Twelve Weeks of Lunadar

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Oh Christmas Tree…

Donna L

 
tree.jpg

 
I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

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Having a live Christmas tree is almost a novelty these days in some homes, but when I was growing up in the bayous of southern Louisiana, live trees were just about the only thing you could find. I never even saw my first artificial tree until I was about five years old. We had just moved into a different neighborhood and our new neighbors had much more money that we did. Their house had  the latest amenities and that included a sparkly white artificial Christmas tree with a multi colored rotating light panel, casting that tree in a different hue as the panel rotated.

We, on the other hand, had pine trees growing on our own plot of land out in the country. Every Christmas our family of six would crowd into an old black truck and head out of town to our land. Hiking deep into the  over the woods, a debate over tree selection often ensued, but in the end, one was chosen and we returned home to kick off our holiday season.

Mother would cook up batches of popcorn to be strung along with whole cranberries on our new tree. Then would come the hand made and vintage ornaments before showering it with shiny tinsel. We would then cover a cardboard cutout star with aluminum foil and stick it on the top of our tree. 

I was raised to believe simple things are what the holidays are all about. Taking the time to reconnect with the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the Christmas season…

May you enjoy the most joyous of holiday seasons!

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***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

I’m happy to announce the Grand Prize winner of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Ariel Ramey has won the twelve fantasy novels, including an autographed copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound. Thanks for entering my contest. Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prizes…

***Also, both ebook and paperback versions of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound are on sale through the holidays! You can grab the ebook copy for just $1.99 and the paperback for $12.49 through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Nook, Books A Million or dozens of other online retailers. Books make great Christmas gifts!

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 
donna

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Have A Cookie?

Donna L

 

xmas cookies.jpg

 

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

*******************

The holiday season is truly my favorite time of year for many reasons. The smell of cinnamon and ginger bring me back to my childhood when the holidays would fill our kitchen with the frantic baking of Christmas goodies.

My older brother and sister were stationed in the Navy so my mother was never sure if they would make it home for Christmas. Every December, my mother would roll up her sleeves and whip out her recipe book as she made dozens of gingersnaps, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, cutouts with royal icing, peanut butter thumb prints, and many more. A care package from home carried only the best sweets mother could produce and there was trouble to be had if I dared to sneak one for my own. 

When it came time for me to move out on my home, I eagerly waited for the holidays to come around because I knew I would receive my own care package from home…filled with love and Christmas cookies. I got a chance to open four holiday boxes before my mother died and I inherited her recipe book.

Mother loved making the holidays extra special for us and whenever I eat a Christmas cookie now, I think of her and remember love can come in all shapes, sizes, and cookie flavors…

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! MAY THE REASON FOR THE SEASON FILL YOUR HEART WITH JOY AND WONDER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

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Week Twelve

 

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week eleven of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Marya Ashworth has won the $10 Barnes & Noble gift card. Thanks for connecting with me on Facebook! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

***DON’T FORGET! It’s week twelve of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of the twelve fantasy books shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post!

***Also, both ebook and paperback versions of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound are on sale through the holidays! You can grab the ebook copy for just $1.99 and the paperback for $12.49 through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Nook, Books A Million or dozens of other online retailers. Books make great Christmas gifts!

 

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 

 

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

 

donna

 

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: A Holiday Countdown

Donna L

 

relaxing.jpg

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

*******************

Christmas is just weeks away and here at Story Catcher Publishing, I’m gearing up for the holidays. This past weekend I checked off everything on my family and friends’ wish list. My living room is pile high with various bags and boxes from my search for the perfect Christmas gifts. Even my book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound, is on sale for the holidays. The ebook version is listed at $1.99 and you can get the print version for $12.49 through the end of the year.

I’ve also started the next book in the LUNADAR series. Indie author fans are no different from traditionally published author fans. They all want to be the first to read the next book and the longer you wait between books, the more impatient they can become. Besides, I can’t wait to find out what else happens to Ariana, Kaspar, and Candra in LUNADAR: Candra’s Revenge.

I’m also sorting through a number of book contests I can possibly submit my book to over the next few weeks. Winning a book award helps validate an indie author’s writing and shows the world their book just might be worth reading.

These next few weeks are going to be hectic for me, so please forgive me in advance  if I seem a bit distracted.  I also have an extended vacation coming up and plan to catch up on some much needed rest…

 

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Week Ten 2 (1)

 

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 
I’m happy to announce the winner of week nine of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Laura De La Cruz has won the Yorkie Book Stand. Thanks for following me on Twitter! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

 
***DON’T FORGET! It’s week ten of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to wish you are at the beach with the beach themed tea light holder shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post!

 

***Also, both ebook and paperback versions of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound are on sale through the holidays! You can grab the ebook copy for just $1.99 and the paperback for $12.49 through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Nook, Books A Million or dozens of other online retailers. Books make great Christmas gifts!

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 
Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 
donna
International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: A New York State of Mind

Donna L

 

NYC.jpg

 
Now on Tuesdays…at least for the foreseeable future…welcome to Flash Fiction Tuesday. In case you don’t know what flash fiction is, it is an extremely short story (sometimes created in 100 words or less) with a beginning, middle, and an ending,

But in my case, I write flash fiction with an open ending. I allow my readers to draw their own conclusion as to what happens. This week’s story leaves us wondering if we should give LIFE a second chance…

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The old man cautiously looked at the people jamming the streets in front of him. How was he ever going to get through that crowd? Martha needed him. She had always needed him, ever since that day the Bufford boys pushed her down in the mud and stole her newspaper money. Times were hard back then and the editor had a soft heart. Martha convinced him to let her sell leftover editions to the butcher on the corner. Fish couldn’t read anyway so what did it matter to them if it was yesterday’s news?

Pulling threadbare lapels higher on his neck, the old man shuffled slowly through the lines of people. He remembered the first time Martha held out that coat for him to try on. Their first Christmas together and her fingers were still covered in bandages from all the extra sewing she’d done for the money. You would have thought he was the Crown Prince and that second-hand trench coat was made of the finest leather the way her face split in two with a silly grin when he finally tore open the package. She kissed him there, right under the small sprig of mistletoe he had snuck from the corner florist, and told him how much she needed him. Funny thing is, Martha never realized just how much he needed her. His day couldn’t begin until she smiled that pretty smile of hers. Old man McCraney’s complaints about him being lazy meant nothing once Martha hugged him as he walked in the door after pulling a double shift down at the docks. Why, she even kept the bottle from getting the better of him when they got that war department letter back in the winter of ’43. Lordy, what would he do without his Martha?

Mumbling his pardons along the way, the old man continued to make his way through the crowds until he finally made it to the corner and opened the door of the same florist he snatched mistletoe from all those years ago. Shuffling up to the counter, he waited for the young clerk to notice him before asking, “Would you have some white lilies, please? They’re for my Martha”….

 

***Okay, where is Martha? And why is he buying flowers for her? Add a line or a paragraph in the comments below and join the fun!***

 

 

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week eight of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Laurie Kutscera has won the Yankee Candle fragrance locket. Thanks for following me on Twitter! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

 
Week Nine


***DON’T FORGET! It’s week nine of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to accessorize your desk or nightstand with the cute doggie bookstand shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post!

***Also, both ebook and paperback versions of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound are on sale through the holidays! You can grab the ebook copy for just $1.99 and the paperback for $12.49 through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Nook, Books A Million or dozens of other online retailers. Books make great Christmas gifts!

 
LUNADAR cover jpg

 
Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 
donna

 
International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Breaking The Chains

Donna L

chains

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

*******************

 

A writer ‘s life comes with so many challenges, it’s a wonder anyone makes it to becoming a published author. But I think most writers are well suited for the solitary life of putting words together to create something never heard of before. 

These past two weeks have been hard. There’s no denying the struggle which comes from having multiple writing deadlines but no way to meet them. My computer died two weekends ago and I’ve spent the past fourteen days fighting with different customer service departments. No one wanted to take responsibility for the fact I bought a brand new computer with two different warranties on it and now it crashed because of a defective hard drive. 

