Tag: illustrator

Categories
Interviews Videos

Seeking #authors #illustrators, #editors & more for interviews! #booklovers

Happy Valentine’s Day!

This post is for book lovers like me.

Not sure if you noticed any changes in my posts as of late, but I’ve really switched gears to focus more on my love of reading. When I was approached to take over the IWSG Book Club I took it as a sign. While I will always be a writer at heart, whether I publish or not, I really think I’m a booklover first. More importantly, I want more people to read. That’s why I consider myself a reading advocate. I want everyone to have a healthy reading lifestyle, at whatever level that means for them. Of course, I’m all for the spread of literacy, but I also think there’s value in seeing reading as a form of entertainment. That’s why I’ve decided to launch my new interview series on YouTube.

I want to create an interview series that’s all about how great authors, books, and reading really are. I don’t want just another interview program about shameless and boring self-promotion. I want to sit down with authors, illustrators, and other industry professionals and talk about why reading is so wonderful, how they come up with their stories, break down some of their best plots, and then get silly and relate to them on a real and personal level.

I get that this won’t be for everyone, but I think it will be a lot of fun and look forward to being able to share it with the world. Click the images below to learn more.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter

Categories
IWSG

#IWSG July 2014: Good help is hard to find.

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I never seem to be at a loss for insecurities, but every so often I do manage to focus on the positive. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times. My current insecurity, well actually it’s more of a worry, is my inability to find interested and reliable persons to help or support me in my pursuits. You may be thinking that this is simply a small and personal problem I need to overcome, but I’m really not asking that much, at least I don’t think I am.

The problem at hand is finding good help. I have stories that are finished to a point that I can do nothing else with them, but they are not ready for publication. I know enough about my process and my skills to know when my work is ready and when it’s not. The problem that I’m currently faced with is finding beta readers. I have a few, but so far they have been M.I.A. I need feedback and have no idea what to do. I’ve paid for beta services before, but that was only in conjunction with final editing fees. When my work is ready, I’ll shell out the money for professional editing, but for now, I just want…no, I need feedback, and can’t get it.

I wish that was my only problem, but of course, there’s more. I need art work. I’m fortunate enough to have some skills with photography and graphic design. I can do a lot of small things on my own, but when it comes to illustrations, I need someone else for that. I, again, have an illustrator, but he works on a time-table that is beyond my understanding. I don’t want to leave him behind and move on, but I may have to…I just wonder how much it’s going to cost me?

Do you have trouble finding good help? How would you go about trying to find new beta readers and possibly an illustrator? I’d seriously love to know.

After listening to me whine, here’s something that you may or may not be interested in and that may put a smile on your face. I’m putting my indie published short story collection, Unexplained on sale as an Amazon countdown deal. See my side panel for details. I hope everyone is having a lovely and relatively stress free summer.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:  Krista McLaughlin, Kim Van Sickler, Heather Gardner, and Hart Johnson!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #162).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords