Wednesday, March 13, 2019

5 Reasons Why Authors Should:

Write Blog Posts and Articles

1. Articles can provide authors with presence in the jungle of the net.
If you don't already have an established, well-visited website or blog, it may take years for Google to trust your site and rank in search results. The OAG blog, because we add interesting content daily, have a pretty strong presence in search.

2. Practice makes perfect.
The more you write, the better and more unique your writing style will become.  Writing articles is a great way to practice and perfect your craft. Your articles will also help you grow your audience and get them excited about your next book.

3. Articles establish your credibility.
Having good, interesting, and valuable content is going to establish your credibility which is especially critical for nonfiction authors. Readers and buyers have millions of books and authors to choose from, but something about you and your writing needs to stand out. Finding your articles online through Google searches, or seeing them posted on your social media channels and your book selling sites, will show buyers that you are serious about your writing.

4. Writing articles enables you to build your audience.
In addition to having a presence on social sites, writing articles also help you build connections. Articles and blogs are another way for people to get to know you and your work. It’s a way for people to hear your voice. A lot of authors write articles for other blogs or website or agree to share and promote another author’s blog with their community. This is a great way to reach new audiences.

5. You get valuable feedback.
Okay, there are a few jerks who criticize anything anonymously just because they're jerks. That's why the OAG blog is set up the way that only those can comment who signed into Google.

Would you like to write articles for the OAG blog?
The posts are shared with our hashtag #OurAuthorGang. When someone clicks on the hashtag on social sites, they can see the long line of posts and if they find your article interesting, they will click your article, read your content, and learn more about you. 

Erika M Szabo




Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Procrastination, a bad companion

If you are a writer, but generally in every situation, you understand that when you have a schedule, this is supposed to be honored. Following a schedule is like giving your word, it is a promise you made whether with your employer, with the chores of the house with your friends but mostly with yourself.

The good old say ‘don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today’ holds a very important piece of advice and here there are a few reasons why you should follow this golden rule. The three most important of those are the followings:

1. If you keep procrastinating, you will forget about what you need to do, and you will end up with broken promises, and troubles.

2. You will accumulate so many things at the end that you won’t be able to do at the time they were due.

3. You will spend nights of sleep, trying to keep up a schedule that was perfectly feasible and became impossible.

Do you think I am exaggerating? Maybe yes and maybe not.
The problem is that I have always been the kind of person that wanted to be ahead of schedule so that I could enjoy my free time without any panic.
Becoming a writer, turned my schedules upside down, and suddenly like the transformation between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I have turned myself from Dr. always-organized to Ms. live-now-worry-later.
The problem is that living now to worry later means that I will be not just worried, I will be in full panic. So what is the end of this story?
Organize yourself, if you aren’t able, keep a calendar, if you think you will risk ignoring the calendar, put alarms during the whole day, but don’t risk to forget things, appointments, duties, and schedules.
I know it might sound like an obvious advice, but you will never know when it will happen that you will also turn into Mr. live-now-worry-later!
Cheers!

Monday, March 11, 2019

Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two


Palace of the Three Crosses

Christina Weigand





Brandan and Joachim have returned from the brink of Hell, but everyone questions if they are truly healed and one with Asha.
As each prince tries to readjust to life, they must face the funeral of their father and their missing mother.
They each take on the responsibility of ruling a country with new wives by their sides, but can they and the countries survive the trials that will ensue because of their choices?




Queen Maeve






Queen Magda/Gudrun





Excerpt

Rupert looked through the window in his tower room at the landscape of Wyrzburg. Months had passed since the Battle of Harable Valley and the spring planting season faded into the wonderful summer growing season. The land progressed in its healing and would soon be returned to its former state. As he turned from the window, he thought about the things that hadn’t healed…the twins. Brandan and Joachim still had a long way to go to erase the darkness that infected them. Joachim seemed better, but at night he still dreamed of Sidramah, and the doubts about what happened still haunted him. Brandan appeared even further from the boy that left to find his brother. The darkness appeared to follow him day and night. He withdrew to chambers as far away from Joachim as he could get.

Walking down the stairs to the great hall, Rupert remembered when the princes first returned; both had seemed healed and better than ever, maybe. But it appeared as if the tentacles of Sidramah still lingered. Any small opening the evil one could find, he exploited, and both boys were once again haunted by dark dreams.


 Palace of Twelve Pillars





Excerpt II

 “We could have been one happy family, but now, I have to kill the two of you along with Lilia. You brats have put me in disfavor with Sidramah, and the only way to regain his favor is to get rid of all three of you. I had hoped to spare at least one, but alas, that is now impossible. The only question is…who’s first? The time has come for a decision.”



Brandan stood beside Joachim, his face working with barely controlled rage. He lunged toward Waldrom.

Waldrom sensed the presence of magic and glanced behind him. Rupert and Lukan stood at his back. He grabbed Lilia and pulled her close, placing his short sword at her throat. “I suggest you stop, or I will cut her throat,” he warned Brandan. To emphasize his point, he pressed the sword against her skin puncturing her flesh.
Brandan, took another step.

“I wouldn’t do that, unless you want your mother's corpse on your hands.”

Joachim wanted to run to Lilia, but his head whirled. Stars floated in front of his eyes, their motion making him sick with dizziness. He stepped up to stand beside Brandan. “Waldrom, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. First, you’re outnumbered. Second, what makes you think you can use Mother to blackmail us? Let her go, and we’ll discuss your surrender. I don’t want to kill you.”