I know there were opportunities I missed because of a crashed computer…

  1. NANOWRIMO…I’ve been writing in a notebook but it’s not the same  and I have fallen horribly behind with my word count on LUNADAR: Candra’s Revenge. I probably won’t hit the 50,000 winning words, but any I write this month is more than I started the month with, so I’m okay with that.
  2. Critique group…My critique partners are expecting their November critiques by tomorrow but I couldn’t access their submissions to work on them. I finally have access again so that is one deadline I will only miss by a few days and I hope they will understand…
  3. Blog posts…I had to be REALLY creative to get last week’s posts done and lined up to drop every day when I had no access to my computer. Today I’ve spent most of the day working on all of next week’s posts so I can roll into my Thanksgiving weekend without the stress of creating those posts.

Fingers crossed, I’m setting up my new computer now and will be fully functional within the next few days. Then it’s full steam on book three and my critiques. I will also begin my search of an illustrator for my historical fiction chapter book series. Know any good illustrators? Send them my way…;)

 

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***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week eight of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Laurie Kutscera has won the Yankee Candle fragrance locket. Thanks for following me on Twitter! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

Week Nine

 

***DON’T FORGET! It’s week nine of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to accessorize your desk or nightstand with the cute doggie bookstand shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post!

***Also, both ebook and paperback versions of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound are on sale through the holidays! You can grab the ebook copy for just $1.99 and the paperback for $12.49 through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Nook, Books A Million or dozens of other online retailers. Books make great Christmas gifts!

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

 

 

AN INDIE’S AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Juggling Time

Donna L

time

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

***********************

Some writers think that once their book is published, the publishing journey is over. They sit back on their laurels and wait for royalties to roll in. 

I’m not that type of author. 

As a hybrid author, I have the opportunity to see possible royalties from any book published through a traditional publisher. But, as an indie author and actual owner of my own publishing house, I will only see money from my books based on my own efforts to market them. This also includes building a “brand” based on both an expanded collection of published works, and an ever-widening network of people who support my goals as much as I support theirs.

Last month I participated in INKTOBER, a drawing challenge where I sketched 30 drawings in 30 days based on the word prompt of the day. It was the second year I had participated and helped introduce more people to what I was all about. I started an Instagram account and now have another 226 followers added to my fan base.

This month I am participating in NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) where I have begun what will become book three in my LUNADAR trilogy. I’m juggling working full time during the day while trying to complete writing a 50,000-word novel at night.

Add to that, my lining up book signings, hosting giveaways, researching book contests and effective inexpensive book marketing…all the while preparing to also finalize book one in my historical fiction chapter book series so I can potentially roll THAT series out by next summer through my company, Story Catcher Publishing.

I’m also getting ready to promote my next traditionally published book, MY JOURNEY MY JOURNAL coming out later this month, all the while continuing to provide my followers with five blog posts every week for at least the next year.

And so the juggling of precious time continues.

How do YOU handle all your daily commitments and obligations filling YOUR plate? Share your tips in the comments below. You never know when you just might help a poor gal out!

*****************

 

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***
***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week six of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Amy Spisak has won the Kingdom’s Dawn audiobook. Thanks for signing up for my newsletter! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…
I’m also happy to announce the latest winner of my LUNADAR Pay It Forward giveaway for educators and librarians who chose to read my novel and provide an honest review on Amazon. The wonderful Lisa Plemons, a librarian at Carpenters Middle School in Maryville Tn, has won an autographed copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound for her library inventory. I will be sending out her prize package soon…

 

Week Seven
***DON’T FORGET! It’s week seven of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to win this ocean themed jewelry set shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post!

LUNADAR cover jpg
Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna
International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

 

 

 

 

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Author Visits

Donna L

Story Catcher Book Signing.jpg

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

 

***********************

 

It’s been a while since I’ve made my round of book signings. I had a book released last year which actually became an international bestseller. That same publishing company, Expert Insights Publishing, will be releasing another book next month and I’ve contributed again. But now, with LUNADAR released last week and MY JOURNEY, MY JOURNAL releasing next month, I’m really going to have my hands full trying to promote TWO BOOKS at once…lol.

In my mind, book promotions are done for two main reasons:

 

BOOK SALES

 

 

Yes, it’s great to have that tangible book in your hand with your name embossed on the front, but any author will tell you it would be nice if that book sold a bunch of copies and made them tons of money as well. But those sales won’t ever happen without the other reason book signings are done.

