C. M. Skiera's Blog

Hello, and apologies for going dark since March. This year has been challenging in many ways. I may provide more detail in the future, but suffice to say my blogging (and writing) has taken a back seat to other demands. I've been procrastinating on blogging for the past two months. I do have plenty of things to write about, but my motivation has been lacking. So, what follows is a brief update on some writing-related topics. You may have noticed I updated my web page with the 2018 roll-out of the new Google Sites . Like every update, there are pros and cons to Google Site's latest iteration, but I do like the look of my new author page, although the lack of features is limiting. Here's a link to TechRadarPro's review, if you're interested in learning more about Google Sites. Like Google, Amazon can be accused of not leaving well enough alone. In January, Amazon changed Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) to Amazon Ads and rolled out a slew of changes. I was planni...

Time change got you down? Are you feeling cheated for losing an hour from an otherwise good March day? I can't turn back time, but I can offer you a bargain to make up for the rotten deal we got this morning. All three of my books are on sale for a buck at Amazon. Grab Crimson & Cream , Mirrors & Mist and Warlock & Wyrm for $0.99 each and forget about your lost time. Thank you, and please spread the word!

Pro Writing Aid is offering a free e-book download entitled  How to Go from First Draft to Published Author . If you're interested in this topic, grab your free copy here . The book provides advice on choosing between traditional, indie, or hybrid publishing, pitch writing, royalties, beta readers, and much more.   How to Go from First Draft to Published Author   guides you through the entire process, from refining your manuscript to choosing a publishing track to releasing your book. The book contains advice from industry experts such as BookBaby's Andre Calilhanna, Kindlepreneur's Dave Chesson, Reedsy's Savannah Cordova, and TCK Publishing's Tom Corson-Knowles. Grab your copy now--you might learn something! Full disclosure; this website is a Pro Writing Aid affiliate, so if you do happen to purchase any services from them, I would get a small commission.  Also, I have been a Pro Writing Aid customer for years, and have been pleased with their produ...

AUTHORSdb is an online platform that showcases authors' work via their social media marketing channels ( Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest , and  Instagram ). After registering and adding your information to AUTHORSdb, your author and book listings are posted for free on their website. You can also promote your book deals and giveaways at AUTHORSdb and their social media channels for free. Once you set up your e-book promotion on their website, AUTHORSdb alerts subscribed readers to your limited-time free or discounted e-books. Below is a screenshot of my current e-book promo page on AUTHORSdb. To be honest, my main interest in AUTHORSdb is the promotional opportunities for my periodic e-book discounts. However, AUTHORSdb offers many resources, not only to authors, but readers and reviewers as well. For example, in addition to book deals and freebies, you can connect with other authors, find book cover contests, featured author blogs, first line contests, rewards programs ...