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Book Review: In the Time of Madmen

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In the Time of Madmen

Author: Mark A. Prelas

This is a biographical and autobiographical story, primarily about the author’s parents through their struggles of hiding their true identities of Jewish ancestry.

Mark Prelas begins by describing what life was like during the Great Depression when his mother, Katheryn, who was born in 1921, was growing up. Life was hard — bartering was a regular occurrence and using money was a rare luxury — but it was good. And then at the age of 18, his mother was taken from her home to become a slave laborer in Germany.

The author shares a lot of historical information so the reader can understand what life was like for each of his parents growing up before and during the Great Depression, and then the effect of Germany invading Poland. The author describes each parent’s numerous near-death experiences and then the encounter of his parents meeting one another.

While not written in a narrative format, this journey relays important information about historical events that should be captured in time and in words for others to experience and learn from. This book provides remarkable details that the author was able to obtain before his mother’s passing in 2014.

As a special addition to the book, the author includes family photos and further holocaust resource information. The publication of this book is a wonderful tribute to the author’s parents.

Days to Celebrate in October

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October: National Book Month. Curl up on the couch with a good book.

October: National Reading Group Month. Gather a group of friends, and meet weekly to discuss a great book!

October: National Work and Family Month. Focus on one way to improve your work/life balance. The Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings include suggestions to help with this.

October: Self-Promotion Month. Promote your skills to gain some new clients. Some of the Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings are of sessions on this topic to help with this.

October 1: National Fruit at Work Day. Take a break today to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit at work.

October 1-7: Mystery Series Week.

October 1-7: National Newspaper Week.

October 5: National Do Something Nice Day. Do something nice for one of your clients today!

October 7-11: Customer Service Week. Take notice of other industries and the good customer service they provide and strive to provide the best customer service you can.

October 9: National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Spend a day with a cuddly friend to make you smile. 🙂

October 13-19: National Work at Home Week. Reevaluate your home office for functionality and ergonomics.

October 20-26: National Business Women’s Week. Is there a woman in business who you have looked to as a mentor?

October 20-26: National Friends of Libraries Week. Use this week to support your local library.

October 26: National Make a Difference Day. Do something to make a difference in the life of someone else.

Increase Your Presence in the Publishing Industry

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Many people find the need to hire a freelancer, but where can they find one that takes their career seriously? At NAIWE, we offer a free searchable database, which can be accessed by members and nonmembers.

NAIWE members can be listed in NAIWE’s free searchable database once they have completed their business information! Instead of just hoping for traffic, NAIWE members have the confidence that anyone can easily find your NAIWE website. You’ll be able to communicate with readers and potential clients through the information on your NAIWE site.

 

 

 

April Michelle Davis, NAIWE Executive Director

April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.

She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.

Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).

April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published four books.

Member Benefit: Webinars

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Member Benefit #19

Each month, we feature a member of the NAIWE Board of Experts on a topic that is designed to help you grow in your field. Our experts are successful full-time publishing professionals, and they impart a lot of wisdom in an hour (or sometimes more).

Members attend at a discounted rate of $10 for each webinar. (Some webinars are even free to members!) Nonmembers may register for individual webinars at $30 each. Just attending the monthly classes without joining the association would add up to $360 for a year, so this is a benefit of great value.

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Pamela K. Kinney, NAIWE’s Paranormal Writing Expert

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We wanted to get to know Pamela K. Kinney (NAIWE’s Paranormal Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.

How did you learn to write a book blurb?

For my first book I went with the publisher Schiffer Publishing, and at that time, they looked to the authors to write their own book blurbs. The publisher edited the authors’ blurbs into the format needed while educating the authors. The next blurb I wrote was for my own self-published novel, How the Vortex Changed My Life.

 

What is the normal length of a book blurb?

100–200 words. Any more than that, readers will be catching the quickest ride off your page . . . by jumping to another author’s page and buying their book instead. You only have 7 seconds to impress a reader, especially one reading it online.

 

Are book blurbs written differently for different formats?

When it comes to writing book blurbs, each genre has a different style. I know how to write for nonfiction ghost books and horror, science fiction, and fantasy. In the long run, writing a synopsis/blurb for a book is selling your story/article/nonfiction book to a reader, tempting them to read your book.

——————

I had to learn to write the book blurbs for my nonfiction ghost books. When self-publishing my urban fantasy/horror novel, I wrote the blurb for the back of my book. Since then, I have continued writing blurbs for my books, including for my latest, a YA dark fantasy novel.

Readers check out the cover first, then they read the blurb. It is all about selling your book, capturing readers’ interests with that blurb. In this webinar, writers will learn how they can write effective blurbs.

You can join in this conversation on September 30 at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on writing marketing material for your books. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!

 

Pamela K. Kinney gave up long ago ignoring the demanding voices in her head and has been writing ever since. Her horror short story, “Bottled Spirits,” was runner-up for the 2013 WSFA Small Press Award and considered one of the seven best genre short fiction for that year. Pamela has various short stories and poems published in fiction and nonfiction anthologies, magazines, and online zines, a science fiction novella, an urban fantasy novel, five nonfiction ghost books, and a nonfiction cryptid book. Her horror poem, “Dementia,” got her mentioned in Best Horror of the Year, Volume Thirteen. Pamela has stories and poems in two horror anthologies to be released in 2024, plus a YA dark fantasy novel, Demon Memories, the first book in the Moon Ridge trilogy.

Days to Celebrate in September

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September: Self-Improvement Month. Take some time to improve yourself. What class will you take or conference will you attend to improve your business self? Think ahead and sign up for an on-demand training through NAIWE!