 

NAME PROMOTION

 

 

The more people who know who you are, the greater the chances they will become an avid reader of your work. In my case, I have a two-fold issue. First, I have to promote myself as Donna L Martin…author of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound and next month author of MY JOURNEY, MY JOURNAL. Secondly, I have to promote myself as editor and publisher of STORY CATCHER PUBLISHING.  Multiple hats call for multiple strategies to promote oneself.

Here are some of the promo items I’m bringing with me as I make my rounds in promoting all the different hats I wear:

 

Lunadar and Chicken Soup books.jpg

 

Plenty of current and prior books. I have to establish myself as a well-seasoned author with more than just one title to my name so new potential readers will realize I’m not just a one-hit wonder.

 

SCP business cards.jpg

 

Business cards to promote my publishing company. I have big dreams for the direction of my new company and the networking I do now will help me in the future.

 

Lunadar map.jpg

 

Book promo items like bookmarks, postcards, and a framed copy of my LUNADAR map. I have two upcoming book signings…one on October 26th at the Book Market in Sevierville, Tn and then on October 30th at McKay’s Bookstore in Knoxville, Tn. I’m dressing up in a costume based on a character from LUNADAR, and have pencils and other swag items to tie into my book.

I’ve also spent a total of $50 this past week on three book promotions vias email, Facebook, and Twitter that put my book in front of more than 600,000 young adult readers. I think that a great use of my marketing budget, don’t you?

Let the marketing fun begin!

 

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***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week four of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Another mystery follower who didn’t leave their name, ([email protected]) has won the $20 Wendy’s gift card. Thanks for following this blog! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

 
Week Five

 

***DON’T FORGET! It’s week five of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to win a beautiful moon and stars necklace shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post, so enter the FREE giveaway and check next Monday to see if you’ve won!

***ALSO…it’s not too late to tell all your educator or school librarian friends about their chance to pick up a FREE copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound during my LUNADAR Pay It Forward FREE giveaway! I’m giving away THOUSANDS of ebook copies between now and Friday, November 2nd, in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. All they have to do is send me a Facebook message or email with their valid email address and I will send them their FREE copy, along with a copy of the LUNADAR map I sketched. Hurry and share the good news about this FREE ebook giveaway before time runs out!***

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Pick Up On Aisle One

Donna L

produce.jpg

 
Now on Tuesdays…at least for the foreseeable future…welcome to Flash Fiction Tuesday. In case you don’t know what flash fiction is, it is an extremely short story (sometimes created in 100 words or less) with a beginning, middle, and an ending,

But in my case, I write flash fiction with an open ending. I allow my readers to draw their own conclusion as to what happens. This week’s story tumbles through the produce aisle…

 

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Hallie tossed her purse into the shopping cart and quickly pushed it toward the produce aisle. It had been a long day, full of irritations stacking one on top of another until she felt like screaming. Five o’clock finally arrived and all Hallie wanted to do was grab a salad before heading home. Barely paying attention as she tossed things into her cart, Hallie rounded the corner and felt a jolt that literally threw her to the floor.

Rubbing her sore backside, Hallie thought it safe to try and stand when a callused hand reached down to help her to her feet. Startled, she looked up into worried blue eyes. Robin egg blue that sent shivers down her spine. She remembered those eyes. They belonged to a set of memories she’d rather not think about these days.

“Hey, are you okay? I didn’t see you.”

Hallie opened her mouth, then tightly pressed her lips together as she jerked her arm from that callused hand.

“I don’t need your help!”

Those blue eyes looked startled as recognition dawned on him and the hand quickly pulled back as if touching fire.

“Hallie? What are you doing back here?”

Slowly getting to her feet, Hallie took a moment to straighten her clothes as she avoided looking into those blue eyes she knew so well. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts. A moment to remind herself to breathe and not let those blue eyes mesmerize her again.

“My aunt died and left me her place.” Oh, why did she let that slip out?

“Aunt Sally is gone? I hadn’t heard. When did it happen?”

Hallie closed her eyes for a moment. Tears wouldn’t help her now. The cold metal bar under her fingertips felt a bit like her heart as she pushed the cart away from the produce aisle. She just wanted to go home and forget those blue eyes. But before she could stop herself, she said the one thing she knew would hurt him.

“She died not too long after you left me standing at the altar.”

***Okay, it’s your turn! What happens next? Does Hallie leave Aisle One all by herself? Or do those blue eyes go after her? Leave a comment below.***

 

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***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

 

audio book

 

I’m happy to announce the winner of week three of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! “Mr. Art’ (he didn’t leave his name on his entry form)  has won an audiobook for following this blog! Congratulations! Look for my email on how to get your prize…

 

 

Week Four

 

***DON’T FORGET! It’s week four of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to win a $20 Wendys food gift card shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post, so enter the FREE giveaway and check next Monday to see if you’ve won!

 

***ALSO…it’s not too late to tell all your educator or school librarian friends about their chance to pick up a FREE copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound during my LUNADAR Pay It Forward FREE giveaway! I’m giving away THOUSANDS of ebook copies between now and Friday, November 2nd, in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. All they have to do is send me a Facebook message or email with their valid email address and I will send them their FREE copy, along with a copy of the LUNADAR map I sketched. Hurry and share the good news about this FREE ebook giveaway before time runs out!***

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in ebook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

 

AN INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: Happy Book Birthday!

Donna L

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

I’m delving into the world of indie publishing. Some authors go the quicker route and use a source like Kindle Direct to immediately get their books out there.

There’s nothing wrong going that route but I’ve decided to take a different path.

 

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I’m flying higher than a kite because today is my big day…

 

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO

LUNADAR: HOMEWARD BOUND!

 

It’s been a long three years, with the past nine months being truly a labor of love. I’ve spent every spare moment poring over author/publisher decisions covering areas including revisions, beta readers, more revisions, editing, and you guessed it…more revisions! I worked with my artist from my book cover concept to the final product. There is even a map of LUNADAR I sketched and put the original in a frame to take with me on book signings. I envisioned the details of my book trailer and found a company to produce it. I worked on all the legal stuff to set up Story Catcher Publishing, including setting up my accounting system, bank accounts, tax ID, business name, etc. Then I went to work on promotional items like postcards, banners, sell sheets, and I’m finalizing my media kit. I’ve labored over marketing…sending out flyers, letters, postcards…gave away free copies of the ebook, set up an educator’s Pay It Foward program, created the TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR freebies giveaway, and awarded prizes for members of my LUNADAR STREET TEAM who left an honest book review of LUNADAR on Amazon. I’ve lined up book parties and book signings, with many more to come. I’ve even gone so far as to create props to include on classroom visits. I’ve covered all my bases and then began a countdown to when my “baby” would become a reality.

Now that LUNADAR is finally here, it’s time to give YOU, my lovely followers, some book “birthday” presents to help celebrate this grand occasion…

 

audio book

 

PRESENT NUMBER ONE:

 

The winner from week three of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR forgot to leave their name with their entry form, so I will simply call them Mr. ART (from part of their email address). Congratulations and look for an email from me real soon on how to receive your prize!

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

 

PRESENT NUMBER TWO

 

Just in time for the paperback release, my ebook edition is on sale through mid-November for only $1.99.

Here’s the Amazon link…http://www.amazon.com/LUNADAR-Homeward-Bound-Donna-Martin-ebook/dp/B07FM1PDRC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539531623&sr=8-1&keywords=lunadar

That’s more than 60% off the regular price! And what a great Christmas present LUNADAR would make for those fantasy loving Kindle readers…;)

 

Week Four

 

PRESENT NUMBER THREE

 

With cooler weather heading our way, what better way to treat yourself after a long day of working on your “to do” list than by stopping by your local fast food place and letting someone else cook dinner for you? Week three prize of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR is a $20 gift card to Wendys. It’s as simple as clicking on the pile of presents to the right of this blog post and entering for a chance to win! The winner of week three will be announced next Monday and all entries of each week will also go into the Grand Prize Drawing for a chance to win 12 copies of different fantasy novels, including an autographed copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound from yours truly!

There will be more exciting announcements and even more giveaways as we head into the holidays, so be sure and check back often! Now to take a moment and catch my breath before I start work on the final book in this trilogy…LUNADAR: Candra’s Revenge!