Brandan pushed Joachim aside. “You may not, brother, but I do. He’ll stop at nothing to destroy me. I can’t let that happen.” 

A group of Brandan's personal guard came charging down the hall. Waldrom pushed the sword point a little further into Lilia's throat. “I see you boys still don’t agree on anything. I suggest you stop the group of soldiers from attacking me. Rupert, I know you’re back there, trying to form a spell to stop me. That wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

The tableau unfolded before Joachim's eyes. Waldrom, in the center of the circle holding Lilia with a short sword slicing her throat and Brandan, his long sword drawn, advancing on Waldrom. Rupert and Lukan with sword drawn, stood motionless behind Waldrom. Conflicting voices rang in Joa's head. “Kill them all. You don’t need them.” Other voices calling, “Joachim save them.”

Lukan yelled, “Sire, watch out behind you.”

Joachim started and turned as a Mantion rushed him. He pulled his short sword from his scabbard. The attacker reached him. The king swung his weapon cutting and angering the Mantion. The foe sliced Joachim's knees with his knife, leaving a gash in his thigh. Joachim doubled over in pain. The Mantion leapt on his back and pummeled the king. The weight of the attacker lifted from his back. Joachim fearfully turned his head, expecting to see the Mantion standing over him ready to deliver the kill stroke. Instead, Brandan stood with the Mantion dead at his feet and Waldrom frozen behind him.

“What happened? I felt sure I was dead. And what happened to Waldrom?”

Brandan offered a hand to help Joachim to his feet. “I couldn’t let that Mantion kill you. I skewered him and cast a freezing spell. Let’s clean up this mess and get Waldrom and his pets locked in the dungeon until we can figure out what to do with him.”

“Think again young wizard.” Waldrom’s voice echoed down the long hall. “I believe your magic has failed. Then again, we shouldn’t be surprised. You always struggled with your spells.”

Brandan turned slowly to face Waldrom. Joachim could not support his own weight and slumped to the floor again.

“See, you haven’t even helped your brother. You foolish boy. You are useless, and I think it is time to rid the world of your worthless life. But first, let me get rid of everyone you treasure and failed. I’ll finish off your weak excuse of a brother. Then you can watch your mother die, and finally…I will put you out of your misery.” Waldrom pointed a bony finger at Joachim.

Joachim screamed as pain rolled over his body. Blood spurted from his ears and the scar on his neck. “Asha help me!” he prayed.
Fighting the waves of agony, he stood and drew his long sword. “You won’t hurt anyone in ever again. End this now! Surrender. Release Mother and I will see that you are treated mercifully.”
Brandan blocked Joachim's path. “This isn’t your battle. Let me finish this.”

 “No. We must stand as one to defeat this evil.” Joachim winced when he stepped forward, and blood spurted from the wound in his leg. “We must do this together. It’s the only way we can defeat him, as one with Asha.”

Waldrom laughed. Pulling Lilia closer, he pushed the sword deeper into her throat.

Joachim's scar tingled at the memory of his own injury. Waldrom had started it, Brandan finished it. “You can’t trust Brandan. Leave him and stand with me. I am your only hope.” Joachim shook his head. “I am here for you my son. Stand with Brandan.” The voices argued in his mind.

Joachim glanced down the hallway. Lukan was back, leading a group of Joachim’s personal guard toward Waldrom. Soon, Lukan stood directly behind Waldrom with a sword to his back.

“Let go of the queen and submit peacefully,” Lukan ordered.
Waldrom laughed. “You think your silly little soldiers will stop me from getting what I came for.”

Joachim took a step toward him. “Waldrom, you’re surrounded. Don’t you see how hopeless this is?”

“How quickly you pathetic boys forget. I’m Sidramah's Anointed One. With that comes great power.” Waldrom waved his free hand, and Lukan fell to his knees.

“You think you can take me captive and not use magic to do it? Of course, we have already seen that Brandan's magic is powerless. Joachim, you‘ve some silly notion you shouldn’t use your magic against me. So, it seems as if I’m the one with control here, not you.”








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Sunday, March 10, 2019

March Book Show at #OurAuthorGang

Today is author appreciation day at OAG
We showcase some of the books of the most active members of the OAG blog and Facebook Group
We're happy to announce a new release audiobook by the founder of OAG
EBOOK

Enter to win a free audiobook HERE
Books by the most active OAG members
Click on the links below the book covers to check out the books and more work from the authors
 Memoir

Urban fantasy 

 YA Fantasy 

Literary criticism
 Poetry
 Fantasy
Thriller
 Suspense
AMAZON 
Mystery
AMAZON 
 Gothic fiction
AMAZON
 Suspense
AMAZON
Self-help
AMAZON 
Poetry
AMAZON 
 Romance
AMAZON
Fantasy
AMAZON 
 Fantasy
AMAZON
 Family saga
AMAZON
Romance
AMAZON 

Thriller
Short stories
Christian education 
AMAZON
 Poetry
AMAZON
Women's fiction
Short stories
Paranormal romance 
AMAZON
 Visionary fiction
AMAZON
 Romance
AMAZON
Sci-fi 
AMAZON
Historical fantasy 
 AMAZON


 Paranormal fantasy


 Military fantasy


Paranormal 


Horror
 AMAZON
 
Gothic fiction
AMAZON 
Historical fantasy
AMAZON 
Spanish fantasy
AMAZON

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