I used to share what I was reading on my Tumblr blog, but since Tumblr has flagged Love Lies Bleeding’s cover one too many times (nothing more scandalous than 19th-century statue nudity, you know), I’ve decided to switch to posting about my current reads here.
I just finished Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie. (A good alternate title might have been “Be Grateful You’re Not Royalty.”)
Next I’m starting Mort by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #4), which I’m very much looking forward to.
What are you reading these days?
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
(P.S. If you want to see what else I’ve read, check out my Goodreads page.)
Let me start by wishing everyone the very best in the new year and new decade!
The 2010s seemed to drag by, especially these past couple of years. To be honest, the last decade wasn’t a good one for me. Although some great things happened, I also lost my mom. Longtime friendships ended for no good reason. Things I’d been counting on working out, didn’t. Things I’d been hoping would happen never did. My much-loved car got totalled. And, oh yeah, my house was destroyed (sadly, I’m not being melodramatic– thank you, ice storm of 2013).
But all of that is in the past now and I feel a change in the air. Things are about to get good.
As we look ahead to a (hopefully) brighter future, I’ve put together a quick list of things we all need to leave behind as we start a brand new decade…
Regrets. Unless you’ve got a time machine and can go back and change things, let go of ‘what ifs’ and ‘should’ve dones.’ On the other hand, if there’s something you can still do– go for it. It’s never too late.
Facebook. There are many reasons to quit Facebook (this article goes into some of them). Although the site is helpful in promoting my books, I’m seriously thinking of leaving (or at least shifting my focus to other social media sites).
Outdated thinking. When the wheel was invented, there were undoubtedly people who didn’t see the point of the new invention; those people quickly got left behind (where they were probably picked off by sabre-toothed tigers). Things change, including the way the world thinks. It’s time to reconsider the beliefs we hold on to that are holding us back.
The myth that working hard = success. People who have done well in life like to claim that hard work is what got them there. If you look closely, though, what you’ll find is that they actually owe their success to good connections, plenty of help, and a lot of luck. I mean a lot. Hard work might help you maintain it, but if all you needed to succeed was to work hard, the 1% and the 99% would have switched places a long time ago.
The idea that there’s only one way to live. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to life. What works for you won’t necessarily work for anyone else (and vice versa).
Conspiracies. You haven’t discovered mind-blowing super secret knowledge that everyone else is too blind/asleep/indoctrinated to see– you’re just delusional. Bonus fact: real evidence isn’t found on the internet.
Cats vs dogs. This isn’t a thing. All animals are awesome.
Anything vs anything else. We create artificial divisions to give us a false sense of belonging and it’s stupid. We’re all in this together: it’s time we started acting like it instead of going out of our way to create problems. We don’t have to be identical to get along and work together.
Plastic. The entire planet is choking on the stuff, and recycling isn’t working. There are more and more alternatives to plastic every day, including products made of green materials, and products that come in plastic-free (or no) packaging. Seek those out.
Bizarre humanoid singing-and-dancing CGI cat creatures. Let’s all just pretend that never happened, shall we?
What do you think– anything to add to the list? Share in the comments. All the best in 2020!
There’s nothing quite like reading. You start out staring at words on a page or screen, and– if all goes well –the next thing you know, you’re visualizing a vivid story in your head and empathizing with characters who suddenly feel like you’ve known them your whole life. A good story will give you the feels, stay with you long past the end of the book, and will make you want to go back and read it again.
We writers live to give readers this kind of experience. We write in the hopes of creating something worth reading, worth remembering. And make no mistake– it’s hard work. Lonely, demanding, often draining work, with more than its share of frustrations, setbacks, and disappointments. What is so effortless to read has taken someone months, years, maybe even decades to write and publish. While a few authors become household names, most toil on in obscurity, for the sheer love of writing.
As a reader, what can you do to help brighten a writer’s day and make the struggle worthwhile (not to mention keep the stories coming)? Here are 7 suggestions (6 of which don’t cost a penny):
1. Buy their books! Authors whose books sell can keep writing. If you like their work, help them keep producing it. (Handy reminder: find out where you can get Love Lies Bleedinghere.)
2. If you prefer borrowing to buying, then borrow from a library or an official lending service like Scribd. It might be easier to borrow your friend’s copy, but the author doesn’t get anything that way. Libraries and lending services compensate authors and help them keep writing.