 

 

birthday

 

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LUNADAR cover jpg

 

 

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), ebook and print edition is now on sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers around the world.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: The Crystal Ball

Donna L

crystal ball

 

Now on Tuesdays…at least for the foreseeable future…welcome to Flash Fiction Tuesday. In case you don’t know what flash fiction is, it is an extremely short story (sometimes created in 100 words or less) with a beginning, middle, and an ending,

But in my case, I write flash fiction with an open ending. I allow my readers to draw their own conclusion as to what happens. This week’s story honors the gypsy culture and the magic to be found there…

 

************

 

A nervous giggle escaped Mattie’s lips as she glanced around the tent once more. Her friends came with her to the gypsy camp outside of town, Had even dared her to seek her future with the fortune teller. Now that she was actually standing in front of the old woman dressed in rich colors and sparkling jewels, Mattie was beginning to think it a bit foolish to have agreed to her friends’ dare.

“Sit down.”

The voice was surprisingly strong, even though it was a mere whisper hanging in the air around them. Mattie sat on a low stool in front of a velvet-covered table. A single crystal ball balanced on a small pedestal in the middle of it. She could have sworn something flickered in its middle, but before Mattie could peer closer the old gypsy covered it with blue-veined hands and began to chant in a low singsong voice. Mattie gazed at the woman, mesmerized as a small band of smoke began to swirl inside the ball, twirling faster and growing larger until it completely filled the ball. The fortune teller’s eyes seem to bore into Mattie’s as that shivery voice filled the tent once more.

“Why are you here?”

Another nervous giggle escaped as Mattie attempted to make a joke of her reasons for entering the tent in the first place.

“Uh, my friends dared me to come in here. I thought it would be funny to see my future.”

The old gypsy stared into the smoke for a long moment before gazing back at the girl sitting opposite the now glowing orb.

“Ahhh, but don’t you want to know about the treasure first?”

***Okay, it’s your turn! What happens next? Is the old gypsy woman for real? What is the treasure she is talking about? And what does she really see in Mattie’s future? Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph in the comments below!***

 

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***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!***

I’m happy to announce the winner of week two of my TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR free giveaway! Sherry Hudson has won the fairie house for following this blog! Congratulations Sharon! She should be receiving her fairie house soon…

 

Week Three
***DON’T FORGET! It’s week three of THE TWELVE WEEKS OF LUNADAR giveaway and this week you get a chance to win the audiobook DARK CURSE by Christine Feehan shown above! Just click on the pile of presents to the right of this post and choose how you would like to enter the FREE giveaway. Winners will be announced every Monday in my INDIE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY post, so enter the FREE giveaway and check next Monday to see if you’ve won!***

***ALSO…it’s not too late to tell all your educator or school librarian friends about their chance to pick up a FREE copy of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound during my LUNADAR Pay It Forward FREE giveaway! I’m giving away THOUSANDS of ebook copies between now and Friday, November 2nd, in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. All they have to do is send me a Facebook message or email with their valid email address and I will send them their FREE copy, along with a copy of the LUNADAR map I sketched. Hurry and share the good news about this FREE ebook giveaway before time runs out!***

***AND…it’s countdown time to the release of LUNADAR: Homeward Bound on 10/15/18! You can now pre-order your print copy through Amazon and other online retailers, so get your copy today!***

 

LUNADAR cover jpg

Ruler by day, a reluctant pirate by night, 18-year-old Princess Ariana fights for her subjects in the waterfall city of LUNADAR. In a kingdom surrounded by fairies and mermaids, and ravaged by deadly Drundles, only a chosen few are trusted to guard her daughter, Candra, as the secret heir to the throne.

But it only takes one ill-fated meeting for Ariana to suddenly be plunged into an escalating web of secrets found in her father’s journal, a deadly kidnapping, and an ever-weakening resolve to turn her back on the call of the merman’s song.

With Ariana’s world falling apart and the future of LUNADAR at stake, how will she bring her father’s murderer to justice and fulfill a deathbed promise to protect Lunadar’s legacy?

 

donna

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), ebook edition, is now available from Amazon, with the print edition coming October 15, 2018.