Find Vijayas latest book HERE |
The enormous bell is rung with a strong pole, pulled by several people with ropes. |
Find Vijayas latest book HERE |
The enormous bell is rung with a strong pole, pulled by several people with ropes. |
Vijaya's latest release.
Find it HERE
Whether it’s a stocking stuffer novel, a kindle gift sent to
a friend faraway, or the wrapped gift of a complete paperback series, if you know
the favorite genre of the avid readers among your family and friends, books make
wonderful gifts.
Maybe it’s the story they talked about but never got to buy
for themselves. Maybe it’s the new release in a series they started and loved.
Or you can surprise them with a book you enjoyed and want to share with them. In
any case, it’s becoming simpler and easier than ever to gift books.
You can do it from your laptop or phone, order online from
your favorite retailer, and have it shipped or emailed. It takes little time
and effort. It will be appreciated on cold, snowy, or rainy days.
Going with a reliable publisher, like BWL Publishing, will ensure
it’s a quality book. Other ways to select a good book is considering the author’s
track record. Award-winning authors usually deliver consistent quality reads.
You can also read the ratings and reviews shared by other readers on the retail
sites.
The most difficult part of this process is selecting the right genre
and the right titles. Find out if you friend likes cozy mysteries, romance, action/adventure, Historical novels, fantasy, science fiction, or a mix of genres.
I write in many genres and also like to mix them. From
contemporary romance to realistic Celtic legends, to space opera and science
fiction, including even felines in some of my stories. But each author brings
his or her personal touch to the writing, and if you like an author in one
genre, chances are you will like that author’s other writings as well.
Here are some suggestions from my popular writings:
Curse of the Lost Isle series (Celtic legends – Edgy medieval)
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Chronicles of Kassouk series (Sci-fi romance)
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Azura Chronicles series (Set on another planet – includes cats
- androids - romantic elements)
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Byzantium series (Set on a space station - cats – action - sweet
romance for all ages)
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Archangel twin books (Aliens and angels in a contemporary
setting)
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Romance (rated R)
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Happy Holidays with books!
Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats
http://www.vijayaschartz.com
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ANGEL SHIP, Book One of the Blue Phantom series is an October 2022 release from BWL Publishing Universal link to your favorite online retailer HERE |
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Find all my titles at: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo |
Minimalism is on the rise. In the aftermaths of the
pandemic, we developed an appreciation for uncluttered living spaces. Besides, clutter
is unhealthy, can cause depression… or harbor ghosts of your past. After
decluttering, you will be healthier, happier, and free to move on with your
life.
Eight years ago, I left a husband and his big house to live
with my cat in a tiny apartment. Since then, I moved again, and each move is an
opportunity to get rid of clutter. And despite the fact that I am a minimalist
at heart, I still have to remind myself to declutter from time to time.
Usually, it’s when I run out of hangers, or I can’t find the top I want to wear
in the impossibly tight closet.
As our body changes, we buy new clothes but keep the old
ones. Just in case? Why? Get rid of the clothes you no longer wear, like old
bras that don’t fit anymore. If you ever lose the weight to fit in those skinny
jeans again, they will be out of style and you’ll want to buy new ones anyway.
Get rid of the shoes that hurt your feet, tired flannel shirts, cropped tops
from another decade, work clothes from a previous job, etc.
As I’m turning in my October release to the publisher, ANGEL
SHIP, Book One of a new sci-fi series with romantic elements titled Blue
Phantom, I thought a few days of decluttering would keep me busy while waiting
for the edits.
Here is the stunning cover of ANGEL SHIP Find other books in the Azura universe: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo |
But this is easier said than done. I still have favorite
shirts from two decades ago. I know I can never wear them in public, but I
still love them. I don’t go out very often, and except for maybe four times a
year, I only wear yoga pants, sports bras, and loose tops while typing away at
my computer or going to my Tai-Chi classes.
To make it easier on your soul, start with a smaller space,
like your car. Then you can move to the trash, the broken things, the chipped
mugs and plates, the reminders of unhappy times, the junk drawer, old jewelry.
Trash the unflattering photos and digitalize the good ones. Get rid of expired
medications, expired food in the fridge and kitchen cabinets. Extra kitchen
utensils, bowls, pans, spatulas. Donate, recycle the empty plastic jars, have a
yard sale, sell the good stuff on eBay, etc.
My dilemma is often what do I trash? What do I donate? Sometimes,
it’s difficult to be objective, and I need another pair of eyes. A friend can
give you sound advice in that matter.
As a writer, the same goes with your manuscript. Clarity is
key. You don’t want to confuse the reader with too many characters and
unnecessary details. You can sometimes consolidate two or three secondary characters
into one who will serve the same purpose. Also, if a subplot doesn’t enhance
the main story, get rid of it. Give your characters breathing room, so they can
be free to express their true feelings on the page.
In the meantime, enjoy the last of summer. Almost time to
take out the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations… Then it will be Christmas
again… then New Year.
Happy Reading! Find all my books at:
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Find my books at amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo
Except for one or two fails with now defunct publishers, I’ve
always been blessed with great book covers. Other authors think I’m lucky, but
I cultivate an open line of communication with the publisher and designer. I know
they did not read the book, so I work very hard to give them the elements I
envision for my book covers, to communicate the spirit of the story.
I was often told I have a good eye for color. And if you
look at my sci-fi covers, you’ll notice a lot of blue.
For many of my current covers, I went online to the stock photo
companies used by my publisher, to look for the perfect cover model to
represent my hero and my heroine’s personality and state of mind, as well as the
best background. Then I sent these pictures and suggestions to the publisher for
the cover designer. I was always thrilled with the resulting cover.
This time, however, as I am polishing my next novel, a new
publisher rule emerged that except for Historical Novels in period costumes,
the covers would no longer portray people with faces, but instead we should use
backgrounds, silhouettes, or other elements to create a mood.
At first, I cringed. I had already picked my heroine for the
cover, and I so loved my characters, I had found the perfect cover models with
the right faces and personalities among the stock images. But I was up for the
challenge. My October release, ANGEL SHIP, Book 1 of a new science fiction
series Blue Phantom, is about a ghost ship, an Angel captain, a noble
heroine, and of course, a big cat with an attitude. It contains lots of action,
evil sorcerers, space battles, and romantic elements.
Here are some of my older BWL covers with people on them. Find them on my author page at: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo
As I scrolled through thousands of background images, I selected
a few representing the best approximation of the inside of my glowing angel
ship. Then I found a big cat like my heroine’s bodyguard, and a pair of cool angel
wings.
When asked to send my cover suggestions, I almost panicked. How
would the artist make a kick-butt cover with the meager elements I had selected?
It seemed impossible, so I prepared myself for the worst.
What I didn’t count on, was the immense talent of the
artists who create these book covers, their knowledge of the genres (science fiction
in this case), their years of experience and their awareness of industry trends.
But most of all, I underestimated their ability to visualize what I couldn’t.
The artist made it all come together by using the background
in ways I didn’t think of, finding the perfect font, in the perfect spooky glow,
to give the impression of a phantom ship. And the result is extraordinary. I
absolutely love this cover. And the next books in the series will have the same
background and same fonts, but with a different cat. Yay!
My hat’s off to the BWL Publishing team. I love you guys.
You are my heroes.
The book comes out in October, but in the meantime, you can catch up with the Azura Universe with these two sister-series, Byzantium, and Azura Chronicles. Hint: Captain Blake Volkov, the hero of ANGEL SHIP, was a secondary character in ANGEL BRAVE.
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Happy Reading!