September 2: Labor Day. This day recognizes the men and women who labor to build this country. As self-employed professionals, many tend to work on this day, but what will you do to celebrate?

September 6: National Read a Book Day. Grab a book (a fun read or even one for professional development) and spend the day reading.

September 7: National Play Outside Day. This is a day to spend a few extra minutes outside, enjoying the fresh air.

September 10: National Swap Ideas Day. Share a creative or helpful idea with a client or colleague.

September 12: National Day of Encouragement. This day is dedicated to uplifting people around us and making a positive impact. Who can you encourage?

September 15: National Online Learning Day. This day recognizes the advantages and vast potential of online learning and the accomplishments of these students. What can you study today to improve your skills? NAIWE hosts monthly webinars, which members and nonmembers may attend, to become familiar with new subject matter, learn new skills, polish existing talents, and get their questions answered by experts!

September 17: National IT Professionals Day. This day is set aside to honor the venerable geeks of the world we all rely on to keep us connected.

September 22: American Business Women’s Day. A day set aside to honor and reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of the millions of women in the workforce and the millions of women business owners in the United States.

September 24: National Punctuation Day. A period, a comma, a semicolon, a question mark, and an exclamation point are examples of some of the punctuation used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning. National Punctuation Day commemorates these and all punctuation marks.

September 29. National Coffee Day. According to an expert cupper (a professional coffee taster), there are four components of a perfect cup: aroma, body, acidity, and flavor. Linger over a cup today while examining the importance of your words.

Book Review: Unemployable: How I Hired Myself

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2023 NAIWE Informational Nonfiction Book Winner

 

Unemployable: How I Hired Myself

Author: Alysia Silberg

People grow into one of two mindsets. One group of people are really good at what they do, and they are also good at following directions. Therefore, they are good at being employees. There is another group of people who have a set of skills and are also good at seeing opportunities. They are independent minded, marching to their own beat.

In Unemployable: How I Hired Myself, the author Alysia Silberg describes her upbringing in the poor and crime-ridden side of Johannesburg, South Africa. Alysia’s wise and creative father, a former Hollywood makeup artist, brought light into her world through his pharmacy and costume store. He would lovingly tell her that she was a gifted seller, that she had a “divine sparkle.”

Even beginning at the young age of five, Alysia Silberg could spot an opportunity. Desiring to purchase a pair of roller skates, she decided to highlight a product her father had in his store and sell it on the sidewalk in front of the shop to earn enough money for the skates. She accomplished this goal, and after purchasing the skates she realized that it wasn’t actually the skates she had wanted. She had had a goal, one that seemed unattainable, and she found an opportunity to help her reach the goal.

At the age of nine, she spotted another opportunity and tried to convince her parents to buy a piece of land between two major cities. Her parents laughed, probably in part because it was an unattainable goal with their poor living situation, but she was so convinced of this opportunity that she went to the bank, seeking a loan. Though she did not get the loan to buy the land, she had been correct, and the piece of property became “one of the most valuable stretches of property in all of South Africa.”

As Alysia Silberg grow up, she continues to struggle with the limited opportunities she is afforded, but that doesn’t stop her. She is always open to seeing opportunities and beginning new business adventures. This outlook on life led her to starting her first business at age 11, and this outlook has continued as she has gone through life and spotted bigger and better opportunities.

This book presents a positive outlook to show that it doesn’t matter where one come from, that it is the person’s mindset and the outlook on life that will take someone on an incredible journey. The challenges and the heartaches don’t matter as well, perhaps they even help to mold the person in their natural bent. This is an inspiring and delightful book that helps to encourage one going through the struggles of an entrepreneurial life. Perseverance and love of the American Dream can be desired no matter where one lives.

Congratulations, Alysia Silberg’s Unemployable: How I Hired Myself for being a NAIWE 2023 Book Award winner!

Book Review: The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut

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The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut

Charlene Bell Dietz

 

A scientist is naturally filled with curiosity and a lot of questions, but when Beth discovers that her recently deceased Aunt Kathleen was her mother, Beth is filled with more questions and heartache about never truly knowing her biological mother, nor who her father was.

The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut is filled with suspense, history, and science — all happening simultaneously while Beth and her husband leave Colorado to go on a Caribbean vacation!

To escape the sadness of the loss of her aunt–mother (and honor a dying woman’s advice), Beth books a vacation to rekindle the love she had for her husband. However, Beth also plans to use the trip to look into the history of the area where her aunt–mother lived with her lover (and perhaps Beth’s father) for the last 50 years.

The author, Charlene Bell Dietz, captures the mundane in life while also adding a little bit of mystery to keep readers’ interest. She uses both dialogue and prose to show the bantering of two people who have been married for many years.

A book of love, loss, and change, The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut brings about mystery through Beth’s many questions and women’s intuition while her husband’s skepticism and the island residents aloofness keep her grounded in reality — but without any answers.

At-Will Training

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NAIWE believes that training is essential to keep your skills up-to-date and even to gain new skills to boost your success.

With this in mind, NAIWE offers webinars each month, which members and nonmembers may attend, to become familiar with new subject matter, learn new skills, polish existing talents, and get their questions answered by experts.

All of these webinars are also recorded so you can access them in On-Demand Training at a time that is convenient to you!

 

April Michelle Davis, NAIWE Executive Director

April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.

She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.

Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).

April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published four books.

Member Benefit: Member’s Library

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Member Benefit #18

The Member’s Library provides articles written by current and former members of our Board of Experts on many industry-related topics to help your business grow. Topics include

  • What to charge
  • Why you need a marketing plan
  • Power proofreading
  • Low-cost marketing ideas that can build your business
  • How to work with editors
  • Why you may want to work with a business coach
  • And many more!

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

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