Hello, and Happy Friday to you all.
I hope everyone is doing well this day.
Here, Friend and publishing Assistant Claire Plaisted of Plaisted Publishing House and I are working diligently on getting The Writer’s Grapevine ready for publication.
We’ve hit a screen reader snag, and I’ve had to put the magazine production on pause while awaiting an answer from Casey Mathews of Web Friendly Help, who I wrote to for help.
Now, I know that some of you are now panicking, because you know that you sent me some pretty important announcements this month, some of which are in fact time sensitive.
Not to worry. I’ve got you covered.
In an effort to make certain that things are shared in a timely manner, I’m putting out the ‘In the News’ column.
To Writer’s Grapevine readers and contributors, we apologize for the delay in the release of the magazine in it’s completion, but as author Abbie Johnson Taylor reminded me yesterday, “Good things come to those who wait.”
And now, The News…
*READER’S NOTE*
The following was prepared before the new submission guidelines for The Writer’s Grapevine were put in place so what you’re about to read does not necessarily go with what will be in the future.
IN THE NEWS…
1) MEET ME ACCESSIBLY NOW FREE FOR DOWNLOAD!
[Mosen Consulting Announcement] My audiobook about Zoom Cloud Meetings is now free
Kia ora everyone, from a beautiful Wellington New Zealand.
As many of you know, I’m now CEO of a national organisation here in New Zealand. I’m no longer developing Mosen Consulting projects, but I keep titles available as long as they remain relevant. Occasionally, I check in to see what we have sold through our automated system.
Having just done this, I have noticed a sharp increase in the number of people buying my audiobook on Zoom Cloud Meetings, “Meet Me Accessibly”, which is a three-hour description of how to use Zoom on a range of platforms with a screen reader. There has been a very sharp spike in sales in just the last few days.
Clearly, this is because more people are already working from home or are preparing to do so.
I do not feel comfortable profiting from a need people have during a crisis that is unprecedented in living memory. If people need access to the material at a time like this, I can afford to give it away especially since Mosen Consulting is no longer my primary means of making a living.
I have therefore refunded in full everyone who has purchased “Meet Me Accessibly” during March, and made it free on the website. You are welcome to download it free and distribute it anywhere you want. The only thing I ask is that you please not change any of the files and that it be distributed in full.
Download it free from http://mosen.org/zoom
I hope this helps in some small way during a very tough time for many.
There is no sugar coating the fact that we are living through a very difficult period in history. But if we follow quality advice including regular handwashing and levels of isolation appropriate for the degree of outbreak in our country, we’ll get through it.
Let’s all do our best to stay safe, be mindful of the safety of others, and be kind.
Take care.
Jonathan
2) A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AUTHOR J. E. PINTO!
Dear Readers.
My name is Jo Elizabeth Pinto, and I’m writing on behalf of a friend.
Angela Latessa, of Euclid, Ohio, is raising money for a very specific type of ‘Service Dog.’
She is supposed to make another payment of $3875 to Sit Service Dogs Inc. of Illinois, Inc., for the dog who is being trained to assist her with guidework, seizure alert, balance help, and object retrieval tasks. The school has been very gracious due to circumstances the likes of which none of us have ever seen before.
But we figure since we can’t hold a real Italian dinner fundraiser at a live location like a church, the way Angela had been talking about doing, we’ll hold a virtual dinner online instead. On Monday, March 30, we’ll get together for the best plate of imaginary Italian food you ever had. Lasagna, garlic bread, tiramisu, how about it? The illustrious chef Amy Baxter will assemble the food in pictures and words; a treat for all the senses. Her husband Mark, a real rock-and-roll street musician, will tune up his guitar and play a few songs for us. Kaiti Shelton, a music therapist and songwriter, has written a ditty called “Coronavirus Blues” she’ll roll out for the occasion, along with some other numbers. I’ll upload a YouTube video of an excerpt from my novel, “The Bright Side of Darkness,” and offer active Audible members from the United States or the United Kingdom who donate at least $5 to the fundraiser a free promotion code for a download of the book. Other entertainment is yet to be determined, but it’s guaranteed to be fun and family friendly.
For a suggested donation of at least $5, you’ll get an evening of virtual food and live entertainment, and you’ll be moving Angela toward her goal of obtaining a service dog who will help her regain independent travel. Are you in?
Link to event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/793516981158355/
3) The ELECTRIC ECLECTIC NOVELLA FICTION PRIZE 2020… is now open.
Hi Readers.
My name is Paul White, and I’ve got the perfect Writer’s Contest for you.
Are you an aspiring writer or an indie author looking for a publishing contract? If so, the Electric Eclectic Novella Fiction Prize 2020 is ‘right up your street’.
Simply write, a 20K to 30K word story, in any genre and about anything you want, and enter the Novella Fiction Prize.
Entry is just £10.00 GBP, (via official entry form) and the winning authors will have their manuscripts published as Novellas.
The top prize is a full paperback publishing package, with second and third places having their work published as eBooks.
There are also associated prizes, such as cover designs, marketing packages and author assist support.
The Electric Eclectic Novella Fiction Prize 2020 is an international literary competition for emerging writers and indie authors.
Submissions are encouraged from all literary fictional genres with no restrictions on theme or subject.
The emphasis of the judging will be on ambitious, imaginative and innovative approaches which explore and expand creative writing.
Details of ‘How to Enter’ are on the Electric Eclectic website http://bit.ly/NovFicPrize
4) AUTHOR JENNA R. FELLERS ANNOUNCES HER LATEST RELEASE!
FIVE KEYS TO SURVIVING LIFE’S STORMS
by Jena Fellers, C 2020
In e-book only from Amazon and Smashwords / $0.99
Cover, longer synopsis, author bio, and buying links: https://www.dldbooks.com/jenafellers/
Have circumstances in your life overwhelmed you to the point you feel you’ve been knocked off a horse mid–stride and can’t breathe? Life’s storms can hit hard and fast. They can blow out quickly, hammer long and hard, or strike in multiples, leaving you in a state of despair. Regardless of the type, size, or duration of the storm, hope remains. There are steps you can take to keep calmer, prevent damage, and keep your sanity during the storm. I call these steps “keys.” First identify the type of storm, then implement the keys.
Jena Fellers is the author of the 2019 book From Mishaps to Mission. Details are on her website, linked to above. E-book: $0.99 / Paperback: $6.50. Jena plans more such short, inspirational works for the near future.
5) NEW RELEASE FROM AUTHOR ANN CHIAPPETTA…
A String of Stories: From the Heart to the Future
by Ann Chiappetta, C 2020
In e-book ($3.50) and print ($9.50, 182 pages) from Amazon and other online sellers.
Cover image, author bio, buying links, free text preview, and information on Ann’s three previous books: https://www.dldbooks.com/annchiappetta/
About A String of Stories
A demon deer and a ghost cat. Sibling rivalry and sexual awakening. Self-image and self-confidence. The chance for an offworlder to breathe free at last on a new planet. Those are just some of the diverse themes of these remarkable stories. Some endings are happy, some are sad, and some are intriguingly open-ended. But once you step inside the author’s world, you cannot emerge unmoved.
IN THE NEWS IS SPONSORED BY…
PLAISTED PUBLISHING HOUSE LTD AUTHOR ASSIST PROGRAM: http://www.plaistedpublishinghouse.com& WEBFRIENDLYHELP: https://webfriendlyhelp.com