Let love touch you and heal you.
Let love lift you and inspire you.
Let love ease your worries and calm your fears.
Simply, let love give you a reason to persist.
Simply, LET LOVE!
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I love to write about reality. I write best when I am sitting in front of a large body of water with the waves pounding the coastline.
I have published 18 novels available at AuthorsDen.com/machermann
I am afraid!
ReplyDelete5/16/2015 6:20:11 AM
I am afraid of extreme dependency on technology, period!
If my GPS navigator fails, I might not get there!
If my SMART phone refuses to hold a charge up, I just might not be able to call mom on Mother's Day.
If my hot water boiler fails in the middle of winter, how am I going to bath with ice-cold water?
If my iPad or laptop shows the blue screen of death, I am afraid my life will come to a holt.
What if that new car will not start when I've already committed to be there at noon, for our first date or first meeting with Mr President?
I know what you are thinking.... "Call Ubah!"
What if my memory is full and the application won't download, or the phone won't hold a charge, huh? Don't even suggest that I start walking 20 miles, buy a bicycle or a horse for that matter😀 because it could start raining any minute.
You won't show up for that blind date looking like a wet skunk, would you?
Every Big Thing is Trouble
ReplyDeleteIsn't it scary each time you hear the term: "Too Big to Fail?"
Yes, everything big is trouble!
Think about this and tell me it isn't true.
Big oceans are trouble, waiting to happen. Think about the migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe!
Even big money is trouble, when you don't pay your taxes.
Right now the big NFL is struggling with inflated and deflated balls.
You want to talk instead about big oil or big time boxing? Oh No, you don't!
Even big books are trouble to carry around, read, or sell. So, keep it simple, small and easy; that way you stay out of trouble
Chinese Thinking
ReplyDeleteIf there is order in the world, then there will be peace in the world.
If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
We look at reason but do not see it, because it's name is colorless.
We listen for reason but do not hear it, because it's name is soundless.
We grope for reason but do not grasp it, because it's name is bodiless.
Let Love!
Famous but hate fame?
ReplyDeleteUnlike politicians, celebrities can be famous but hate fame. I know why politicians love fame. They are very good at lying. A politician can tell you anything to explain why they voted one way or another, but a celebrity who ironically owns her / his own body cannot explain to the listener's satisfaction why they had an 'unnecessary' plastic surgery.
some of us published authors are famous but disclaim fame.
Some celebrities are wealthy enough to buy anything but hate shopping for obvious reasons.
Until recently, most young ladies would say "No" to a guy they actually liked very much. The idea I understand was not to appear overzealous.
👀
So, why do we really say one thing when we mean the exact opposite?
We often say, it's not about 'you' when indeed it is all about 'you'
The one that sounds really idiosyncratic is when someone says: 'It's not about the money' when it's all about Money.
I am not done yet!
We say "Just do it" when we really want to say: "Don't even try it"
We even say: "Good for you" when we are thinking the opposite.
Another thing that's ironic about human behavior is that we might despise sitting on one spot, but voluntarily walk into a 3 hour boring movie, and just sit there to get back our money's worth?
We complain about the heat, but prefer a bright sunny day.
We are truly funny!
Saying one thing & Meaning another
ReplyDeleteToo often, folks say one thing when they actually mean the opposite.
When you ask someone how their day is going, they are more likely to avoid any fuss, and just tell you "Fine"
Now, if you ask a customer in a survey how likely they are to purchase your book, if their response is "Maybe" then just take that for a "No"
Now, the big question is:Why do humans often choose not to say exactly what they mean?
Methinks, most folks are just trying to be polite, but then they end up being deceptive by telling you the exact opposite of what they are really thinking.
The kids are watching!
Yes, A 21 year old sitting in the Supreme Court is ok
ReplyDelete4/13/2015 6:39:57 AM
Since the constitution does not require legal qualifications to sit on the Supreme Court, I would vote for a 21 year old to sit in there. After all, 21 year old Jordan Spieth just strategized and won the Masters golf tournament in Augusta Georgia this weekend.
If a 21 year old can train and qualify to fly A billion dollar B-2 bomber, s/he can certainly sit in my Supreme Court to dwell on life matters.
A mediocre 21 year old is somewhat better than a high maintenance old school judge dealing with new age issues such as abortion and LGBT matters.
Isn't the Supreme Court about good judgement?
Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not advocating for just any 21 year old who can chew gum and walk backwards. I am referring to the kind of 21 year olds that can handle a race car (or a golf cart for that matter) at 220+ miles per hour, while maintaining their mental faculties.
Are Minority Boys fast becoming irrelevant dads
ReplyDeleteEach time I take a peep into a college classroom in the U.S. I am delighted to see that the majority of enrollees are female.
Now, I am looking at work places and the more I look, the more delighted I am to see a significant decline from minority males, to majority females representing the minority population in our work force.
While this trend is great, it also raises some important questions:
Are the women becoming the heads of these house holds?
Are their guys comfortable with this trend?
How does this shift affect how children relate to their non-bread-winning dads?
Methinks these are questions that society needs to be prepared for, now.
ReplyDeletePsychological Displacement
In psychology 102 I remember learning something called Displaced Anger.
This is the Phenominon whereby one thing makes us angry, but we take our anger out on something else, if not on someone else.
For example, our favorite team looses a game, and we take the anger out on our innocent television, by smashing it.
How about our significant other refuses to part take in love making because we honestly just forgot all about their famous DOB (date of birth).
Methinks, that displaced anger is gradually creeping into our nation's political acts and utterances, and this is not good for anyone.
U break it, U own it
ReplyDeleteCollen Powell famously said: "You break it, you own it"
When me-ham broke loose in Yemen, I feared for a moment that we just might end up owning it. Then, I thought to myself that the current White House occupant seems much less keen on leading us on a war path, and showed greater empathy for post war veteran issues.
Just then the Royal kingdom of Saudi Arabia struck Yemen from the air. I had a breath of relief as I said to myself: " They own it!" "Yes, they own it, not us!"
That is my thinking; at least for now, as I keep watching closely.
Talking over donuts
ReplyDeleteIf indeed they are real donuts, I hope that no one cossumes them after the show.
Steve Kornaki (God bless his heart) is my favorite political commentator!
He is comfortable in front of the cameras. In fact he is so comfortable that he has routinely placed a tray of donuts between him and his guests every Saturday morning.
I have watched them over the years and often wondered why they have donuts sitting in front of folks talking and spitting saliva on donuts.
I am beginning to wonder if those donuts are fake! But, if they are real, I hope no one consumes them after the weekly show.
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Dames in painful high hills
ReplyDeleteHer real height couldn't have been anywhere beyond 5 feet 5 inches, but the shoes elevated her beyond 6 feet.
Everyone is elegant in their own unique way. Ladies in particular are a work of art.
I was just watching my local weather reporter who shall remain nameless. Let's call her Amie. Her flowery dress was down to the knee and loose enough - about one size beyond her actual size. Her hair was cut military style - short. When she stepped forward to do what she does best on the big screen, I couldn't help but notice her 10 inch hills.
Her real height couldn't have been anywhere beyond 5 feet 5 inches, but those shoes lifted her beyond 6 feet.
Her feet were tilted in an S-shape inside the 10 inch hilled shoes.
I couldn't help but think to myself that she looked good in those shoes, but that surely must hurt.
ReplyDeleteGift Limits
We are free to give / take, but the constitution forbids bribery.
Man or woman, I have never met anyone who hates freedom. After all, the architect gave us certain freedoms at birth. So, we are free to give and to take. As we give away some of our books to individuals and organizations, if we happen to be politicians, we must be cautious regarding the value of what we get back, because there are limitations.
The U.S. constitution explicitly limits how much a politician can accept in 'gifts' before it begins to look like a bribe to effect a change or extort a favor. So, givers and takers beware!
Weatherman's Accuracy
ReplyDeleteThey have already called for a sunny Easter Day in Chicago, and I'm no longer keeping my fingers crossed.
Have you noticed the impeckable accuracy of the weatherman lately?
The other day they forecast snow in Northeast Massachusettes, and boy oh boy did it snow cats and dogs. Four days ago in Chicago, they said the temperature would be 72 degrees, and lo and behold, the temperature went up to exactly 72 degrees last Tuesday.
They have already said it will be 57 degrees on Easter Sunday in Chicago, and I'm not even keeping my fingers crossed anymore. Instead, I'm dusting off my folding chair and getting my fishing net ready to head over to Lake Michigan to do some writing while fishing; or, is it fishing while writing?
I am back
ReplyDeleteIt is always fun to travel! Get away from your regular surroundings and see the world.
I was just in Paris, Yaounde & Washington DC. Charles De Gaule is one of those air ports where for a moment you think you are in a shopping mall with all the goodies fashion, food and assorted wines.
Then you land in DC and a sense of politics and work occupies your mind.
As the old saying goes, travel is education.
Then, in Yaounde I enjoyed the escape from the tech world for two good weeks and
It was all worth it.
I will do it again in twelve months if anyone cares to join me.
Where is my readers digest
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to my favorite childhood magazine – The Readers Digest?
Like Solomon, I sometimes lament.
What happened to my favorite childhood magazine – The Readers Digest?
The magazine with stories of worldwide happenings
The news publication with stories ranging from latest fashion craze, short stories, to jig-saw puzzles.
The first magazine I ever subscribed to before I had my first job
Like ‘Jet Magazine’ has Readers Digest hard copy gone digital or has it been elbowed out by lack of subscribers?
I wonder, yes, I wonder!
Let me know if you know whatever happened to my Readers Digest.
The current snow storm deserves a poem
ReplyDeleteWhen it rains snow, it pours snow
It sneaked up by dust on one coast or another
It came with the winds and landed like a giant
It chased us from the streets, yes, it took over our streets like a Terex dynasour
It then hovered around for days, dumping it’s white everywhere as far as the eye could see.
It spared no one except the brave weather reporters with their wind breakers and shuttering lips
As I watched from the comfort of my home, I wished and I prayed that the weather folks are well compensated for the risks they take to bring us the LIVE visuals
I watched the skid about a staffer who was stock at her job in Times Square a couple of dozen floors up, and I wondered what she’d have for dinner huh!!!
As I said: 'Go away, you worse than senseless snow' and I smiled from cheek to cheek as I watched some kids in Baltimore enjoying a game of snowball in the west winds.
Every year there is a new storm somewhere unpredictable
This time it was the northeast.
Next time it could be the Midwest or southeast, but rest assured there will be a storm somewhere soon.
Superball
ReplyDeleteInflation, Deflation and Re-flation!
Yes, the superball is upon us! It is Arizona’s turn to play host and they love it for the side shows and money changers more than for the game itself.
Regardless of Inflation, deflation or re-flation, the superball will happen
Rain, shine or snow, the superball will happen
Someone will play against the other
Yes, someone from New England and Seattle will bud heads and catch balls
Inflated, deflated or re-flated.
We shall enjoy the commercials from Pepsi, Cocacola or Budweiser whether we drink or not.
We shall watch Breatney Spears, Madona, Beancey Knolls or Tailor Swift, and even Sheer if they show up during breaks, while someone is busy inflating, deflating or re-flating the balls.
The inflator needs not worry! Only the deflator playing hard to catch will soon get caught, because, remember: ‘everyday for the thief, but one day for the owner’
Vegas / Dubai - Happennings in the deserts
ReplyDeleteHappennings in the 'deserts'
If whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,
how come we know so much about Vegas – The sin City
Oh Lady Vegas – Where you can get married in the street corner to someone you barely know
How come there is so much money exchanging hands in a place that is supposed to be a desert.
The literal definition of a desert is ‘no man’s land’
A place where there is little or no oasis to wet your throat.
A dry place
A place like Mars on earth where survival is for the fittest
If that is the case why do we all flock to Vegas
Vegas now reminds me of Dubai
Yes, Dubai. Remember Dubai sits on land that was not too long ago considered to be desert - Where only Camels survive!
Now, visit Dubai and you will be amazed to see how 100-storey sky scrapers compete for the sky above
Where you don’t see prostitutes, but they exist – as they are all foreign born, wealthy and sophisticated.
Don’t ask me how I know all these things, because I just know them because I keep my eyes open even when they should be shut.
But remember, 'every shut eye is not necessarily sleeping.'
All these things we expect to do by mid-life
ReplyDeleteSwim, Golf, Cruiz, Fly
We often challenge ourselves to the impossible!
Remember when you promised yourself that you will learn the rules of golf by age 30?
Or when you said you will learn how to count scores in tennis?
What is 6-Love?
What is a boogie in golf?
Or better yet, what constitutes a penalty in soccer?
Now, don’t get me wrong, like me, you are not a failure in life, career-wise, and possibly in marriage. You can probably mix and bake your own pie, cookie or even cake!!!
But, I bet you have not done all that you promised yourself as a teen.
Let’s go down the list:
You might have published your own book but you have not yet learnt how to dance when you finish writing a manuscript
You may have learnt how to swim but you are still afraid to fire a gun
You may be a marksman or better yet a marksperson, but you still cannot fix your own omelette with all the ingredients in front of you.
You might can drive cross-country but you still cannot fly a single engine plane, or fix your own car.
Correct me if I am wrong, but no one I have ever met (and I’ve met a few) has accomplished ALL the things they set out to do by age 50.
My Last Winter
ReplyDeleteMy last winter in Chicago is turned out to be a brutal one!
Tell it in the streets, the winds are whistling, the snow is falling, and the birds are gone.
Why is winter so certain to come, yet unpredictable in nature?
Every year it is a discovery. In 2011 it was a sand storm of snow. In 2012 / 13 it was a mild winter. Now, in 2015 it has been brutal in the past few days, despite a very mellow December.
At any rate, this is my last winter here before a one month sabbatical in Cameroon, then a festive return to the Sunshine State.
Can you blame me?
Unrest
ReplyDeleteUnrest here, unrest there, unrest everywhere
Are these the end times that they talked about in 1978?
I don't think so, but wherever you turn there is unrest.
Famed and legendary Bob Marley once cried for 'no more war' back in the 80s.
Yet, here is 2014 and we are seeing new and old forms of war.
Why is the search for peace on earth so elusive?
Today a baby boy is born & his name is Jesus
ReplyDelete12/24/2014 6:06:32 PM
Everything about Jesus is magical. Starting with the appearance of the angel Gabriel to inform Mary who knew no man, that she would give birth to baby Jesus was by itself a huge surprise.
Some say he was born in October, but to most Christians, Jesus was born on December 25th. The discrepancy in dates might be attributed to the fact that calendars in those days were based on the appearances of the moon.
Jesus's life is indeed full of myths. How many kids do you know that we're born in a stable and then by age 12 is preaching to his people and performing miracles!
Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and we thank God for him. May you have the best Christmas ever!
With Warmest Regards,
I Love My Life
ReplyDelete12/18/2014 6:40:10 PM
Think about it folks! Once you become Mr President, someone follows you everywhere. Even when you are in the small house sitting on the pot, someone sits or stands outside waiting for you.
You my ride around in something called Air Force one, but you can't drive a car if you feel like it.
i love my life because I can get up and go where I want to, whenever I want and do whatever I want to do without worrying about the office that I hold, nor bother about being followed by a security detail.
I can also wear a white, green or blue suit, and eat any flavor of ice cream without worrying about appearing undignified in the morning tabloids.
Therefore, I am anonymous and I like it like that.
Being unpredictable
ReplyDeleteI am unpredictable in a very nice way.
In fact being unpredictable can more often than not, save your life.
The Israelites and the current Israeli Mossad are unpredictable for good reason. The CIA, The SS are all unpredictable for good reason. Even the FBI is unpredictable and justifiably so.
If you were just wondering what SS stands for, then, without unveiling any cover, 😉it is for the Secret Service.
that is my story and I am sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteSelling our books during the holidays is easy
I find book marketing during the holidays to be much more easier than during ordinary times.
Think about it, you really don't have to do anything other than put it out there. Be it a ebook, paperback or hard copy, you just need a catchy title and a great content and you can find your works placed in the front row.
i kid you not!
The holidays have been when I sell most of my book collections since 2004.
Actually, do not take my word for it! If you know you have a really great book, then try it!
So much going on, Right!
ReplyDeleteCheck on TV, in the streets, at work or even at home, it is a busy month.
No matter who you are, no matter where you live, and no matter how intelligent or ignorant you are, it is obvious that so much is going on in the news or in so many aspects of your life.
Not only are you busy with this or that, but are worried about this or the other.
I urge you to be true to yourself in all your thoughts and deeds, so, when the new year arrives, you will be level-headed enough to at least start with calm emotions and controllable debt.
Enough Said!
Our Difference Makes Us Great
ReplyDeleteWe are all different; and that is our Treasure.
Imagine for one moment that we were all alike. If we all think alike, write with one style and structure. That would be a bummer.
Then imagine that we were all affluent and hobnobbed and kowtowed to the same ideology. Then consider if we were all extremely overzealous and replete with ambition that impinges on each other's personal liberty. If we all preyed upon each other's business. If we divulged or bad mouthed those we know closely with impending jurisprudence and the politics of destruction, or if on the other hand we jostled for positions of contraption to exude outer tranquility, enchilada and melancholy, that would be amazing.
So, I write in simple easy to read lingo; not loaded with enuendo or complex language.
In any of my ten novels, you will enjoy what I simply call words that generate great visuals for the enjoyment of my fans.
Happy Reading
ReplyDeleteThe prez would rather be reading my books or writing his
I know he hates war! He pledged to bring our troops back from Iraq, and he did.
The bombs are dropping again and thus interrupting everything, for the greater good. Yet, I would rather ISIS did not exist, and therefore would not have provoked this eminent attack to disrupt their cruel intentions.
If you are like me, you must in your quiet moments ask 'what their real grip is about.' If you ask me, I would say that when you have nations disgruntled with a strict life style, they envy the free world.
I just want to focus on writing and selling books, and not get distracted by war; yet, we must go to war sometimes.
I understand that the president reads a lot of historic books - biographies of former successful and respected presidents in particular.
Since I write in multiple genre, I have both historic and biographical books that I can't wait to pitch to Mister President, especially for his fast growing and smart-looking kids to read.
That's my thoughts and I'm sticking to 'em.
I-Phone 6S for e-books
ReplyDeleteWe all spend a lot of time in our cars, so don't be surprised if someone driving by you, might just be listening to your ebook, even as you give'em the finger, or cut in front of them on the highway.
As I sat at the red light the other day, I noticed that every other car that drove by either had an occupant behind the wheel yaking away on their precious cell phone.
Some had their blue tooths fully engaged (at least that is safe)
Others had their head sets on, but most held on to that little precious expensive tool.
Now, if you are like me, you must be wishing that at least, some of these folks use their phones to listen to your e-book even as they spin their wheels on the highway.
So much for multitasking, huh!
ReplyDeleteBiketoberfest book pitching skills from one ex, to another
Bike tober fest is around the corner.
Every year in October, all roads lead to Daytona Beach. In Daytona during this time, you will see Biker Lawyers, Biker Doctors, Biker Body Builders and even Biker University Professors in town having so much fun in this beach town that I use to call home.
I was In fact married and divorced from a a beautiful school teacher in this unique beach city back in 2002, when I started writing. She helped me sell many of my pioneer novellas to many bikers because she was a book pitching genius. Unfortunately, my focus on writing and publishing distracted from my undivided attention to my sweetheart, thus leading to a peaceful divorce in 2005.
I will be visiting Daytona Beach next month to see if her new hubby will let her lend me some of her book pitching skills from one ex, to another.
The Fat Royalty Pay Checks
ReplyDeleteI love to open my mail box and see it laying still waiting for me.
I think of my book royalty check as a big reward for some hard work.
Although writing comes easy for me, the art of publishing books is like a stage act; which takes you from a lengthy thought process to some pen-man-ship, rigorous typing, fine editing, re-editing, graphic works and submission; then a final galley in your own hands.
Without sounding too simplistic, most authors will agree with me that, every new book you publish feels like the birth of a new baby.
Then you get into the book marketing world, and it is a ceaseless adventure.
However, your hard work can feel quite rewarding and worth the effort, when you indeed open your mailbox and see that 'over sized' royalty check. Yes, the big one!
It comes twice a year and puts a big smile on my pretty face.
Americans Doing Great Work all over the World
ReplyDeleteAmericans can be found everywhere in the world doing good work. Volunteer Work!
So, I keep on writing so they can have some good stuff to read, during their down time.
There are doctors without borders anchored in a large ship off the coast of Africa.
There are Americans in the slums of India, all doing good work.
You can find red blooded American professionals deep in the rain forest of Brazil, or in the drug infested parts of Central and South America, all doing good work, FOC - Free Of Charge.
Don't forget the American Red Cross!
They are everywhere, doing good work.
Kudos to Joan Rivers
ReplyDelete8/28/2014 4:05:39 PM
Wire reports say Joan Rivers was rushed to the hospital when she stopped breathing.
Naturally, I was curious, since she is one of my fans who actually bought one of my books and used some content on a few of her gigs. During the transaction, her agent whispered: " Don't tell them which one We bought."
I smiled, but you can pretty much guess which one, if you know Joan's tendency to talk about sexuality.
Can you believe that this fine and funny lady is 81?
You won't believe it even when you meet her in person.
She is exceptionally charming and ever happy.
Let's keep her in our prayers.
ReplyDeleteHuman Migration
Bar tenders from Dubai, who quickly change their names to: Sam, Sara and Moh.
The world has truly become one big village.
You can now have breakfast at a McDonald in Paris, then do lunch with friends in New York. No big deal!
How about an exchange student from Timbuktu who learns the art of playing the xylophone on wooden palettes, then lands a gig in one of Chicago's premier universities, over the phone, and you can attend her live shows here every weekend, even as she calls Mali, home.
ReplyDeleteA Life Saved by Pussie Riot
We distracted an angry rioter with my book - Pussie Riot. The devil is always in the details.
It was hot and humid. The young man was sweating profusely.
We were concerned for his mood. So, we took to the streets with our books in tow. While our primary goal was to sell books, our greater goal was to calm nerves.
It worked, as young men and even dames purchased one book or another and started to flip through the pages.
Who said you can't chew gum and walk backwards was wrong, very wrong!
The Mighty Dollar
ReplyDeleteLoosen up and let's try marketing our books with personalities rather than numbers.
Since I am always innovating and thinking outside the box, it occured to me that we could add humor to our marketing strategy to amuse our book buyers and thus get some happy readings on the roll.
For a change, put yourself in the position of a book purchaser. Now imagine a book that would cost the buyer $20 being listed as "One Jackson." Methinks that would be fun once folks got used to it.
An e-book costing $1 would be listed as "One Washington"
A book selling for $5 would be listed as "One Lincoln"
A modest book selling for $10 would be listed: "One Hamilton"
A slightly expensive book costing $50 would be listed as "One Grant"
A really expensive book being marketed for $100 would be listed as "One Franklin"
A super book costing $500 would be listed as "One Mckinley"
If you think this is a joke, let me remind you that just as sex sells everything, humor too can sell a ton of your books.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Her / His Books - A 'Must Do' to Sell
ReplyDelete7/30/2014 4:28:54 PM
It is not just an exercise in Calculus
Early this year I promised to sell at least 10 of each of my ten novels by December. Needless to say that was quite a conservative wish.
Of course I knew that novels and novellas never have equal appeal. With that in mind, my calculus was that if I sold one book more than the other, I would just be happy to hit my target of 100 sold books in multiple genre.
Now, we are just about to hit August, and my projections have already been exceeded. The greatest sales in my experience, came from group encounters.
As I sell, I also keep track of what I am doing, on a Bar Chart from which I generate a graphical representation of results.
You will need to visit www.AuthorsDen.com/HermanYenwo to see what every Author must do to sell her/his books.
Comments (1)
Sometimes you are recognized by your own
ReplyDelete7/18/2014 10:53:57 PM
The old saying has it that a prophet is never recognized by his own kinsmen. In fact this happened even to our lord - Jesus Christ.
If you think that your own folks cannot separate the chaff from the corn you're wrong. If you assume that people who know you well will not care for your books, you are wrong again.
My big brother whom we call 'Doc' is a professor in Linguistics and speaks about 6 major world languages fluently, recently spent part of his holidays visiting with me in the Windy City.
I had never bothered to talk with him in detail about my array of works, due to our busy schedules, and in part because I had the old school opinion that close friends and family are your worst critics.
After having the opportunity to read some of my dozen or so novels, my own brother has turned out to be my number one fan. He was quite impressed and is now one of my leading promoters.
So, folks, please never presume the opinion of your close friends and family.
Just let your work speak for itself to everyone.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. :)
Comments (2)
Thinking Aloud
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you, but methinks writing a true story like an autobiography is much easier than writing fiction.
When I was writing my autobiography: "Me, Myself and I," the facts simply rolled out of my mind as I typed away at, I dare say, 60 words a minute.
Names and dates of individuals in my life simply came to me in a flash.
Big and small events in my life played in my mind as though they were recent happenings.
In fact, having written several books in different genre in the past several years, I have concluded that writing a true story is much of a narrative with little effort, as compared to writing a fictional thriller, poetry, satire, or an educational book.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Comments (1)
ReplyDeleteThe Mystery about Writing
5/31/2014 1:02:58 PM
Where do our thoughts come from?
My plan was to cast my fishing net and then relax by the lake and write away on my pad as I often do with ease,sitting by a large body of water.
This Saturday morning I got into my four-wheeler with my fishing boat in tow, and went fishing with my friend Alex. It is not as though I'm an expert fisherman or lucky with a fishing tack. I just fish for fun.
As I placed the bait on my hooks, the imagination of a great catch played on my mind. I was no longer thinking of fishing for fun. It was now, fishing for dinner, without which I would have to scout for the nearest fish market, as my appetite for fish was getting unusually high.
Anyway, I positioned my net in the surprisingly calm waters of lake Michigan and then sat quietly in my boat listening to jazz music which Thelonious Monk recorded in Paris at the Olympia studio, back in the Spring of 1965.
No sooner was I getting into the groove of the music while sipping on some home made mixture, when my net shook violently. I looked down, grabbed the net and we rapidly pulled back, and whala, there was a nice family of cat fish trapped.
I think it was more a function of luck coupled with timing in the wee hours of the day rather than some technique that made this happen.
Needless to say that my original intention to cast the net and sit back to pen my thoughts on my pad while listing to
jazzy tones by the Monk, was cut short as I headed home to take care of my amazing catch of the day. Bravo!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
My Birth Day
ReplyDeleteIt really feels good when someone remembers you and shows you that they truly care about you.
Monday May 26th was my birthday. My brother - Dr Wan sent me a beautiful hallmark card that said it all. It was light brown with dark brown print; but it wasn't the color nor the printed words on the card that touched my heart, it was my brother's cursive writing style and personal message that warmed my heart the most. My brother writes in expert cursive style, and I am always amazed how he can string uniform words in a straight line on a blank sheet.
Although I haven't been so lucky at finding the love of my life, my brother reminded me that I am a good man and the best brother he could have ever wished for.
Wan and I are close in age, and both share similar philosophies about life.
It is really nice when someone shows that they truly care about you.
My earthly mother also called to wish me a happy birthday, and that was special.
I dressed up well as I often do, and treated myself to a good meal, with my favorite cheese cake as desert.
That's my short birthday story and I'm sticking to it. :)
m j . hollingshead said...
ReplyDeletelovely, enjoyed the read
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
5/28/2014 11:28:27 AM [ Report Abuse ]
ReplyDeleteSmart Find for Your Book Bag
5/20/2014 3:12:26 PM
..."smart luggage" tracker that would help traveling authors to quickly locate their baggage, including a box full of books.
Researchers have developed a "smart luggage" tracker that would help travelers find their bags. The tracking device, which fits inside or is attached to luggage, pinpoints the location of a book bag in real time, helping authors waste little time at airports hunting for their book bags and such.
Using our mobile devices, we can now track the movement of our luggage through software embedded in our smart phones.
Another new device for convenience as your car pulls into your driveway, a sensory device automatically sends instructions to switch on air conditioning, shut off the security system or switch on lights. These new services are being integration into our ever effortless Digital Life, home automation, and security systems, giving us more time to focus solely on writing and publishing.
Make your life more effortless
ReplyDeleteEffortless, is now the new way of doing business.
Sometimes you just can’t wait. If you’ve ever lost or damaged your phone or left your charger at home when traveling, you know the feeling.
Now you can purchase a book, device or accessory online or from your mobile device, and quickly identify which nearby retail stores have the item in stock. You simply select a store for pick-up and your purchase will be waiting for you that same day.
There’s no need to wait for delivery, pay for shipping or drive around looking for a store that has the exact item you want. After ordering, customers also receive a text message confirming their purchase is ready for pick-up.
For added convenience, you can even make an appointment for a specific time once you’ve chosen a store. It couldn’t be easier.
Once at the store, you can pick up and go. Or you can ask a retail rep to help you set up your device or download your e-book for you. It’s the best of both worlds — online convenience and personal assistance if you need it.
The ease of doing business has seen enhancements with digital solutions across the horizon.
Effortless, is now the new way of doing business. You have to put in the effort, so your customer doesn't have to.
Free WiFi? How about nationwide
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine what that will do for our e-books?
NYC Plans City-Wide Free WiFi – New York is planning to build a citywide WiFi network out of its aging pay-phone infrastructure. After converting 10 pay-phones into WiFi hot spots last year, New York City's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications is looking to convert all of them into hubs which will power a city-wide WiFi network.
Remember, NY city has a population of over 10 million, 5 million of who must be book readers; and that is a very conservative estimate.
Search and Seizure of your manuscripts
ReplyDeleteDon't save your manuscripts on mobile phones. Just don't do it!
Supreme Court justices during recent arguments signaled discomfort at the prospect of granting police unlimited power to search suspects' cellphones without first obtaining a warrant. There was no apparent consensus about how to draw rules for phone searches in a way that would provide law enforcement enough leeway to deal with rapidly advancing mobile technology, which is as much a part of criminal activity as it is everyday life.
The issue arose in separate appeals from Boston and San Diego that give the Supreme Court the opportunity to set guideposts governing the privacy of data stored on smart phones and other mobile digital devices. Lower courts are in disagreement about when a warrant is required to search a phone seized at the time of an arrest, and when doing so violates the U.S. Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.
What if you save a manuscript on your smart phone and the phone is seized during a search, and somehow your work which you hadn’t had a chance to copyright, is stolen and published somewhere in this world wide web?
Who then would have the burden of proof to show it was your baby? That is the question, and unfortunately the answer is U!
Speaking about First Impressions
ReplyDeleteThis is not Face Book where you call people "Friends" whom you don't even know personally, and may never meet in person.
Studies show that: "It takes up to 24 months after an experience improves for people to realize we fixed it."
That's why we have Loud and Proud communities and Social Circles; but book selling is serious business; not some friendship building adventure, like on Face Book.
We have to tell our story. We have to ask our friends if they’ve read our books, and suggest they read our newest novella, then ask how they enjoyed reading it, what they enjoyed the most, and occasionally ask some, if they can post a review, right?. We rarely ever ask if they have an issue they haven’t been able to get resolved about our books, that we might be able to at least clarify for them, or if “If there is anything at all that we can help them with, relating to, maybe pricing or ordering, etc.”
It’s one thing to say “I’m satisfied,” but it’s quite another to go out on a limb and say, “I’m willing to ...”
When everything works, when we're easy to do business with, when we keep our commitments, when the bill is what we said it would be, that's what I call 'effortless customer service.'
Some of our writing challenges are complex by nature, but an “Effortless customer experience” means we take on the effort, so our customers don't have to.
Happy Reading!
AUTHORS:-How To Price Your ebook To Sell
ReplyDeleteBased on the information I've, gathered, my conclusion regarding sales strategy might not be earth-shattering news, but here it is, and this will be my strategy in the coming year: Avoid free and $1.99 price point entirely!
Whether you’re a self-published author with titles on Amazon or selling a non-fiction book on your website, product pricing is a major component of your marketing plan and income projections. I’m guessing you’ve spent a lot of time considering price point tactics. But let’s face it, the cost of ebooks – both theory and advice – is all over the board. What’s an author to do?
Just before the recent release of one of my novels, I went looking for guidance that would help me build a workable pricing and book promotion strategy into my business plan for next year. What I found was surprising: it seems free ebook giveaways are out of favor, and authors who select the 2.99 price point for a well-written novel might be leaving cash on the table. And there’s more. Let’s break it down.
Per Kobo’s Mark Lefebvre, the move away from $1.99 is clear
Publisher’s Weekly ran an article about Kobo Writing Life (KWL) that included a great sound bite about ebook pricing trends from Mark Lefebvre, Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations. Per Lefebvre, the $1.99 price point is “dead … not just for us, but also, it seems, on other platforms,” pointing out that 99¢ KWL titles sell twice as many copies as those at $1.99, and that “$2.99 sells more than four times more.” Authors most often start at $2.99 “and walk the prices up,” he said. About 80% of the KWL titles that sell consistently are priced in the $2.99–$5.99 range, and he also pointed to “a bit of a lift in the $7.99–$9.99 price range.”
• Pricing newly-released titles higher for a limited period after their initial launch can work well for authors with a loyal readership.
• Most importantly, no pricing strategy will sell a poorly-written, proofed and edited book.
Gadgets that will tickle your fantasy
ReplyDelete4/14/2014 5:48:08 PM
Now you ask what's all these got to do with books? Yes, they got everything to do with books; for they save future book writers and many many book buyers and readers, by keeping them safe. :)
Audio vox Plugs into any car 1996 or newer, and lets you monitor driver behavior and location from your smart phone. Parental controls provide protection with text blocking, safety alerts and driving zones. Drivers and parents maintain vehicle health and operation by staying in the know.
FiLIP – This wearable smart locator for kids 4 to 11 also can make and receive calls to up to five pre-set contacts. FiLIP pinpoints your children’s location and tells you where they've been with an Android smart phone app. The emergency button triggers an automatic location beacon and sound recording. It then calls each of the five contacts until someone answers
Amber Alert GPS – A smart locator ideal for children 2 to 10 years old that lets families locate and connect with their children on line or from an Android app. The device lets you set and receive email alerts when a child enters or leaves a specified area, comes within 500 feet of a registered sex offender’s residence, or is in a vehicle that exceeds your designated speed threshold. A simple one-button voice calling and SOS feature allows a child to call out or parent to call in anytime and alert others. Available in a variety of colors and flexible attachment options, it can be concealed and worn multiple ways.
Now you ask what's all these got to do with books? Yes, they got everything to do with book because they save future book writers and many many book buyers and readers, by keeping them safe. :) Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteInternet Security ...Things you should know
You know how you’ve been meaning to update your passwords? Today’s really the day to do it.
On Monday, security researchers found an issue so scary they called it “Heartbleed.” It’s a flaw in an encryption tool used by about two-thirds of Internet servers that could be exploited to leak your login names and passwords.
Check site security before changing your password
It’s not clear exactly which services were impacted, or what passwords may have been compromised. But if you have an account on Yahoo, OKCupid or Github—three popular sites known to have had the vulnerability (and patched it)—you should change your password on them as soon as possible.
Other big Web companies are taking steps to fix the problem. You can check if a service has updated its security by typing in its domain name at https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest.
If everything’s green, it has probably been fixed and you are clear to change your password. If the site is not in the green, hold off. Changing your password on vulnerable sites would either have no impact, or could potentially expose your new password.
Even without Heartbleed, passwords have never been more vulnerable, and you should change them for important accounts every 90 days.
Here’s what else you need to know today:
Turn on two-factor authentication
Beyond using fresh passwords, it’s now important to adopt an additional defense, available on a growing number of sites, called “two-factor authentication.” (It also goes by “second factor,” “login verification” or by branding such as, in Bank of America’s case, “SafePass.”)
This option, now offered by many email services, banks and social networks, sends you a one-time code (usually via text message) every time you (or anyone else) tries to log into your account. You’ll need to type in that code to access your account.
Use at least five different passwords
The biggest mistake you could make is choosing the same password for everything. If your password gets compromised on one site, someone might try to use it elsewhere.
Instead of trying to keep track of unique passwords for every site, memorize groups of them. Start with five key categories: banking, email, social networking, shopping and, finally, sites you visit very infrequently. Within those categories, you can make each password more unique by tacking on a character or two at the end specific to a site, like AZ for Amazon.com.
If there’s a breach in, say, one of your retail sites, you should immediately change all of the passwords in that group.
Happy Surfing!
e-Book Sales Via FaceBook Drones
ReplyDelete“We want to explore whether there are ways from the sky to deliver Internet access.”.....and therefore, ebooks.
Facebook Will Deliver Internet via Drones with “Connectivity Lab” so said Mark Zuckerberg. The co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, announced recently that FaceBook was creating a new lab of up to 50 aeronautics experts and space scientists to figure out how to beam Internet access down from solar-powered drones and other “connectivity aircraft.” To start the effort, Facebook is buying Ascenta, a small British company whose founders helped to create early versions of an unmanned solar-powered drone, the Zephyr, which flew for two weeks in July 2010 and broke a world record for time aloft. “We want to think about new ways of connectivity that dramatically reduce the cost,” said Yael Maguire, engineering director for the new Facebook Connectivity Lab. “We want to explore whether there are ways from the sky to deliver Internet access.”.....and therefore, ebooks. Let's know if anyone has a quarrel with that.
Our Books on I-Phone2020, I-Pad2020 or I-Pod 2020.
ReplyDeleteOur readers in 2020 will more likely be about saving the forest, or conveniently reading their favorite books electronically through their I-Phone2020, I-Pad2020 or listening to their Audio-books on their I-Pod2020.
By 2020, our industry will be radically different. It will be increasingly mobile, with customers, content owners and apps developers all looking for providers who can deliver ubiquitous, global connectivity for books.
People will neither know nor care if they’re on a fixed or wireless connection to read their favorite books. All that will matter is that the connection is ultra-fast and secure, with instant access to all their content through the cloud. And they’ll expect every aspect of our service to come together effortlessly. Our top priority as Authors at AuthorsDen is all about leading in this new world and delivering for our readers.
Here’s a look at Workforce 2020,on what our 2014 priorities should be guided by the following:
* * * * * * * * * * *
Where were you six years ago? Some of us were still in college — or even high school. Some were welcoming our now-first-grader into the world, or first grandchild. Some were attending our youngest child’s wedding. Others were managing huge crowds at a book store, signing our baby books, as I-Phone 3G rolled out and we joined what is now known as Digital Life.
Now fast-forward to 2020. Imagine how dramatically your world will change by then.
