Discovering New-to-You Authors

With limited time (and funds), I'm cautious about trying new-to-me authors. Yet, the rewards of locating that gem make the process well worth the effort. Here are some ways I find new favorites:

1.  Recommendations from friends. Yep, word of mouth is still one of the best ways to find a winner.

2.  Certain genres appeal to me more than others, so I'll often check out what's new in Christian Historical Romance/Romantic Suspense or Mystery/Suspense. Roseanna White, Tamera Alexander, Julie Klassen, and many others write wonderful books.

3.  Social Media is an important resource. I belong to Facebook groups, as well as Goodreads. It's a great way to connect with authors.

4.  Book signings/writers conferences. I've met several writers in person at these venues. Authors like Jeanette Windle, Cathy Gohlke, Carrie Turansky are a few examples. Their books have provided many hours of reading enjoyment.

5.  Blogs, websites - Numerous blogger friends became published authors along the way. Jody Hedlund, Jeanette Levellie, Karen Lange, and Camy Tang fall into this category.

The neat part of discovering a new-to-you author? They're often multi-published. Your to-be-read pile will grow so fast you'll never lack for reading material.

By the way, you might be interested to know I'm an author. All of my books are available on Amazon in ebook and print formats. The titles are in series order:

The Moses Conspiracy

The Christmas Wish

The Scent of Fear

Out of the Mist

Happy reading!

Writers and Readers: How do you discover new-to-you authors?

Photo Credit:  Guillermo Alvarez

Presumption/Photos/Speaking Tips/Trivia/One Hour

1.  Nadine Keels talks about Book Presumption. As an author and reader, I could see where a particular title, cover, blurb could make me wrinkle my nose and pass.

2.  Are you having a hard time finding the right graphic for your blog posts? Why not take your own? Edie Melson, at The Write Conversation, gives tips on how to build a library of photos. I put this one in my favorites.

3.  Zoe M. McCarthy gives 18 Speaking Tips to Rivet Your Audience. Whether you're an author/speaker, teacher, or trainer, you'll find something useful in this post.

4.  Many of us grew up reading the Little House books and watching the TV program. Mary, the oldest Ingalls girl, went blind, supposedly from Scarlet Fever. A researcher has studied the subject and came to the conclusion that was not the real reason. Check out the article here.

5.  Writers and readers are always looking for ways to save time, so they can get in more writing and reading, of course. Check out this post from The Happier Homemaker. She tells you how to clean your entire house in one hour.

Writers:  Do you take photos for your blog? What kind of camera works best for you?

Readers:  Did you read the Little House books as a child? What did you think of the article on how Mary went blind?

Photo Credit:  Andrey Volodov

Book Spine/Turning Points/Urban Legends/Journaling/Photos

1.  I came across an interesting article on Publisher's Weekly: Judging a Book By Its Spine. We're so focused on the front cover that we forget it's the spine that readers see when our books are crammed on the shelf.

2.  Susan May Warren guest posts at The Write Conversation. She talks about building powerful turning points in a novel.

3.  Once relegated to urban legend status, military exercises to prepare for martial law are creating a stir among members of Congress. Check out this article.

4.  I'm big into journaling. It's like pressing the "Start Button" for my creative side. Jennifer Brown Banks, at Pen and Prosper, talks about the joys of journaling in this blog post.

5.  Susan, at Writing Straight From the Heart, loves writing and photography. These photos captured my attention. Enjoy!

Writers:  What techniques do you use to press the "Start Button" on your creativity?

Readers:  What influences you more in purchasing books:  The book cover or the author? Please share.

Photo Credit:  clshearin