Member Blog

It’s free to join SPR and blog about your writing experiences. Read the latest blog entries from our community

African Dream: The Dawn of a New Day

african dreamWhy is it that although Africa is filled with natural resources, the vast majority of African people are still living in poverty? How come people are starving in Africa when there are many billionaires around the world enjoying extravagant lifestyles in their big yachts, private jets and big mansions? Why are innocent children dying in Somalia when mountains of food are thrown away everyday here in Britain and other places around the world. What should the rich do to help the poor in Africa? And finally, when are the people of Africa themselves going to take responsibility for their own […]

2020-02-20T13:18:48+02:00April 11th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: |

What’s The Relationship Between A Writer & Their Characters?

relationship between writer
Here I go again, treading into dangerous territory.

I’m calling this dangerous territory because the word “danger” comes from roots that mean the “power of a lord or master”. And, the last thing I am is some kind of lord, master, guru, or expert. So, putting my thoughts and feelings about writers and their characters out into the communal space of the Internet is dangerous because it might seem like I think you should believe what I say. In the last post, I mentioned that my thoughts would probably make some folks want to argue with me and it will […]

2019-01-22T07:16:35+02:00April 5th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|

Rewriting While You Read ~ We All Do It …

there-is-nothing-to-writing-ernest-hemingway
What? We all rewrite what we’re reading? How in the world can I propose such an idea?

Matter of fact, I proposed it in two posts on my other blog: ReadWriteReadWriteReadWrite… & What’s It Like Inside When You Read A Book?.

In the second post just mentioned, I gave a little formula to help explain what I mean:

“Reading is to Writing as Hearing is to Speaking.”

Then, I asked a question:

“Do we always hear exactly what the other person’s saying?”

So, when we read, do we always get the meaning the author intended when they wrote the […]

2014-03-24T12:46:16+02:00March 24th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: |

Selling your book bit by bit

With ebook sales on the rise and considering the number of ebook readers, tablets, and smartphones that provide readers access to your book why is it that your book isn’t providing you steady income?  Their are tons of reasons why people choose to buy or pass over any given book.  One reason is that we live in a “review driven” society.  We don’t buy shoes, books, clothing, etc. without reading the reviews first.  How do you get reviews if no one will buy your book because it has no reviews?

A lot of authors have taken to giving away their […]

2020-02-21T07:17:48+02:00March 24th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: |

9 Reasons Why I’m Choosing to Self-Publish

I’m writing a book! Did you hear? I’m writing a book! A bonafide, original content book! And I’m going to publish it. All by myself.

That’s right. No agent. No publisher. No distributor. No PR machine. No query letters or manuscript submissions or external validation. I’m doing it by my own damn self.

Recently a friend mentioned something to me that made me firm up my decision to do this on my own.  She pointed out that the sample of the manuscript I sent her was in the wrong font and spacing for agents to read and that they would […]

2014-03-31T11:47:30+02:00March 4th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|

Book Profits for Charity

I am a clinical psychologist who has been practicing in Santa Monica, California for 45 years. I have written five books, the most recent of which was published this year, Living Life From the Inside Out: Who You Are Matters (I will describe this book in a subsequent post.) Now that I am in my 75th year of life, I no longer practice in order to earn a living. I do it simply because I love what I do.  It is now time for me to focus on giving back, examine my legacy, and put more energy into making a
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2014-03-04T11:54:03+02:00March 4th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|

Jabujicaba by Rosa da Silva

Here’s a book that will save the rainforest!

bookA young journalist Carmen Macedo finds herself on an assignment to uncover corrupt land deals in the Brazilian Amazon. The investigation takes her back to her roots, forcing her to confront painful memories from her childhood and inspiring her to make an emotional connection with the jungle and the legendary fruit of the Jabujicaba tree. The e-book, Jabujicaba, paints a sensuous picture of a living, breathing rainforest, a place filled with life, colour and the potential to save lives, but one that is at the mercy of those who would exploit it.The

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2014-02-20T09:43:51+02:00February 20th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|

Submissions Welcome For The Crossover Alliance Anthology


For many months now, The Crossover Alliance has been an online community in existence to cultivate the relationship between readers and writers of edgy Christian speculative fiction – in general terms, science fiction/fantasy/horror/supernatural fiction with Christian themes and edgy content, such as sexual themes, language, drug use, and violence. The term ‘edgy’ doesn’t only encompass this type of content though – it can also be applied to certain situations/themes/character deficiencies that are not typically found or ‘allowed’ in conservative Christian fiction. Edgy Christian speculative fiction crosses the lines of both secular fiction and Christian fiction, and creates a new breed […]

2014-02-20T08:56:53+02:00February 5th, 2014|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: |
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