By now you’ve heard about four of the priorities that will get us to 2020: Effortless Customer Experience, Extend our Networking capabilities, Extend our Ultra-Fast e-book availability on line.
We are the ones who must get our lovely books where we need them to be in 2020. And we’ll do it by adapting to the changing landscape in our industry; and shifting our skills so we can deliver effortless shopping to our customers with the technological platforms that will be available then.
For starters, we must rethink how we deliver our products, bearing in mind that our readers in 2020 will more likely be about saving the forest, or conveniently reading their favorite books electronically through their IPhone2020, I-Pad2020 or listening to their Audio-books on their I-Pod2020.
I rest my case!
Mark Zuckerberg Calls Obama?
ReplyDeleteIs he calling to pitch a new book or something?
Far from it! Mark called the president of the United States to Complain about NSA – The Facebook founder called President Obama last Wednesday night to express frustration about the government’s spying and hacking programs. He allegedly said: “When our engineers work tirelessly to improve security, we imagine we’re protecting you against criminals, not our own government,”
Zuckerberg’s concerns are based on the latest investigative report from The Intercept, which revealed that the National Security Agency has weaponized the Internet, making it possible to inject bad software into innocent peoples’ computers en masse.
Zuckerberg said he called President Obama to express his frustration, but he said he’s not holding out hope for a quick change.
I guess one could write a whole novella on this phone call, but I am not about to go down that path.
Only in America can you call your president to vent. lol
ebook Sales Prospects due to new App in Car
ReplyDeleteThe application that enables an e-book to be read back at you is included in the 2015 Audi A3 sedan which debuts this month in North America.
It is an in-vehicle, 4Gig data connectivity enabled application with up to eight devices including your Net Book, Ipad, Ipod , etc can be connected through Audio connect in the Audi A3.
The app includes picture navigation, read books-aloud, news headlines, social media alerts, access to more than 7,000 Web radio stations and more.
Audi plans to roll out this 4G capability across its entire lineup as new or refreshed models come to market. So, pretty soon folks will be able to read our books on America’s fastest and most reliable 4G network, from the back sit of their sedans..
All Audi A3 sedans equipped with Audi connect® will receive a free six-month trial period.
Audi also will offer a Mobile Share data plan option for wireless customers who would like to add their vehicle to their data plan to listen to audio books.
This is exciting, in view of the recent hike in e-book sales. The impact of this application on e-book marketing could really be dramatic.
Some in the auto industry are opposing Producing new cars that read a book to you
ReplyDeleteSome in the automobile industry are refusing to collaborate in developing the application that would be hooked to new cars that will prompt you to read a book, give you options and then read the book of your choice to you even as you drive every which way. :(
I am always blown away by new discoveries or "apps" - applications as they are commonly called now.
As an innovator, I admire developers and the applications that they produce nowadays.
I am therefore disappointed to hear that some in the automobile industry are resisting these applications that will prompt you to listen to a good book, even as you drive every which way.
Why do you think this is happening?
Please comment!
Comments (1)
ReplyDelete· Success story
· Books
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· Member Since: Dec, 2008
Herman Yenwo, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Herman Yenwo
Have you ever Imaged a World Without Authors?
3/3/2014 4:47:55 PM
Without Authors, There will be no Movies & No Oscars.
Without Authors, There would be no Theaters & Therefore, No Drama!
Without Authors, There would have been No Recipes for all the Great Foods.
Without Authors, There would be no Magazines.
Without Authors, There would have been no Shakespeare.
For me, being a Published Author means a whole lot.
Happy Reading!
- Herman -
Reflecting on Success
ReplyDeleteIt’s important to keep perspective and introduce humor at appropriate times while writing. It's not always about the money.
It’s not about fitting in, but more about contributing at an equal level from a diverse perspective. I am passionate about everything I do otherwise I won't do it. I speak up when I believe in something. Being truthful to yourself and trusting your instincts are always good rules to apply.
But, it’s important to keep perspective and introduce humor at appropriate times. When things get intense and serious, I like to keep things in perspective.
Finally, I believe that we all need to define what’s important for ourselves. People often associate success with a title. It’s not about just getting that title; it’s about defining your success; and it’s not the same for everyone. Someone in a cubicle pushing paper daily can be just as successful as someone in the corner panoramic office giving dictation and signing his autograph on important letters that impact the population. It’s about being part of something bigger. Success for me is simple. I want to make a difference. If I am part of a project that is exciting, challenging and is going to make a huge impact, that’s success! It's not always about the bottom - money.
What is your feeling about writing/life balance? I am constantly assessing and adjusting what my priorities are and the amount of time that I spend on each. There are times when I need to focus on my soccer games and sometimes it’s all about extensive shopping or religious commitments. And then there are times when I need to work at night and weekends to meet a target - like a publication deadline. I don’t think you can have it all and be it all, at least not at the same time.
Identify your priorities and stick to them; but find time sometimes and just escape this winter weather and get away to Hawaii and write a book while you are there.
Taking risks and trying New things:
ReplyDeleteIt’s important for us to take advantage of the ongoing culture change in everything around us.
We should transform our network from its current state to a future state…one in which services are provided in a manner very similar to cloud computing.
It’s important for us to take advantage of the ongoing culture change in everything around us.
Look at the way we do things now, and encourage trying alternatives to quickly bring our vision to reality.
We need to prototype, not Power Point. In other words, place more emphasis on doing rather than discussing. Along with that comes risk, so the direction requires a management willing to try alternatives and unique approaches.
Reach out to different vendors to help us fulfill our vision for the future. Listen carefully to proposed intriguing ideas and be willing to jump on many opportunities now.
Such an attitude will allow for rapid innovation, by thinking differently. Strive for more than you did before. At times we’ve pivoted. At times we’ve led and innovated. This is a time for both.
The vision I see is a radical change. But it’s necessary because our customers are evolving and we want to ensure that we are bringing them the best products through service that is both fast and effortless for the consumer.
Face to Face encounters with our readers
ReplyDeletePeople say things in a face to face book signing that they might not ever say to you in writing because you are an imaginary figure.
For instance, in my most recent book expo at Woodfield Mall here in Schaumburg, Illinois, one local reader told me: ”I have been following you on line and have even read your revised autobiography.” “I didn’t know you were that tall,” she said without a flinch. We laughed and there was a sense of bonding.
She went further to say: ”Are those your real eye colors?” I said “Yes” rather shyly.
I could see the delight in meeting her favorite author; and, because of this kind of encounters, we as authors can get good feedback and become more of a team with some of our regular readers.
Another fan of my books once said that what was important to him was to have his opinion heard, and that it was always his pleasure to express himself face to face rather than in writing.
I am not advocating for anyone to strive to meet all of their readers, but if you meet a few, those few if they truly like your works, have the ability to impact your sales figures.
In the past, many writers focused only on their opinion. Now, many do feel like readers can all contribute to the team-like environment. “It helps everyone.”
To tackle reader issues, I identified the frequent readers of my blogs and implemented weekly Q&A that I sent to them to comment on what they read that day, that week or that month.
This way, the Author can get a real feedback which is invaluable, since no one is infallible.
It helps me to achieve the famous goal of striving to please the customer, and ultimately, it helps everyone feel included.
When you get a team environment, everyone feels that they can contribute.
We can’t make things better if we don’t know what is going on, or what is bothering our readers.
That is my story and I'm sticking to it!
Best Friends Valentine
ReplyDelete2/14/2014 5:47:23 PM
....because I am your best friend
I am here beside you
I will never leave you,
Because I am your best friend
When you start crying,
I feel the pain you feel,
Because I am your best friend.
I love you!
Because I am your best friend.
Yes I am!
The DNA of Actress Venessa Williams
ReplyDelete"My DNA breaks down as follows: I’m 23% from Ghana, 17% from the British Isles, 15% from Cameroon, 12% Finnish, 11% Southern European, 7% Togo, 6% Benin, 5% Senegal and 4% Portuguese."
