Sunday, June 21, 2015

Crimson Cloak Publishing

Hello and a very good July to all you happy merry readers out there. Life in the publishing world has been exciting and I am following a childhood dream.
As a young-un I was always somewhere far away instead of attending to my school work.
Late in life the dream has come true. CCP has taken me under it's wing and purchased the rights to my work and things are going swimmingly so I thought it was time you all met the wonderful people responsible for my success.
The following is an interview with Carly McCracken the founder of CCP  and gives thumbs up to my work. (which by the way is good in publishing but as a roper if you rope with your thumb up you are probably gonna be called four fingers) :)


So sip that drink you have and read the how and why Crimson Cloak Publishing is reaching out to the hearts and minds of a new generation. Then put them in your favorite places and climb on board, (how do you all like those metaphors.


The Crimson Cloak Anthologies http://crimsoncloakpublishing.com/anthologies.html
Why do you do this?
Like the juggler who performed his acrobatics at the altar because he had no cash offering to lay upon it, we give what we can, donating our skills. Stories are only live when they are being read. Like children, after the struggle to bring them forth writers only want them to be happy and to do some good in the world. This way they can.
What do you get out of it?
To sell books, authors have to be visible; their work has to be seen. This way they can introduce their works to the world while doing some good. Everyone wins. Kindness is catching, you know! That’s why we started our Pink Piffing campaign: encouraging people to Pay It Forward in gratitude for their blessings, anything from being afforded the sight of a beautiful sunset to an unexpected windfall.
Isn’t this just corporate sponsorship?
As far as we know, this has never been done before in quite this way. It is a gift we make to a charity, followed up by marketing work to help it grow for them. It is their book, every copy sold generates money for the charity, none of the contributors earn anything from the anthologies. To raise money for themselves, a charity has only to open their heart and encourage people to buy the book, no request is made for actual publicity or branding. Some selling platforms don’t allow books to be permanently free, so selling it increases the range of outlets that will carry the book and generates more money for the charity. And if the charity can get direct sponsorship of their anthology for themselves, we will give them the written right to do this.
Aren’t you giving the book away as well?
Publishing is an odd business, giving a book away is a proven way of generating sales for it. People have to know about it before they can buy it! Each anthology contains a section about the charity it’s in aid of, what they are trying to do, links to their website etc., so the book acts like an advertising leaflet for that charity. Everyone loves a freebie: if the charity offers the book for free they can use it to thank their supporters for their interest, reward donors, tell new people about what they do, and create a buzz that leads to new funding. Everyone wins!
Don’t they have to pay for the Print version?
The publisher donates time, experience and money preparing and marketing the book for the charity, and couldn’t afford to give away printed copies on top. Each print-on-demand print book is sold at COST plus one dollar for the charity, so anyone, including the charity and its supporters, is free to buy it and sell it on at a profit to raise funds for them. This is a win-win situation as the charity will still receive the $1 per print book sold even if they buy their own book for resale, or to use as a raffle prize in fundraisers.
Isn’t this just a gimmick?
Our lovely contributors were so enthusiastic about the first one that we incorporated the anthologies into a permanent expression of our corporate ethos. Four volumes will come out in 2015 and we will continue to produce new ones. It is our way of Piffing.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Presenting Esma Race

Here is a great writer from CCP:
For some reason my program will not let me load pictures:
I hope you will enjoy what she has to say.


I was very young, about seven years old. I wrote a short story about a pony called Star.
No muse I am afraid. I do the whole story in my head as I go about my daily life before I put pen to paper. I always use a pencil and writing pad.
I tend to write late at night or early morning, but not every day, or even every week, just when I have the story clear in my mind,
I have never felt blocked , I think that is because I don't put myself under any pressure,
I read lots of crime my favourite authors are Stephan Leather, Karen Rose, Karen Slaughter, Kate Atkinson, Harlan Cobden, and Lesley Pearse, also Philippa Gregory ( Historical )
I can only write short stories, I have done a Book of Fairy stories, called The Magic World of Bracken Lea, The character of Glodwyn is the hero of my book, and his name was used in the first anthology printed by CCP , and he featured in one of the stories, ' Horrid Rex Bites the Dust'
I have a very busy life, working as a Reflexologist , my interests are History, The paranormal , gardening reading and traveling.
I was born in Cheshire in the UK , I am married and have two daughters , three granddaughters, one great granddaughter, one grandson, and four great grandsons, I love the natural world and all animals

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Meet Mark Conte

The following is all about a fellow author at CCP:
How old were you when you discovered you had a passion for putting thought to page?

    I was eight years old and telling stories to the neighborhood women every Saturday night.   However, I did not start writing it down on paper until I was 40 years old.

 

Do you have a muse? If so, who (if you want to share) if not what gets you in the seat to start the process?  

  No, I just have myself.  Sometimes the ideas come so fast I can hardly keep up with the typing, but that is the best part.

 

How many hours a day do you write?

  Usually three hours in the morning.  Near the end of a book I write all through the day getting to the end.

 

 If you get blocked, what techniques do you use to clear your mind?

  I never get blocked.  If I sit at the computer I am ready to write.  Sometimes I’m not sure what I want to do at a certain point, then I work on another story till the solution comes to me.

 

Of all time, who are your very favorite authors?

James Hilton, Edwin O;Connor, Don Delillo, Ernest Hemmingwasy, Bosis Pasternak and John Steinbeck.

 

What do you like to do for fun?      

    I used to go on my boat and fish for large mouth bass in the mornings when I lived on Lake Bradford but I’m getting to od for that.  I do enjoy Going to a great restaurant and having a wonderful lunch or dinner with a cocktail or two.. 

 

What is your book about
It's the story of an Italian family who buy a live lamb on Good Friday and fatten it up all day Friday and Saturday, then slaughter it and have it for Easter dinner.  However, this year, the children devise a plan to save the lamb from its fate.


 I have had fiction, poetry, articles and guest columns in 67 publications, including Yankee magazine, Crazy Horse, Southern Poetry Review, Poetry International, Potomac Review, Piladelphia Daily News and New York Times.  I Won Honorable Mention in the PEN American award for short fiction, First Prize in poetry in the Barbwire Theater in San Francisco, California and first prize in the Packard Poetry Awards in the New York Quarterly magazine. I was director of the Florida State University Poet series and appointed Master Poet by the Florida Arts Council. My recent books are The Ghost, 2013 and The Easter Lamb, due April 2015.  I am a member of the Authors Guild and the Academy of American Poets.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Almost Time

Hello again fellow readers. Just thought I would pop in here and give you and up date from the saddle.
Crimson Cloak Publishing informs me that Steps in Time and Glodwyn's Treasure Chest will be ready soon. As in real soon. So keep that credit card at the ready.


My newest novel, Murder In Auburn has been delivered to editing and will be ready, when ever, whenever. LOL.


It is a ride with 4 rodeo cowboys one of whom is murdered in...you guessed it Auburn and they have to help solve the crime.
Also soon from CCP.


Summer is almost here, Spring has sprung and I was at the stable yesterday with daughter and her husband. Lots of people and a little riding.


Till next time, Cowboy/Cowgirl Up.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Still Trying? Dont Give It UP.

Welcome new readers. This is a new blog, I now have 4 that is designed specifically for my new publishing company. Crimson Cloak.


Please click on the link and pay them a visit. There you will find great reading from great up and coming authors of whom I am one.
http://www.crimsoncloakpublishing.com/glodwyn-s-treasure-chest.html


CC now has two works for me and I am under contract for a full length murder mystery. Plus I will be publishing short stories from time to time.
I also am hoping for a book full of short stories by the end of the year. ah yes, an end of the year miracle.


My novel is currently only 20,000 words so there is a long way to go.


Why is my blog about saddles, well, most all my stories evolve around the cowboy lifestyle. Horses were and currently are an integral part of my life and I write about what I know.


Also I just bought a part interest into a thoroughbred race horse. See him run at Santa Anita by May or June. (I hope).


I also have in the works a comic strip I want to call 420 high. About life in a (what else) high school.
So saddle up and enjoy the ride.


My first work about a pony is available at Amazon.com: Glodwyn's Treasure Chest. it is a semi true story of a pony I bought by son Bill some 40 years ago: and he still hates me for that one. LOL.


I just submitted one that hopefully will be out as a Christmas story about the NFR. (don't now what that is they you ain't no cowboy, look it up.)


So as soon as I can figure out how to configure this dang web site it will look a lot better. I really hate computers and they hate me so cut me just a wee bit of slack as I try to put links, pictures et. on here.


So cowboy up, put on your spurs and let's ride.