-in-2011-as-print-fell.html (Publishers Weekly: AAP Estimates, E-Book Sales Rose 117% in 2011 as Print Fell)

Penguin Group Enters Self Publishing Books Realm

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By Denise Turney

Less than a decade ago librarians, bookstores, media outlets, book reviewers (some still do), book buyers and traditional book publishers frowned on self-publishing. Paying money to print and publish your own books was deemed akin to vanity publishing, as if the only reason you would take the time to research, write and have your work professionally edited and published was just so you could feel important. But, that’s changing.

Self-Published Authors Are Committed to Success

People are starting to realize that self-publishers are more akin to entrepreneurs than they are to folks who don’t mind plopping down thousands of dollars to stockpile books with their names written across the spine in their garages. Actually, when you think, it’s obvious that self-publishing, especially for an author who earns her entire livelihood from selling her own books, calls for admirable qualities that are not always required of authors who get published via traditional means.

Tenacity, resiliency, solid financial management and strong marketing and promotion skills are generally required to become a successful self-publisher. Therefore, self-published book authors must possess the knowledge, skills and drive to push their book titles to the top of bestseller charts. Truth is — the same skills that are generally required to sell books published by traditional book publishers are required to sell self published books. Furthermore, it’s the number of book sales and how deeply stories engage readers that matter. It’s a reason books like Love Pour Over Me, Playing for Keeps, If You Were Mine, Spiral and Portia have earned success amongst their target audience.

Technology’s Impact on Book Publishing

Add to that the fact that expanding technologies are making it increasingly possible for book authors, including self published writers, to find and connect with thousands and millions of readers and it’s easy to understand why a traditional publisher like the Penguin Group would acquire Author Solutions, Inc., a large self-publishing company. How large is Author Solutions, Inc.? According to the Wall Street Journal’s July 19, 2012 “Penguin Dives into Self-Publishing” article, Author Solutions, Inc. boast a roster of 150,000 published authors.

Penguin Group purchased Author Solutions, Inc. for $116 million. That alone is a sign of how profitable self-publishing has become. It’s also further evidence that the stigma around self-publishing is evaporating. Change is shinning its face upon the book industry. This is a good thing.

Gone are the days when talented authors had to wait for their work to be discovered (or more accurately stated – accepted and approved of) by large publishing houses. The removal of this barrier may very well allow for different styles and varieties of written works to be introduced to avid book readers. It may also serve as a sign that traditional book marketing strategies need changing. But, more importantly, the success of self-publishing serves as a welcome sign to talented book authors (who spent years having their work rejected by traditional publishers) that their voice, the stories they create to share are valued, powerful and worth being heard.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! 

Sources:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444464304577537092288601370.html (Wall Street Journal: Penguin Dives into Self-Publishing)

Taping Into Your Inner Strength

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By Denise Turney

Believe it or not, you have limitless inner strength. There is a place inside you that never fails. There is a place inside of you that has the answer to every question you could ever ask. Right now . . . that place exists inside of you.

Stop Believing Lies About Yourself; Accept the Truth

The reason you may not believe this is because, as humans, we also listen to deception and lies. If we continue to listen to lies about ourselves we may start to believe the lies. The catch is that we behave or act in alignment with our beliefs. Even Superman couldn’t get around this if he tried. Our thoughts (a belief is simply a thought you think over and over) guide and shape our behavior.

Add to this the fact that we can have experiences that seem to confirm lies we’ve been told about ourselves and it’s not hard to see why we can, at times, feel lost, confused or uncertain. For example, if we believe a lie that we are ignorant and we score low on a school exam we may start to strengthen our belief in the lie that we are ignorant. Let our friends, classmates and/or parents see our low test score and start to tease us or even call us “dumb” and you can see where we could take the belief.

In time, we might stop raising our hand when asked the answer to a question in class. As adults we might shy away from volunteering to lead projects at work for fear that we will fail (all of this thought and behavior being driven by the belief that we are ignorant). We might even feel angry, perhaps absolutely outraged, when people refer to us as “dumb” – however, if the belief that we are ignorant isn’t examined and seen for the lie that it is we may continue to avoid situations that call for us to answer questions, etc.

Getting to the Truth

Now imagine what would happen to us if we believed 50 lies about ourselves. And here we are. It’s the reason we look out and see the world we see.

This common human struggle is one Love Pour Over Me’s main character, Raymond Clarke, faces. Like you may have, Raymond learned to believe lies about himself when he was a child. Many of the lies were passed down to him from his father (a man who also believed lies about himself) and people in his environment.

It’s not until he is grown, well into his adult years, that Raymond starts to examine the lies, turning them over, looking at their root and seeing the truth about them – that they are just that . . . lies, nothing more. Yet, he’s made a habit out of believing lies about himself (perhaps to avoid seeing that people who loved him but who didn’t know better themselves had, unknowingly, told him lies even cloaking them in words of “this is good for you” or “this is best”).

Fortunately, Raymond longs for the truth. It’s this longing that keeps him moving forward, that connects him with Brenda.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You!

Writing to Heal Yourself and to Awaken to Your True Greatness

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By Denise Turney

writing to heal yourself

Poetry, short story, journal and novel writing can be therapeutic, allowing children and adults to discover hidden thoughts and parts of themselves. These therapeutic benefits can be experienced whether you are deliberately writing to heal yourself or you’re writing to express yourself artistically.

Writing to Heal Inner Conflicts

At first glance, it might not seem as if writing can help you to heal inner conflicts. However, ask any writer, particularly a book author, if he wasn’t surprised at how book characters and storylines he created turned out. You’ll likely hear the writer tell you that he was surprised to discover he felt compelled to have one or more events happen to a character.

It’s as though hidden thoughts the author or book writer has within herself are being revealed through her work, guiding her to have book characters undergo certain experiences so the author can begin to heal herself. Akin to what actress, Angelina Jolie, shared during an interview on The Actor’s Studio about the acting process, stories and scenes authors create might also reveal future experiences authors will have in their personal lives.

Writing to Connect with Our Inner Self

One thing is certain; there is a part of us that knows the very path, the very choices, we should make. As we remove blockages to receiving and understanding this part of ourselves, we begin to heal. Hence, the joy of writing!

Although he isn’t consciously aware that he is writing to heal himself, Raymond Clarke (a college student and the main character in the African America fiction novel, Love Pour Over Me) sits down and starts penning his thoughts in a journal. Writing helps him to deal with perceptions and beliefs he has about himself regarding abuse and pain he suffered at his father’s hands. Writing also helps Raymond to capture and record beautiful and joyous experiences he shares with his friends and the woman he loves.

Although Raymond doesn’t do this, you can also write to record and interpret your dreams. This may prove particularly helpful should you find yourself having repetitive dreams which might be a sign that your subconscious mind is trying to get a message through to you.

Of course, writing can also be used to share stories with a local or global audience. It is at this point that healing (whether you pen a mystery, romance, etc.) you experience may start to impact hundreds, thousands of millions of readers.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You!

Great Novels Make Reading to Learn Fun

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By Denise Turney

Gain good reading comprehension skills and you can shorten the amount of time it takes you to learn. You can also improve your communication skills and gain the confidence to talk with people from diverse backgrounds because you know you’re well versed on several interesting subjects.

Reading Fiction is a Gateway to Learning

Reading books filled with illustrations and dates that illustrations historic events occurred on and reading books filled with facts and numbers can help you learn. However, you might not have a lot of fun learning this way. In fact, this type of reading might feel like work.

It’s a reason schools and youth organizations use colorful fiction books to teach children how to read, count and learn basic subjects like science and history. When it comes to older children and adults, reading good fiction can help stimulate independent thinking. Good fiction can also help you to solve a puzzle you have been striving to find the answer to for several days, weeks or months.

Novels Can Hold Answers to Challenging Questions

Sometimes the answers to your questions might be revealed in dialogue shared between two characters in a novel. Other times you may arrive at an answer to something that has been puzzling you after following the ins and outs of a romantic or mysterious relationship highlighted in the pages of a novel. You may even come to realize that you are not alone as you deal with a perception challenge, especially as you continue to read and discover that similar challenges keep coming up for your favorite book characters. This is one of the benefits gained while reading Love Pour Over Me. [Keep in mind that real people create novels and sometimes they include real life perception challenges they’ve faced in stories they write.]

But perhaps most of all, reading good fiction is a great way to learn grammar skills. It’s also a great way to learn how to become a talented storyteller yourself. [It’s no wonder great authors advise up and coming writers to read a lot of good fiction.]

So enjoy curling up with a good novel. Read books to your children and young relatives. Give books to family, friends and colleagues for holidays, etc. Get to know characters in intriguing novels and let yourself grow, expand and learn.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Even if you choose not to purchase your copy of Love Pour Over Me today, I encourage you to “consider Love.”