Most of us biography writers are curious about our family lineage. For Vanessa Williams, who recently took part in the show “Who Do You Think You Are” and explored her family’s history, the task was both surprising and informative. Here, she talks about what she learned and how she plans to use that information.
How did you become interested in finding out about your lineage?
I’ve always been interested, but I was introduced to Ancestry.com [one of the websites that help people research their family backgrounds] before I even did a show called “Who Do You Think You Are,” so I signed up as a member to document my own family tree, and my DNA analysis was done as a part of doing the show.
We ended up doing two stories on my father’s side. One of my great-great-grandfathers was a soldier in the Civil War, and the other was born a slave but ended up being an educator and principal, and one of the first black legislators in Tennessee back in 1885. The stories are rich and informative and intriguing, but also as an African American, you don’t always have the luxury to know exactly where your ancestors are from.
What did you find out about your DNA?
My DNA breaks down as follows: I’m 23% from Ghana, 17% from the British Isles, 15% from Cameroon, 12% Finnish, 11% Southern European, 7% Togo, 6% Benin, 5% Senegal and 4% Portuguese.
Now, I can’t wait to go to Ghana and Cameroon and Togo and Senegal — it’s a great opportunity to see why the customs resonate with you. I love to travel and I love to explore, and I have to admit that I was always jealous of people who knew their cultural background. Both my family and myself came out with light eyes, so obviously there is a recessive gene here. Not knowing what that was just made me very curious.
How did it feel to find out about all these different parts of your lineage?
It’s fascinating! The first person I called was my mother, and I sent her my results and copied all my kids so they know where half of their genetic makeup is from. I wish that my father was still alive, because he was a huge history buff and interested in genealogy as well. It allows a greater sense of history for the family and a bit of pride as well.
Why do you think this information is important? Is it just for your own knowledge or to do plan to use it for health purposes as well?
I remember my mother told me that when my brother was a baby, they identified some blood issue with him, and they asked her if she had any relatives from Italy because this particular blood characteristic was consistent with someone from Italy. My mother said, “No, no, nothing like that.” Well, now come to find out 45 years later and obviously we have the same genetic makeup that Southern European is 11% of our makeup.
How did your family react to all this information?
They loved it. They really can’t wait to go on our world tour of where we’re from. The biggest surprise was Finland. How did that happen? Who is Finnish? That is definitely going to be one of my trips coming up. It’s all surprising, really interesting and it’s really incredible.
Get your Ancestry DNA test today just so you can actually write a COMPLETE Autobiography.
Good Trends in the Book Business
ReplyDelete2 Billion people on earth bought an ebook in 2013
For 2014, collaboration with the automobile industry is leaning towards incorporating applications in cars that will read an ebook to you even as you drive.
Today is January 24th and methinks it’s a good time to look forward into the book business crystal ball, even as we look back in the rear view mirror of 2013.
Out of 7 Billion people on earth, 1.5 Billion bought a hard copy book in 2013. When we shift gears to ebooks, records show that 2 Billion people on earth bought an ebook in 2013. From all accounts, this is a very significant trend.
These priorities aren’t new — in fact, we’ve been driving toward them for some time. That’s because we’ve always expected that our industry would become increasingly competitive, and it has, and because we believe we are still very early in our industry’s long-term growth curve for electronic transactions, we must embrace the likely hood of selling more books the E-way because it is faster, cheaper and most convenient.
Things are moving quickly and by 2020 our industry will be radically different. It will be increasingly mobile — with customers, content owners and apps developers all looking for providers who can deliver ubiquitous, global connectivity. People will neither know nor care if they’re on a fixed or wireless connection. All that will matter is that the connection is ultra-fast and secure, with instant access to all their content through the cloud. Finally, they’ll expect every aspect of our books to come together simply and conveniently.
So, our top priorities should be about leading in this new world, and delivering for our customers. Effortless Customer Experience:
At the present time, we live in a world where over 50% of customer interactions are digital. Imagine by 2020, mobile first initiatives will continue to drive how we go to market and operate even for big ticket items like cars and homes not to talk about the light weight goods such as books dear to our very own hearts.
Advancing our Network with special emphasis on download speeds will be a priority in-order to remain competitive. This is the foundation for our future.
Because of expanded network capabilities, Ultra-Fast IP processes and strategic planning, companies like Amazon were able to laugh all the way to the bank in 2013.
The good news is, as Amazon continues to do well, therein lies the live line for smaller book outlets in 2014.
Let’s make 2014 a breakthrough year by continuing the amazing trend of writing great books that keep our readers coming back electronically or otherwise.
Granting a Poor Animal Amnesty
ReplyDelete...This is about our pet-dog named Wisky. He was a German Shepherd - a well trained Hunting Dog.
Uncle Adrian owned a beautiful gray dog he named Wisky. Wisky was indeed a German Shepherd. He was well trained, obedient, and an energetic relentless hunting dog that could smell a deer, a mile away.
From age eight, I had the privilege of accompanying my uncles Adrian, Fred and their friends on several adventurous hunting expeditions.
I was often the errand boy who carried the light stuff light lunch and water bottles.
These hunting trips often would go on for a whole weekend depending on how soon we made a big catch of bush meat to take home to our parents.
We depended on Wisky's nasal sensors. While in the bushes, Wisky would suddenly raise his nose up to the sky, appearing to smell something in the air. My uncle would become alert and when Wisky dashed in one direction, we all would follow suit. After a quick dash he would start digging and we instinctively would form a semi-circle around the area, with our machetes held high above our heads,ready to strike the unfortunate victim of the day.
Often, my uncle would rush forward to make a euphemistical first contact with the victim which was usually either a rabbit or a squirrel.
Since I was often scared, I stood back until the dust settled. On such occasions, I would quietly wish that Uncle Adrian granted the poor animal amnesty. This was when my desired for a 'Fresh Bush Meat meal' was overwhelmed by witnessing first hand how the animal was caught.
You've gotta read: "Survival Instincts" by Herman Yenwo for the the full story.
The Power of Reviews
ReplyDeleteReviews have a way of re-assuring the author that your job was well done.
Lovely Poems From Me, to U
"Lovely Poems have a way of titilating the reader with facts you can relate to. Herman writes in the first person, singular, for your reading enjoyment."
Jonathan Keys
Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 Reviews of: ME, MYSELF & I, by Julia Nasau - an avid reader, 01/09/2011
Herman: Your book captivated my attention, and as you can imagine, I was smiling when I came to the end. As I read your unique autobiography, several scenerios left me wishing you were here so I could interview you. You could take a number of episodes and write another book just on one of those days in your life's experiences; or even expand many into a book of short stories. I also thought these wonderful narratives could be adapted to children's books as well. Your writing style, vivid details are an easily read intriguing adventures that both children and parents would enjoy. Your book has the potential of making a wonderful movie phenomenon worldwide! WRITE ON!...and Congratulations on a job well done!
-Harpo's Oprah
Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 Review of ME, MYSELF & I
12/20/2010) Herman has the skill to put the reader right in the center of his context. As a reader you will get an unforgettable picture of Herman's journey from childhood to adulthood. He has a way of telling his story so vividly yet humorously. The story meant to tell one man's story ends up being a beautiful cultural informant that appeals to readers of all ages and walks of life. There is a mention of everything that pertains to culture, family setup and religion. At the end of the book, as a reader you have a rich library in your mind a unique life.
Tax Time!
ReplyDelete1/9/2014 6:10:56 PM
Personal exemptions and standard deductions will rise and tax brackets will widen due to inflation.
In 2014, personal exemptions and standard deductions will rise and tax brackets will widen due to inflation. By law, the dollar amounts for a variety of tax provisions, affecting virtually every taxpayer, must be revised each year to keep pace with inflation. New dollar amounts affecting 2014 returns, filed by most taxpayers in April 2015, include the following:
The value of each personal exemption and dependent exemption, available to most taxpayers is $3,950, up $50 from 2013.