3. Ask your local bookstore or library to carry their books. Shelf space and budgets are limited, so stores and libraries often won’t offer a book unless they know people want it. (Handy Hint: give them the ISBN, as well as the title. Love Lies Bleeding’s ISBN is: 978-1775012528.)
4. Read their book! Seems obvious, but with everyone’s busy lives, it’s easy to set a book aside for later and then forget about it. Please don’t let this happen– an unread author is an unhappy author.
5. Review or rate their books on sites like Amazon or Goodreads (bookstore sites are also good). If you like what you’ve read– let the world know what you think. Just a line or two will do.
6. Share on social media (and tell your friends too). Help spread the word.
7. Go to their events. Say hi, get a book signed, let them know they’re not sending their work out into a void. Writers might not be the most social people, but we love meeting our readers!
Do you have other ways to help support your favourite indie authors? Share in the comments…
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
PS: Take a moment to download your FREE copies of my short stories Tooth & Claw and Blood Magic(or if you already have, click the links to leave a rating/review)!
If you spend any time around the internet, you’re bound to come across at least one headline declaring that blogging is dead (those headlines have been around for years at this point). As a writer and long-time blogger (you may have seen my other blogs, Blood Lines and Whimsy Bower), this causes me some anxiety. But is there any truth to the rumours?
From my research on the topic, if your aim is to earn a living solely from traditional blogging (that is, written articles on specific topics), you might want to hang on to your day job.
On the other hand, if you’re a writer who wants to share your work (and maybe market your books while you’re at it), carry on. Although traditional blogging might be less popular than it once was, there are still people who prefer to read a post than watch a video (which, ironically, most people watch without sound, so end up reading captions anyway). And while social media is a form of blogging, it doesn’t replace traditional blogs (but it is an excellent companion to them). The fact that most of the material debating the future of blogging is written on blogs should tell you something about their so-called demise.
If you’re concerned your blog isn’t getting as much of an audience as it should, you can do a few things to help:
Promote it on social media. Make sure you’re active on at least a couple of different sites and always let your followers know that you have a new post up (don’t forget to include the link). Use hashtags to help a wider audience find you.
Be part of the community. If your blog is on a site like WordPress, find other blogs on that site and make sure to follow, like, and comment. That will help bring fellow community members to your blog too.
Post regularly. It can be once a day or once a month, but keep your blog active. Posting on a regular schedule gives readers something to look forward to.
Try a new type of post. Don’t feel you have to switch over entirely (especially if you’re a writer), but if you can manage the occasional voice or video post, it keeps things interesting. Or switch up the type of posts you do (if you’re usually word heavy, try a photo post).
Don’t write just what you want–think about what your audience might be interested in and give them a reason to engage with your blog.
Don’t try too hard. Imitating other successful bloggers or trying to follow a formula are both great ways to fail. The idea of “being authentic” is clichéd, but it’s also valid. Not everyone will like you as you are, but no one will like you if you try to be someone else (and you won’t be happy with what you produce, either).
Humans love variety–that’s why we don’t eat the same meal three times a day or read a single book repeatedly. And that’s why blogging won’t die. Even as blogs take on new forms, traditional blogs will always have an audience.
What do you think–does blogging have a future? What do you do to make your blog stand out? Let me know in the comments (and don’t forget to like and share)…
If I weren’t involved with books or publishing, I’d be a decorator/interior designer (not sure I have the artistic skills for it, but I would try). I love putting a room together and my tastes are highly eclectic–everything from Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau to Amélie’s apartment and the Gryffindor common room. I’m drawn to spaces that are comfortable, warm, colourful, and with some whimsy. In my own home, most rooms need to include books too. Minimalism? No thanks. (The only books for my donate pile are the ones that tell me to get rid of my other books.)
I thought I’d share some pictures of home libraries I find inspiring. I don’t own any of these photos–I saved them all from Pinterest (follow me). If you see your photo here and would like me to credit or remove it, please let me know.
I love the cozy feel of Vita Sackville-West’s library. And you can never go wrong with a tower.
Author Vita Sackville-West’s Tower Library / photo: Writers´ Houses
Bookcase art, flowers, and comfy couch inspiration here:
Based on the way the shelves are set up, this is probably a bookstore, but I don’t care. I would love a room packed with shelves and featuring a window seat. Great floor too.
For those of us who can’t afford a Parisian apartment like this one, the look could probably be emulated with wallpaper, paint, and similar furniture. And a whole lot of books ❤
Aspasía S. Bissas 