Tag: creative writing

• Why I’m Cutting Back on Social Media as an Indie Author

  A week before Christmas in 2018, a virus attacked my brain stem. Technically, it was my vestibular nerve, which is responsible for communication between the eyes, inner ears, and brain. The condition is called vestibular neuritis (yes, you can Google it). The result of this random, weird sickness was the world wouldn’t stop spinning and…

  Shari Lopatin

  May 2, 2019

  Personal Posts, Social Issues

  anxiety, blogging, creative writing, dystopia, indie author, mental health, science fiction, self-publishing, Social media, technology, The Apollo Illusion, Writing

• Naomi Alderman’s ‘The Power’ Flips Girl Power on its Head (Book Review)

  *Please note that I may earn a small commission should you click any of the links in this post to make a purchase. However, I bought my own copy of this book and reviewed it independently of any commissions, payments, or trade-offs. The Power makes a strong societal and political statement meant for girls and…

  Shari Lopatin

  February 18, 2019

  Book Reviews

  #MeToo, book review, books, creative writing, dystopia, dystopian fiction, feminism, fiction, girl power, Naomi Alderman, publishing, reading, The Power, Writing

• How ‘American War’ by Omar El Akkad Will Change Your Worldviews (Book Review)

  *Please note that I may earn a small commission should you click any of the links in this post to make a purchase. However, I bought my own copy of this book and reviewed it independently of any commissions, payments, or trade-offs. *This book was a Shari’s Pick for January 2019!   ‘American War’ drags…

  Shari Lopatin

  January 8, 2019

  Book Reviews

  American War, book recommendation, book review, books, creative writing, dystopian fiction, fiction, Omar El Akkad, reading, refugees, science fiction, war, Writing

• An Awesome Tool for Authors to Build Email Lists, Readers to Get Free Books!

  Happy Saturday fellow readers and indie authors! I recently found an awesome new (affordable) tool  to help build my email list as an author. It’s also fantastic for readers who want to get free books from new authors in exchange for reviews. And no — it’s not NetGalley. The name of the tool is Voracious…

  Shari Lopatin

  January 5, 2019

  For the Writers, Media Strategy/Marketing Tips

  book marketing, books, creative writing, email marketing, indie author, marketing, marketing tips, publishing, readers, reading, self-publishing, Voracious Readers Only, Writing

• Hilary Dartt Gives Life a Second Chance with ‘The Composition of Order’ (Book Review)

  A wonderful, delightful story that had me crying at the end, with characters so real, I felt like they were my neighbors. Book: The Composition of Order (The Seedling Homestead Series Book 1) Author: Hilary Dartt Publisher: Darttboard Creative Writing, LLC Published: Sept. 19, 2018 Link to Purchase: https://bookshop.org/a/80019/9781950335008 Stars: 5/5 [DISCLAIMER: For the sake…

  Shari Lopatin

  October 20, 2018

  Book Reviews

  book blogger, book recommendation, book review, books, books worth reading, creative writing, fiction, Hilary Dartt, reading, The Composition of Order, women’s fiction

• READ A SNEAK PEEK! Apollo Illusion Offshoot to be Launching Soon, ‘Stone from HELL’

  If you read my debut novel, The Apollo Illusion, then you know all about Stone and HELL. But how did Stone become the person he was in The Apollo Illusion? “Stone from HELL: An Apollo Illusion Short Story” is the backstory of how Stone came to be, and the birth of the infamous organization, HELL.…

  Shari Lopatin

  October 17, 2018

  The Apollo Illusion

  books, creative writing, dystopia, dystopian fiction, indie author, reading, science fiction, scifi, short stories, short story, Stone from HELL, The Apollo Illusion, Writing

• Yes, You Have to Price Your Books Low if You Want People to Buy Them

  You dedicated two years to working on your first novel (here’s mine!). Spent several hundred dollars (or even a couple thousand) on editors and designers. And now that you’re ready to publish, you’re being told to price your book LOW? Screw that, right? I’m Here to Tell You that Low Prices = Higher Readership I…

  Shari Lopatin

  October 2, 2018

  For the Writers

  book marketing, books, creative writing, indie author, marketing, marketing tips, publishing, reading, self-publishing

• Why Indie Authors Have to Stick Together

  I’ve heard self-publishing “experts” say time and time again that no big difference exists between an author going the traditional route or the indie route. Ahem — I beg to differ. Therefore, here are the reasons why us indie authors have to stick together: 1) We have to pay for EVERYTHING. Editors, designers, copyright filing,…

  Shari Lopatin

  September 27, 2018

  For the Writers

  blogging, books, creative writing, eBooks, fiction, humor, indie author, publishing, reading, self-publishing, Writing

• Win a SIGNED Copy of my Book, The Apollo Illusion!

  Do you love reading, author-signed books, and fun giveaways? Well … Starting today, I’m launching a giveaway for two SIGNED copies of my debut YA science fiction/dystopian suspense novel, The Apollo Illusion. That means YOU could win one of two author-signed copies! Wanna enter? Here’s how: Enter the Giveaway! To enter the giveaway, just sign…

  Shari Lopatin

  September 6, 2018

  The Apollo Illusion

  book giveaway, books, creative writing, dystopian fiction, giveaway, publishing, reading, science fiction, signed book, technology, The Apollo Illusion, Writing, young adult fiction

• Screaming is What We Do Best (As Writers Writing for Nothingness)

  DO YOU EVER FEEL like writing nothing for the sake of nothingness, in a black hole of a vacuum of ideas, pandering and rambling about rambling in pure space and time, because the blank page mocks you into a fury? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I just want to write, and type, and stumble over words, words…

  Shari Lopatin

  August 13, 2018

  Personal Posts, Random Rants

  art, blogging, creative writing, inspiration, journaling, literature, poetry, reading, wordplay, wordsmithing, Writing