The new standard deduction is $12,400 for married couples filing a joint return, up $200, $6,200 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up $100, and $9,100 for heads of household, also up $150. The additional standard deduction for blind people and senior citizens is $1,200 for married individuals and $1,550 for singles and heads of household. Nearly two out of three taxpayers take the standard deduction, rather than itemizing deductions such as mortgage interest, charitable contributions and state and local taxes.
Tax-bracket thresholds increase for each filing status.For a married couple filing a joint return, for example, the taxable-income threshold separating the 15-percent bracket from the 25-percent bracket is $73,800, up from $72,500 in 2013.
Hope this was helpful!
An App that Prompts you to read, Selects Books for U, and Reads excerpts to U.
ReplyDeleteIn the tech world, January means one thing: the annual Consumer Electronics Show, and books cannot be left out of the loop.
For many, January means new resolutions, new gym memberships and a healthy line-up of college football games. But, in the tech world, January means one thing: the annual Consumer Electronics Show.
Some of the brightest minds from around the world came together to participate in the event held in Las Vegas last weekend.
I was blown away by the quality of the developers and the applications that they produced.
Many of the very creative applications demonstrated were developed by women.
There was this app called SafeNecklace which is capable of sending an alert if a kid on a school trip wonders away beyond a given perimeter.
This got me thinking about developing an application that would prompt you to read a book, select a couple of books that would interest you, and then read excerpts of the books to you as you relax.
Comments (2)
The Most Intriguing thing about me
ReplyDeleteLooks do matter!
I am the lead dog among four siblings.
My mother was an aristocrat with great friends in high places. She was also a socialite who cared a lot about what she wore.
I tend to emulate her life style in regards to how I appear, because she taught me that looking good elevated self confidence. The rest is history.
Happy Reading!
Comments (1)
Guys & Gals: Happy New Year 2014
ReplyDeleteThis is a Poetic Happy New Year 2014. Okay!
Men are not Mind readers,
Never Have!
You're now a big girl,
In the New Year, Learn to work the toilet sit, okay!
If it's up, put it down!
We need it up, you need it down!
You don't hear us complaining; Do you? lol :)
Herman writes exactly the way he speaks
Happy Reading!
To the Opposite Gender
ReplyDeleteIf you think something is wrong,
It probably is!
If s/he doesn't call you,
it's because s/he doesn't want to.
If you think something is wrong,
It probably is!
If s/he can't just say: "I love you,"
It's because s/he doesn't.
My poetry focuses on the realities of life.
Happy Reading!
SMART is indeed the New RICH
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed true according to my novel"...Smart is the New Rich" that
the open office plan where employees are visible to their managers hinders productivity.
A leading Media research fellow Bernstein experimented with the theory of my book titled: “SMART is the New Rich,” by Herman Yenwo
He embeds subjects who were quietly shown "better ways" of accomplishing tasks by their peers. His goal was to prove that the open office plan where employees are visible to their managers hindered productivity.
His theory is to remind leaders that sometimes you just need to let your workers work. If you're going to stress transparency
at your organization, which by many rights you should, accept that it's a two-way street. If you want greater productivity,
loosen up your policies or don't worry so much if they're broken. As one commenter on the Working Knowledge article puts it,
"It's called 'delegation': i.e., living with the fact that others may do things differently from you, while still being productive."
There's another side to that equation. Your policies might be in place for a reason. If so, recognize that asking for higher
productivity might require cutting corners that are better left uncut.
Happy Reading!
The right to be 'furious'
ReplyDeleteThe debate about government surveillance programs and striking the right balance between protecting personal privacy and providing national security is a healthy one.
It's important that policy makers worldwide get it right so that people can continue to enjoy the benefits of technology and communications with confidence.
Finally, in our view, any disclosures regarding classified information should come from the government, which is in the best position to determine what can be lawfully disclosed that would not harm national security. Since every country has secrets. Ask Israel [God’s own chosen people]
I believe clear legal frameworks with accountability and oversight are required to strike the right balance between protecting individual privacy and civil liberties, and protecting the national and personal security, a balance we all desire - Just as AD takes the responsibility to protect our information and privacy very seriously.
Imagine that you’ve carefully planned a strategic release date for your baby book, and then find out to your surprise that that date is leaked prematurely, you would have the right to be 'furious' because many things are at stake including your bottom line.
Happy Reading!
Oh, how we masquerade or camouflage sometimes
ReplyDeleteI don’t know about you, but for me, I learnt a lot from youthful exuberance, mischief and valor
Do you remember the last time you visited your doctor’s office?
Oh, yes I do! She asked me: “How are you doing Herman?”
Without even giving a moment’s thought to the question, I said “Fine,” and yet inadvertently proceeded to enumerate what parts of my body were aching or still agile.
Now, you must be asking yourself what’s all this about?
Well, halfway through drafting my autobiography: “Me, Myself and I,” I paused and reflected on the adventures that I had seen in the first half of my life and said “Wow!” Just then it occurred to me that some of my childhood friends were no longer here, and I immediately determined to be more appreciative of my life, and to complain less.
When you have the opportunity to read: “Me, Myself and I,” you will see a greater degree of positivity expressed in the second half of this novel which many of my readers and reviewers have personally noted both in private and public comments.
I don’t know about you, but for me, I learnt a lot from youthful exuberance, mischief and valor, but I’d rather read about a ton of valor with a bucket of mischief, than vice versa.
Happy Reading!
LIFE
ReplyDeleteBeing Thankful!
Enjoy the stages we get through before going back to our Father in heaven.
God bless you.
As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play, on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.
I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.
They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But, broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).
MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COMES APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!
Elephants at a Human Funeral
ReplyDeleteWhat drove a herd of elephants to attend their keepers funeral?
Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller
The Elephant Whisperer, bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated
elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the
courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003.
On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died.
He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons & numerous elephants.
Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his
home led by two large matriarchs.
Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to their beloved man-friend.
A total of 20 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles
to get to his South African House
ele-2
Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in awe not only because of the
supreme intelligence and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence 's
passing, but also because of the profound memory and emotion the beloved animals
evoked in such an organized way:
Walking slowly -
for days -
making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house.ele-3
Lawrence's wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants
had not been to his house prior to that day for well over a year!
But yet they knew where they were going.
The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend
who'd saved their lives - so much respect that they stayed for 2 days 2 nights.
Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.
When the power of love is stronger than the love of power, the world will know peace.
Every Night I am here after my day job
ReplyDeleteWisky - our family hunting dog would raise his ear lobes forward, ready to dash in the direction of the victim of the day.
Wisky was a German Sherpherd. A relentless and energetic dog that could scent a deer a mile away.
When I write it flows like a river through my head and on to paper or electronically.
It is as though it was a Russ Feed of information or a conveyor belt.
Often, I don't have to think or reflect, regardless of the topic. Sometimes when I am writing prose, a poetic verse pops up and I have to stop and jot that down on a writing pad for later review.
Am I alone on this?
I really I am curious to know the kind of trance that other great authors find themselves in as they write, or don't they?
I am afraid!
ReplyDelete5/16/2015 6:20:11 AM
I am afraid of extreme dependency on technology, period!
If my GPS navigator fails, I might not get there!
If my SMART phone refuses to hold a charge up, I just might not be able to call mom on Mother's Day.
If my hot water boiler fails in the middle of winter, how am I going to bath with ice-cold water?
If my iPad or laptop shows the blue screen of death, I am afraid my life will come to a holt.
What if that new car will not start when I've already committed to be there at noon, for our first date or first meeting with Mr President?
I know what you are thinking.... "Call Ubah!"
What if my memory is full and the application won't download, or the phone won't hold a charge, huh? Don't even suggest that I start walking 20 miles, buy a bicycle or a horse for that matter😀 because it could start raining any minute.
You won't show up for that blind date looking like a wet skunk, would you?